The kind of well-thought-out, small-scale experiment we ought to be doing more of, to see how people actually behave.
Once the trial begins, recipients of the basic income will have to give up their basic unemployment allowance or labour market subsidy, but the basic income will not affect other benefits.
Officials are hoping that participants in the trial will be motivated to find temporary or part-time work. However they will also be observing other aspects of their behaviour in the job market.
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The sample was drawn from a pool about 175,000 persons who make up the target population: in other words, people between the ages of 25 and 58 who are currently being paid a labour market subsidy or basic unemployment allowance in November 2016. The sample does not include unemployed who are still receiving the earnings-related unemployment allowance.
From this group, 2,000 names were chosen to receive 560 euros per month for two years, starting on January 1, 2017.