Economics seminar series: The Welsh Basic Income Pilot

Dates: Thursday, December 15, 2022 - 12:00 to 13:00
Location: Online. The event is free

The Welsh basic income pilot - watch the full recording

The Open University Economics Seminar Series was honoured to host the First Minister of Wales Mark Drakeford and Minister for Social Justice Jane Hutt as they discussed the Welsh basic income pilot for people leaving care (minutes 15.12-27.15), followed by Q&A (from minute 27.15 onwards). The Ministers discussed the pilot which explores new ways of supporting people who are most in need in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis. The event on 15 December 2022 was introduced and chaired by Dr Rajiv Prabhakar, Senior Lecturer in Economics at The Open University.

Abstract

The Welsh Government has introduced a pilot for those people leaving care as they move to adult life. From 1 July 2022, around 500 people will be offered £1,600 a month before tax for two years. The aim of this pilot is to support care leavers to lead ‘healthy, happy and fulfilling lives’.

The Open University Economics Seminar Series is honoured to host the First Minister of Wales Mark Drakeford and Minister for Social Justice Jane Hutt as they discuss the Welsh basic income pilot for people leaving care. The event will be introduced and chaired by Rajiv Prabhakar.

The Ministers will discuss the pilot which explores new ways of supporting people who are most in need in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis. Launching the scheme, Mark Drakeford said: ‘We want all our young people to have the best possible chance in life and fulfil their full potential. The state is the guardian of people leaving care and so has a real obligation to support them as they start their adult life’.

The Welsh Basic Income Pilot

Speakers:

Mark Drakeford (First Minister of Wales)

First Minister Mark Drakeford is a former probation officer, youth justice worker and Barnardos project leader and he has been a professor of Social Policy and Applied Social Sciences at Cardiff University.

Mark became the Assembly Member for Cardiff West in May 2011. He was appointed Minister for Health and Social Services in March 2013 and Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government in May 2016. Mark was appointed Cabinet Secretary for Finance on 3 November 2017. On 12 December 2018 Mark was appointed First Minister of Wales and became a member of the Privy Council on 13 February 2019. Mark was appointed First Minister on 13 May 2021.

Jane Hutt (Minister for Social Justice, Wales)

Minister for Social Justice Jane Hutt was first elected to the Assembly in 1999. Between 1999 and 2005 she served as Minister for Health and Social Services in the Welsh Government. From 2005 to 2007, she was Minister for Assembly Business and Chief Whip. In the first Cabinet of the Third Assembly she was appointed Minister for Budget and Assembly Business.

In the coalition Cabinet, announced on 19 July 2007, she became Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills. In December 2009 she was appointed Minister for Business and Budget, subsequently Minister for Finance until 2016 when she was appointed Leader of the House and Chief Whip at the start of the Fifth Assembly.

On 13 December 2018 Jane was appointed Deputy Minister and Chief Whip. Jane was appointed Minister for Social Justice on 13 May 2021.

Dr Rajiv Prabhakar (Senior Lecturer in Personal Finance at The Open University)

Rajiv Prabhakar is Senior Lecturer in Personal Finance at the Economics discipline. He teaches on DB125 You and Your Money and is author in 2021 of the book Financial Inclusion: Critique and Alternatives (Policy Press) and is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Between April 2021 and September 2022 he was a Parliamentary Academic Fellow at the House of Commons Library Business and Transport Section.