“I got to go to work, work work work….”

The morning commute in Helsinki.

For thousands of workers, this is the daily route to a decent wage.

But for eighteen months, some have been on a different journey.

Now arriving at the end of an experiment, where they haven’t had to work for a living.

They’ve been paid regardless.

These Nordic shores are famous for radical ideas which often flow from here to be exported around the world.

But free money for everyone? No questions asked? I wanna see whether they’ve convinced people of the concept, or the cost.

An hour’s flight from the capital, in the Finnish countryside – lives one of those testing this unconventional concept. 

"Hey Juha"

"Hello"

"This is your workshop?"

"Yeah, come come"

Juha and his children are not your typical family.

"I wanted to make something that was a paradise for kids."

Until recently – Juha was bringing up his six children on the dole. 

But in January last year he joined a two-year trial of a new benefit – called universal basic income.

Which doesn’t require him to look for work at all.

00:49:29:18Juha: It's 560 euros per month, the basic income is very free money. It's coming the beginning of the month, and I don't need to do any paperwork or fill up forms, or go to employment office... 

  00:50:08:17Juha: I feel that also I get so much more time, I can focus for what I feel important. And yeah it's super for me. 

He still gets to keep the benefit, even if he starts making money.

Juha’s been making plenty.

Security is rare for an artist – and the guaranteed income’s helped him to build a business selling his drums.

02:10:16:04Paul: Can I have a look at this one? So this is the finished drum right?   

02:10:59:04Paul: On average, how many do you think you would sell a month? 

  02:11:01:21Drum man: A couple, a month.  

  02:11:04:02Paul: And how much does that give you an income? 

  02:11:06:08Drum man: It's about 1000 euros. 

  02:11:08:04Paul: And that's on top of your Universal Basic Income?  

  02:11:10:14Drum man: Yeah, yeah. 

  02:14:38:04Paul: So when this experiment comes to an end, do you think you will no longer need unemployment benefit?** 

  02:14:44:10Drum man: Ah no. I very much trust that I have the work now for the rest of my life.

If Juha has crafted himself a career – he’s exactly the kind of success story this trial is looking for. 

Finland didn’t come up with the concept of a basic income – paid regardless of whether you’re a billionaire, barista or busker - it’s been around for centuries. But now it’s being seriously tested – not just here, but in Canada, the Netherlands and soon, even in Scotland.

The ultimate vision is that universal basic income would be paid to everyone, to release us all from the burden of depressing or demeaning work to do what we really want to do, even if that’s volunteering or caring for our families. But what we’re looking at here with the Finnish government is a far more limited approach. They’ve only been paying it to 2000 unemployed people to test whether they’ll do more work or less.    

A guaranteed income, still gets Rosa in for 6 every morning.

Up early to open the café, where she’s started working.

Because she gets to keep her benefits, she can be part time. Allowing her to arrange everything here – around her children.

OA UBI 101

11:32:29:10Rosa: Yeah it has helped me a lot with like combining work and family time, and cut down the work hours, so that I have time to pick up the kids from day-care. 

  11:32:47:18Paul: I suppose some people might ask, if you've got this guaranteed income, does that make you lazy? Does it make you less inclined to work?** 

  11:32:57:05Rosa: No, I'm still here. No, I wouldn't say so. I think it would rather inspire you take a part-time job if you have not been able to earlier. ** 

Rosa’s part of a growing trend towards part-time work, with governments viewing basic income as a way to provide certainty in an age of zero-hours contracts and stagnant wages. 

But once the experiment’s over – Rosa will have to think about going full-time.  

11:34:57:03Paul: The trial comes to an end soon. Do you want to go back to that stressful life?

11:35:16:16     Rosa: No of course, I'm happy now, I'm able to handle everything quite OK

But basic income isn’t just about finding the right work.

It’s about what happens if there’s no longer much of it around.

UPSOT

"So it actually knows what is wood and what is metal...'

COMM

Timo Taalas’s robots are separating rubbish previously sifted by humans. 

Soon artificial intelligence could sort us all into those who are still useful – and those whose jobs can be discarded.

  12:37:10:01T: There are some nursing robots available, there are robots to do heavy lifting, sorting, transportation within a plant.

  12:53:15:06   P: There is this statistic that is out there that a third of jobs could actually be replaced by robots and artificial intelligence in 20 years time. What do you make of that?

  12:53:23:23   T: I think that's a bit pessimistic figure. There are certain parts that will go away because the robots or other machines do them. But then there are lots of work created.

But governments are going to have to find a way to help those of us who do end up on the scrap heap – to live or to retrain.

12:38:54:14T:  there will be people transitioning from one role into another, but you need to re-educate yourself while you do it. And the Basic Income helps in situations like that. 

But not everyone in Helsinki’s toasting its potential.

"HI HAVE YOU GOT A FINNISH BEER?"

The unions worry that basic income breaks the link between labour and wages.

After a week of work – Finns at this drinking festival like the idea of extra beer money. But they wonder how it’ll work.

Person 1: Considering how work is changing so you have more freelance jobs, you have more entrepreneurs so the government wants to help more entrepreneurs even so I think its very good for those

Person 2: Just to get security to pay your rent you know I think that would be a big one.

Person 3: Nobody wants to pay poor people to do nothing

I beleive something like that has to happen at some point. Te future is going to a place where there won't be jobs for everyone anymore.

  Woman:                     it's going to be really expensive so probably it won't work. But It sounds nice…

That’s until you look at your tax bill. To pay for basic income, they’d have to deduct much more from whatever you earn on top.

Olli Kangas set up the trial here in Finland and reckons rolling it out to everyone would cost 60 billion euros – even if it might cut bureaucracy.

Paul: How much are we talking in terms of tax?

Olli: There would be something like 10% more in taxes.

Paul: Nobody’s going to vote for that though are they?

Olli: Yeah it would be difficult. It would be difficult

In fact, the government has had to deny reports the experiment will be dropped completely.

And expanding it to everyone seems unlikely.

13:40:29:24P: What do you think the appetite is among politicians continuing with this experiment or to roll it out nationally, or to expand it. 

  13:40:37:09O: I have said that politicians are like small boys when they get the small red fire car they are playing for a while but then they get the new football and then they forget the fire car and then they are playing with the football. I have little bit that kind've feeling

13:42:01:04P: So this experiment may just remain that - an experiment? Nothing more? 

  13:42:06:06O: Nothing more.

But the world will be waiting for the results of Finland’s trial – published next year.

When many already complain that work no longer pays…

Basic income provides the certainty, that employment once did.

And while handouts for everyone – mean more tax for some.

We may soon look back on Finland’s experiment, as the way forward for us all.