Study design
A total of 122 people received €1,200 per month for three years. They regularly completed questionnaires, as did 1,580 people from the control group who did not receive a basic income.
General framework
The study included a total of 1,702 participants, divided into two groups.
122
People in the basic income group:
- received €1,200 every month for three years.
- completed a questionnaire every six months (about 25 minutes each).
- received a payment that was not subject to any conditions: they could earn an unlimited additional income – or no additional income at all. There were no guidelines, inspections, or deductions.
1,580
People in the control group:
- received a compensation for expenses and the chance to be prompted to the basic income group.
- had the same sociodemographic characteristics as the basic income group.
- did not receive a basic income during the same period.
- received an expense allowance for completing the questionnaires.
This is how the project was structured.
Explained by Dr Susan Fiedler
How were the participants selected?
To determine whether the measured effects were actually due to receiving the basic income and not, for example, to broader societal developments, the Basic Income Pilot Project was designed as a randomised controlled trial. This ensured that the participants in the control group were so-called 'statistical twins' of the basic income group. This meant that they were very similar in their sociodemographic characteristics and differed mainly in whether or not they had received a basic income.
Both groups were essential to the success of the study. Only by comparing their experiences could scientific conclusions be drawn.
To prevent bias, care was also taken to ensure that both groups included equal numbers of ideological supporters and opponents of basic income.
The study focused on people between the ages of 21 and 40 living alone in a household with a net income of between €1,100 and €2,600 per month. We explain why these characteristics were chosen in our journal.
What did the study aim to discover?
The central focus of the study was the fundamental question: How does a basic income affect people's lives? Or, to put it more technically: Can a sum of money paid unconditionally over a period of three years lead to statistically significant changes in behaviour or perception?
To ensure the broadest possible knowledge base in answering this question, the study was designed to be interdisciplinary. This means that the research was conducted at the interface between social science, psychology, and economics, and that it took into account both behavioural and attitudinal changes.
What methods were used?
The central component of the data collection was regular online questionnaires completed by all participants every six months. These surveys covered various areas of life, including financial situation, work patterns, mental well-being, and social engagement. In addition to the baseline survey at the beginning of the study, a total of seven further surveys were conducted–the final one in November 2024–in order to capture long-term effects beyond the payment period.
By comparing the data collected in this way, differences that emerged between the two groups could be specifically attributed to the payment of the basic income.
In addition to the questionnaires, in-depth interviews were conducted with some participants to capture individual experiences and perspectives in greater detail. Anonymised labour market data from the Institute for Employment Research (German abbreviation: IAB) was also used to examine the effects on employment and possible changes in the participants’ work patterns and income trajectories. This combination of methods and data sources allowed for a nuanced analysis of the changes triggered by the basic income.
Study procedure
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01
Application
Over 2 million people applied to take part in the study. This provided an excellent data set.
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02
Shortlist
A group of 20,000 people was selected from the applicants who were best suited to the research questions. You can learn more details about the selection in our journal.
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03
Selection of participants
Of the 20,000 suitable individuals, 122 were randomly selected for the basic income group and 1,580 for the control group.
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04
Survey period
The three-year survey period began with the start of payments in June 2021. Participants completed a total of eight questionnaires before, during, and after this period.
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05
Evaluation
After the final payment in May 2024, the data of the basic income group were compared with those of the control group. Notable effects were identified and categorised.
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06
Publication of the findings
The final study results will be presented to the public at a press conference and through additional communication channels in April 2025.
The researchers
Socio-economic research
The German Institute for Economic Research (DIW Berlin) has been one of Germany's leading economic research institutes since 1925. It conducts research into economic and social issues in a range of socially relevant fields and uses the results to advise policymakers and society.
Socio-economic research on labour market issues
The Institute for Employment Research (German abbreviation: IAB) provides the scientific basis for informed decisions in labour market policy. Using social security process data, we examined the extent to which the employment outcomes of participants in the pilot project with and without a basic income differed.
Psychological research
The human decision-making process is a complex procedure. The Vienna University of Economics and Business monitored the participants in the pilot project to research the influence of basic income on attitudes and behaviour.
Economic research
What influence does a basic income have on economic decisions? What indications can be derived from this for the economy as a whole? Using an adaptive experimental study design, we find the ideal intersection between the impact of a basic income and the necessary taxation.
Behavioural economics research
Explanatory models of classical economics, according to which people only work if they are rewarded for it, reach their limits when it comes to basic income. Possible changes in decisions and actions were examined using the methods of behavioural economics.
Qualitative research
A possible impact of the universal basic income should be recorded as accurately as possible. This was done in qualitative interviews with 14 participants.
Coordination
Project management & communication
The non-profit organisation Mein Grundeinkommen e.V. (My Basic Income Association) has been conducting experiments with a one-year basic income of 1,000 euros since 2014 and a three-year basic income of up to 1,200 euros per month since 2023. A total of over 2,000 people have already received financial assistance. Mein Grundeinkommen (My Basic Income) runs the pilot project's website and coordinates the monthly donations from over two hundred thousand clients.
Data collection
The public opinion research institute Pollytix Strategic Research created the online questionnaires, collected the data, maintained the panel, and guaranteed anonymity and data protection.
