Framing a Minimum Income Guarantee

Development of framing options

Following the project inception meeting, Progressive reviewed key documents provided by the Expert Group to inform the development of the research tools. Due to the limited project timescale, the work already done by the Expert Group, and the lack of comparable Minimum Income Guarantee-style policies to feed into the review, it was agreed that this stage should focus on the work undertaken by organisations such as IPPR and The Poverty Alliance, rather than a wide-ranging evidence review/literature search.

Key documents reviewed as part of this process included:

• Minimum Income Guarantee Expert Group Interim Report 2023^[4]
• Minimum Income Guarantee Expert by Experience panel reports (2022-2024)^[5]
• The Poverty Alliance resources e.g. Talking about the Minimum Income Guarantee^[6]; note of the Minimum Income Guarantee conference 2023^[7]
• IPPR reports: Securing a Living Income in Scotland (2021)^[8]; Towards a Living Income (2022)^[9]
• Joseph Rowntree Foundation/Frameworks research: Talking about Poverty (2016)^[10]; How to Talk about Poverty in the United Kingdom (2018)^[11]
• WPI Economics report for the Expert Group: Economic Impact of a Minimum Income Guarantee: Analysis of economic theory and policy evidence (2024)^[12]
• Scottish Government Social Security Experience Panels reports (2022)^[13].

Conversations were also held with a total of six members of the Expert Group (representing five organisations), to provide the Progressive team with a full understanding of the project background, and discuss the key issues and challenges associated with framing a Minimum Income Guarantee as well as initial ideas about how best to describe the policy to the general public. Organisations represented in these discussions were: The Robertson Trust; The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR); The Poverty Alliance; One Parent Families Scotland; and the Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights (CRER).

Framing options

Based on the evidence review, conversations with the Expert Group and input from the Research Advisory Group, four frames were developed for testing in the qualitative research. These were based around the themes of:

• Reassurance/safety net
• Security for everyone/global events
• A fairer society for everyone to live in
• Freedom/opening opportunity.

The description used for each theme is outlined in the table below.

Table 1: Initial Minimum Income Guarantee framing options for qualitative testing

Frame/theme:

Reassurance/safety net

Description:

The cost-of-living crisis has demonstrated that no one is entirely protected from financial hardship, and that we must go further in providing a safety net. Anyone might need a helping hand at some point in their life, and a Minimum Income Guarantee would be there as a reassurance for all – no matter your current position in life or what might happen in the future – you are promised a minimum standard of living.

Frame/theme:

Security for everyone/global events

Description:

Global changes, such as climate change, conflicts around the world and technological advances, mean we are likely to see more turmoil in the global economy. Everyone in Scotland, particularly those who are at a greater risk of poverty and insecurity, would have a much more robust safety net with a Minimum Income Guarantee, ensuring their ability to live with dignity and afford the essentials is not jeopardised by far-away events beyond their control.

Frame/theme:

A fairer society for everyone to live in

Description:

Inequality and poverty are a blight on our society, that is damaging not only for those at the sharp end of it, but for everyone. Inequality can be linked to social problems such as violence and ill health – causing strain on the NHS, more drug abuse and higher rates of imprisonment. These in turn lead to lower levels of trust and weaker community life. By introducing a Minimum Income Guarantee, delivered through a combination of fair and accessible paid work, high quality services and adequate social security, we will not only be improving the living standard for those who need it most, but also for society as a whole.

Frame/theme:

Freedom/opening opportunity

Description:

There are people in our communities who do not get the opportunity to live decent, healthy and financially secure lives, and are, for example, being forced to choose between whether ‘to heat or to eat’. This is unacceptable in our modern society, and something that we need to collectively rectify. The Minimum Income Guarantee, delivered through social security benefits, fair work/good jobs, and the provision of key basic services, would ensure a minimum standard of living to all, allowing people to pursue life’s opportunity and live fulfilling lives.