Future Benefits Tea

The relentless march of artificial intelligence is set to change everything, from how we order a pizza to who, or what, does our jobs. This raises a rather pressing question for the United Kingdom: if a robot is doing your work (and probably doing it without complaining or demanding a tea break), how do you earn a living? Our current benefits system, already creaking under the strain, would likely throw a wobbly if faced with mass automation. This forces a national conversation about how we ensure everyone has enough cash for a decent life, compelling us to either patch up the old system or trade it in for a shiny new model.

The most straightforward response would be to give our existing benefits system, primarily Universal Credit, a bit of a spit and polish, and a much, much larger budget. Faced with a flood of newly unemployed people, we’d have to pump vast sums of money into the pot just to keep things afloat. Yet, simply throwing money at the problem won’t cut it. The system’s obsession with job-seeking conditions becomes a bit of a farce when the only jobs available are for ‘AI-wrangler’ or ‘sentient-hoover-mechanic’. A reformed system would need to be less rigid, capable of supporting the gig-working, portfolio-career-juggling modern Briton. It would need to value other activities, like caring for Aunt Mildred or finally learning to play the ukulele, rather than asking why you haven’t applied for 40 non-existent jobs that week.

Without these changes, we risk creating a society with inequality so vast it would make the cast of Made in Chelsea look like a workers’ cooperative. The economic spoils from AI could funnel exclusively to a small cabal of owners, investors, and tech gurus who actually understand what a ‘generative adversarial network’ is. Meanwhile, the rest of us, whose jobs have been given to a clever toaster, could face a permanent slide down the economic ladder. This growing chasm between the ‘have-yachts’ and the ‘have-nots’ would put a tremendous strain on the social fabric, making the case for a more radical rethink not just appealing, but essential.

This brings us to one of the most popular, and debated, ideas: Universal Basic Income (UBI). The concept is simple: everyone gets a regular, no-strings-attached payment from the government. It would provide a solid financial floor, ending the terror of a sudden bill and simplifying the baffling labyrinth of the current welfare state. Proponents argue UBI would empower people to pursue education, start businesses, or engage in creative and caring pursuits. Of course, while many would nobly write novels or volunteer, a good number would likely perfect their daytime telly schedule or finally get around to alphabetising their spice rack. And frankly, who could blame them?

An alternative, or perhaps complementary, vision is the expansion of Universal Basic Services (UBS). This plan would take the spirit of our beloved, queue-loving NHS and apply it elsewhere. Imagine a future where top-notch public transport, housing, childcare, and even broadband are considered basic rights, provided free for everyone. This would directly tackle the rising cost of living and, by ensuring everyone has access to the essentials, foster a powerful sense of national solidarity. We could even imagine a hybrid model: a modest UBI for life’s little extras (and the occasional pint), combined with a suite of world-class services. It’s the full English breakfast of social policy: a bit of everything to keep you going.

Looking further ahead, to a time when AI handles almost all production and labour, humanity’s purpose could get a serious upgrade. Freed from the daily grind, we could redirect our collective energy towards the big stuff. Human ambition could be channelled into grand projects like reversing climate change, writing breathtaking symphonies, or, naturally, expanding into space. With robots managing the planetary admin, humanity could finally focus on becoming a multi-planetary species, boldly going where no one has gone before, hopefully with better in-flight meals than freeze-dried shepherd’s pie.

Ultimately, the future is not some sci-fi film we’re forced to watch. The path we take—be it a patched-up benefits system, a UBI-powered society of entrepreneurs and telly-watchers, or a service-led utopia—is not pre-written. The impact of AI will be shaped by the values we champion and the choices we make now. The kind of future we will inhabit is not something that will simply happen to us; with a bit of thought and a healthy dose of British pragmatism, it is something we can, and must, get to choose.

TPEX offers future imagining and tenth person consultancy for decision makers looking to consider the future, before opportunities are missed. We offer online and in-person consultancy to help your business make informed decisions about the future.

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