Jane Hutt MS, Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Trefnydd and Chief Whip
The Basic Income for Care Leavers in Wales pilot was launched in July 2022 and provided a cohort of care-experienced young people in Wales with an income of £1,600 per month (before tax) for 24 months after they turned 18 years of age. Uptake of the pilot was very high, with 97% of the eligible cohort (644 individuals) choosing to take part in the pilot.
The Welsh Government is committed to learning about how this groundbreaking and innovative initiative was experienced, by both the recipients and those who worked to design, deliver and implement the policy.
Whilst the delivery of the pilot concluded in 2025, the comprehensive evaluation continues into 2027. The independent evaluation is led by the CASCADE research centre at Cardiff University, alongside colleagues at King’s College London, University of Oxford, University of York and Northumbria University.
The evaluation of the pilot is now in its fourth year, and today, we publish the third evaluation report, the Basic Income for Care Leavers in Wales Pilot Evaluation, Annual Report 2025 – 2026. This report presents qualitative findings from interviews and focus groups with young people, capturing their experiences and reflections at both the mid-point and the end of the pilot. It also offers professional perspectives on the pilot’s design and their perceptions of how it has affected the young people they support. Additionally, the evaluators have revised the programme theory model, using data collected throughout the evaluation process, to improve our understanding of how and why a basic income may contribute to positive outcomes. A summary of the findings is also available.
Looking ahead, a further annual report will follow in early 2027 with the final evaluation report expected to be released in the summer of 2027. These reports will assess the impact of being in receipt of basic income compared to a similar cohort who did not receive the basic income. The economic evaluation, also expected in 2027, will consider whether the pilot represented value for money. A longer-term evaluation framework using administrative data is also being developed to enable the wider research community to understand the impact of the pilot beyond 2027.
I would like to thank all the recipients and practitioners who have given their time and insights towards this vital research project.