I’m Scott Santens, and I've been researching and advocating for the concept of unconditional universal basic income (or UBI) since 2013.
Acknowledged by former U.S. presidential candidate Andrew Yang as one of those who helped shape his thinking, I've lived with a basic income floor via Patreon since 2015 which has enabled me to focus on popularizing UBI full-time.
I am the founder and CEO of the Income To Support All (ITSA) Foundation, the host of The Basic Income Show, and I also serve on the board of directors of the Gerald Huff Fund for Humanity and as the editor of Basic Income Today — a daily UBI news hub.
My debut book about UBI and how to pay for it is titled Let There Be Money. You can buy it on Amazon or listen to it for free on your favorite podcast platform.
Thank you to all who support my work by sharing it, and if you're new to UBI, my UBI FAQ or my evidence threads on Bluesky or X are great places to start.
A Guide to Basic Income: Frequently Asked Questions about UBI
Over the years I've been asked many questions about the idea of an unconditional universal basic income guarantee. Some questions are asked far more than others, and so I've made a point of writing various articles to answer many of these questions. Whatever question you may
The 200-Year Experiment: How a 'Privileged' Basic Income in Brazil Proves We Can Afford to Be Universal
From $500 to $15,000 a Month: How Decades of Data Prove That an Unconditional Basic Income Guarantee Fuels Ambition Instead of Laziness What if I told you that the Portuguese Empire accidentally ran one of the most comprehensive basic income experiments in human history? Not a one-year or two-year
The $1,000 Lie: Why Trump Accounts Are the Wrong Answer to the Right Question
Billionaires are lining up to seed investment accounts for kids, but we already know how to end child poverty — and waiting until age 18 isn’t it In December 2025, something ostensibly remarkable happened. Michael and Susan Dell pledged $6.25 billion to fund new “Trump Accounts” for American children.
Finland Gave Two Groups Identical Payments. One Experienced 33% Better Mental Health.
New research from Finland's basic income experiment proves that simply trusting people with money—not just the money itself—significantly improves mental health There’s a revolution happening in mental health treatment, and it’s not coming from pharmaceutical companies or therapy offices. It’s coming from something
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