Basic Income Increases Family Support

Guaranteed monthly cash often gets redistributed within social networks: a large study cited here found recipients increased money sent to friends and family by 26%, more than increases to food or child care. That redistribution can be an intended social effect (strengthening informal safety nets) but also means single‑recipient UBI experiments may not translate directly into individual upward mobility. — If UBI primarily amplifies informal family transfers, policymakers must rethink goals (alleviating acute need vs changing long‑term trajectories) and measurement windows for success.