I have spent time on the dole (social security payments) in the UK after graduating in the dot com crash of 2001. I choose to work as I have a better quality of life because of it. I can live in a nicer apartment and afford to do more things because I have the money to so. I am assuming basic income would cover the basics and not too much more.<p>There are plenty of people in the UK who do seem to live a &quot;benefits lifestyle&quot; - i.e. they (seem to) choose not to work. I guess most of them are looking at lower paid jobs where the difference in earnings from a 40 hour a week don&#x27;t make it sufficiently worthwhile for them to start working, when they can get the majority of it for not working.