Training course on Universal Basic Income (UBI): Financing Models and Feasibility

Training Course on Universal Basic Income (UBI): Financing Models and Feasibility

Introduction 

The concept of Universal Basic Income (UBI) – a regular, unconditional cash payment delivered to all citizens regardless of their income, wealth, or employment status – has gained significant global attention as a potential solution to poverty, inequality, and the future of work in an increasingly automated world. Training Course on Universal Basic Income (UBI): Financing Models and Feasibility is meticulously designed to equip with the expert knowledge and practical methodologies to critically assess and develop robust financing models and feasibility analyses for Universal Basic Income. The program focuses on costing methodologies, various revenue-generating mechanisms (e.g., tax reforms, resource rents), macroeconomic implications, administrative complexities, political economy considerations, and lessons from global UBI pilots, blending rigorous analytical frameworks with practical, hands-on application, global case studies (with a strong emphasis on African contexts, including Kenya's UBI experiences), and intensive fiscal modeling and policy simulation exercises. Participants will gain the strategic foresight and technical expertise to confidently analyze the viability of UBI, fostering unparalleled evidence-based dialogue, responsible policy design, and potentially transformative social and economic outcomes, thereby securing their position as indispensable leaders in shaping the future of social security and inclusive development.

This intensive 5-day program delves into nuanced methodologies for accurately costing various UBI design options (e.g., full vs. partial UBI, individual vs. household payments), mastering sophisticated techniques for evaluating diverse financing strategies (e.g., broad-based consumption taxes, progressive income tax reforms, carbon taxes, land value taxes, repurposing existing subsidies), and exploring cutting-edge approaches to assessing the macroeconomic impacts of UBI on inflation, labor supply, GDP, and public debt, designing robust administrative systems for seamless UBI delivery (including leveraging digital payments), analyzing the political economy of UBI adoption and resistance, and integrating lessons from real-world UBI pilots (like GiveDirectly's Kenya experiment) into policy recommendations. A significant focus will be placed on understanding the interplay of UBI with existing social safety nets and public financial management (PFM) systems, the specific challenges of informal sectors and tax capacity in developing countries (as highly relevant to Kenya), and the practical application of stakeholder engagement and public communication strategies.

Course Objectives:

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Analyze core concepts and strategic responsibilities of Universal Basic Income (UBI), distinguishing between various design options (full, partial, targeted).
2. Master sophisticated techniques for accurately costing different UBI scenarios at national and sub-national levels, considering population size and poverty lines.
3. Develop robust methodologies for evaluating diverse financing models for UBI, including tax reforms, carbon taxes, wealth taxes, and repurposing existing expenditures.
4. Implement effective strategies for assessing the macroeconomic implications of UBI on inflation, labor market participation, GDP, and fiscal sustainability.
5. Manage complex considerations for designing administrative systems for UBI delivery, including identification, payment mechanisms, and grievance redressal in diverse contexts (e.g., informal sector).
6. Apply robust strategies for integrating lessons and findings from global UBI pilot programs (e.g., Kenya, Finland, India, Namibia) into feasibility assessments.
7. Understand the deep integration of UBI with existing social protection programs and potential trade-offs or complementarities.
8. Leverage knowledge of global best practices and lessons learned from theoretical and practical UBI experiences across diverse country contexts, particularly in Africa (including Kenya's pilot).
9. Optimize strategies for effective public communication and stakeholder engagement on the complex aspects of UBI financing and feasibility.
10. Formulate specialized recommendations for addressing key challenges to UBI implementation in low-income and developing countries (e.g., tax capacity, informal economy, data availability).
11. Conduct comprehensive assessments of the political economy factors influencing the adoption and sustainability of UBI.
12. Navigate challenging situations such as public resistance, fiscal constraints, and potential disincentives to work in UBI policy design.
13. Develop a holistic, evidence-based, and politically astute approach to Universal Basic Income (UBI): Financing Models and Feasibility, informing national dialogue and strategic decisions.

Target Audience:

This course is designed for professionals interested in Universal Basic Income (UBI): Financing Models and Feasibility:

1. Policymakers & Senior Government Officials: From Ministries of Finance, Planning, Social Protection, and Labor.
2. Economists & Fiscal Analysts: In government, central banks, and research institutions.
3. Social Protection Program Managers & Policy Advisors: Exploring alternative or complementary social security models.
4. Tax Authority Officials: Involved in revenue generation and tax policy design.
5. Researchers & Academics: Studying basic income, social policy, and economic development.
6. Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) & Advocacy Groups: Engaged in discussions on poverty, inequality, and future welfare systems.
7. Development Partners & International Organizations: Supporting social protection innovation and fiscal reforms.
8. Digital Payment & Technology Specialists: Interested in UBI delivery mechanisms.

Course Duration: 5 Days

Course Modules:

• Module 1: Introduction to Universal Basic Income (UBI) Concepts (Day 1)
• Defining UBI: Unconditionality, Universality, Periodicity, Individuality.
• Distinguishing UBI from other social protection instruments (e.g., targeted cash transfers, minimum wage).
• Rationale for UBI: Poverty reduction, inequality, automation, administrative efficiency, health outcomes.
• Overview of different UBI design options: Full UBI vs. partial UBI, basic vs. living wage level.
• Historical context and global interest in UBI, including early pilots and discussions in Africa.
• Module 2: Costing Methodologies for UBI (Day 1)
• Calculating the gross cost of various UBI proposals: Population size, benefit level, payment frequency.
• Understanding the net cost of UBI: Accounting for existing social program displacement and tax clawback.
• Micro-simulation modeling for detailed costing: Data requirements, assumptions, and limitations.
• Analyzing the impact of different UBI levels (e.g., poverty line, living wage) on total cost.
• Practical exercises: Estimating the cost of a hypothetical UBI in a country context (e.g., Kenya).
• Module 3: Financing Models: Taxation and Revenue Generation (Day 2)
• Broad-based tax reforms: Progressive income tax, consumption taxes (VAT), corporate tax adjustments.
• New or increased taxes: Carbon taxes, wealth taxes, financial transaction taxes, land value taxes.
• Resource rents: Leveraging natural resource revenues for UBI financing.
• Fiscal space creation: Combating illicit financial flows, improving tax administration and compliance.
• Feasibility of different tax instruments in developing countries with large informal sectors.
• Module 4: Financing Models: Repurposing and Rationalizing Spending (Day 3)
• Identifying existing social protection programs, subsidies (e.g., fuel, food), and tax expenditures that could be replaced or streamlined by UBI.
• Analyzing the efficiency and equity implications of replacing targeted programs with UBI.
• Estimating administrative cost savings from simplifying existing welfare bureaucracies.
• The political economy of reallocating entrenched spending.
• Case studies of countries that have rationalized subsidies or social spending (e.g., Iran's UBI, Ghana's fuel subsidy reform).
• Module 5: Macroeconomic Implications and Fiscal Feasibility (Day 3)
• Impact of UBI on aggregate demand, consumption, and economic growth.
• Potential effects on inflation, labor supply, and wage dynamics.
• Analysis of fiscal space and public debt sustainability under UBI.
• The role of monetary policy in managing UBI-induced economic shifts.
• Modeling exercises: Simulating macroeconomic outcomes of UBI using simplified frameworks.
• Module 6: Administrative and Operational Feasibility (Day 4)
• Designing robust UBI delivery mechanisms: Digital payments, mobile money, bank accounts, last-mile delivery challenges.
• Identification and registration systems for universal coverage, particularly in informal settings.
• Data management, privacy, and grievance redressal mechanisms.
• Building institutional capacity for UBI administration and oversight.
• Lessons from large-scale cash transfer programs and the GiveDirectly UBI pilot in Kenya regarding operational challenges and successes.
• Module 7: Political Economy and Social Acceptance (Day 4)
• Identifying key stakeholders and their positions on UBI (e.g., labor unions, businesses, civil society).
• Strategies for building political will and social consensus for UBI.
• Addressing common concerns and criticisms: disincentive to work, inflation, cost, universality vs. targeting.
• The role of social dialogue and public engagement campaigns in UBI feasibility.
• Analyzing the political feasibility of UBI adoption in diverse governance contexts.
• Module 8: Lessons from Global Pilots and Future Directions (Day 5)
• In-depth review of key findings and limitations from prominent UBI pilot programs (e.g., Kenya, Finland, Namibia, India, Stockton, Ontario).
• Understanding the diverse contexts, methodologies, and outcomes of these pilots.
• Discussing policy implications and scalability of pilot results to national UBI implementation.
• Identifying critical research gaps and future directions for UBI experimentation and analysis.
• Group exercise: Participants develop a preliminary feasibility assessment for a UBI in a specific country, incorporating lessons learned and outlining next steps.

Training Methodology

• Interactive Workshops: Facilitated discussions, group exercises, and problem-solving activities.
• Case Studies: Real-world examples to illustrate successful community-based surveillance practices.
• Role-Playing and Simulations: Practice engaging communities in surveillance activities.
• Expert Presentations: Insights from experienced public health professionals and community leaders.
• Group Projects: Collaborative development of community surveillance plans.
• Action Planning: Development of personalized action plans for implementing community-based surveillance.
• Digital Tools and Resources: Utilization of online platforms for collaboration and learning.
• Peer-to-Peer Learning: Sharing experiences and insights on community engagement.
• Post-Training Support: Access to online forums, mentorship, and continued learning resources.

 

Register as a group from 3 participants for a Discount

Send us an email: info@datastatresearch.org or call +254724527104

Certification

Upon successful completion of this training, participants will be issued with a globally recognized certificate.

Tailor-Made Course

We also offer tailor-made courses based on your needs.

Key Notes

• Participants must be conversant in English.
• Upon completion of training, participants will receive an Authorized Training Certificate.
• The course duration is flexible and can be modified to fit any number of days.
• Course fee includes facilitation, training materials, 2 coffee breaks, buffet lunch, and a Certificate upon successful completion.
• One-year post-training support, consultation, and coaching provided after the course.
• Payment should be made at least a week before the training commencement to DATASTAT CONSULTANCY LTD account, as indicated in the invoice, to enable better preparation.