Just an observation: we seem to have this inbuilt desire to dob in those 'like us' we think are getting one over, yet overlook the (many) galactic-sized peccadilloes of those 'above us'.
So, for example, we'll shame and delight when anyone is revealed taking on some cash-in-hand while claiming- or much, much less- but when current Duke of Devonshire avoided the best part of a BILLION pounds of inheritance tax when his father died due to 'not strictly illegal' (but certainly immoral) schemes, we tug our forelocks and he carries merrily on, without the outrage it deserves.
Whether this is a feudal hangover, it seems to feed into a swathe of suspicion regarding UBI as 'scroungers aren't earning it', rather than seeing it as oooh, all helping each other out a bit (still exists regarding the 'dole', too, although the hoops people have to jump through for it- see 'I, Daniel Blake', superb and harrowing).
I'm with you, Wren; anything that takes money out of the admin side and available for distribution (same with the awful PIP system, which is deliberately loaded and impenetrable- but that;'s another rant). We have a hugely complex state pension system- reporting, qualifying, sliding scale, top-ups if you haven't put in enough, etc. In Australia, if you've lived there x years- you get the state pension- simple as. The admin savings more than pay for it for everyone.
