On Tuesday March 14th at 5.30pm in Christchurch's The Piano Centre for Music and the Arts we will launch TOP Policy #7: UBI & Thriving Families. You will be able to find more information on the policy from noon onwards on this page: www.top.org.nz/top7. Please respect the embargo until 5.30pm.

In a world where paid employment is becoming increasingly uncertain while unpaid work remains of huge importance, an Unconditional Basic Income (UBI) is the future of our benefit system. This policy is a step along the way to that ultimate goal, starting with our oldest and youngest citizens. Under TOP's plan the age for superannuation will remain at 65. Everyone over this age will receive $200 per week, with payments above this level subject to a means test. The savings will be used to fund a universal payment to families with children under 3 of $200 per week. We will also remove the work test for the In Work Tax Credit (part of Working for Families). The savings will also fund the improvements to early childhood education set out in Policy #5 (www.top.org.nz/top5).

Stable housing is also important to thriving families, but home ownership is increasingly out of reach for many Kiwis. TOP's Thriving Families policy will make life easier for life long renters. We will restrict the conditions under which a landlord can evict a tenant to damage or non-payment of rent. All rental houses will need to meet a Warrant of Fitness standard. TOP will also expand the social housing stock by gifting Housing NZ stock to the voluntary sector.

We are launching this policy in Christchurch because after the earthquake the local people understand how a UBI could help during periods of upheaval and with honouring unpaid work.

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