The study. From June 2021 to May 2024, 122 randomly selected people received €1,200 a month unconditionally; the analysis rests on 107 recipients and 1,580 comparison persons. Participants were single-person households aged 21-40 with net incomes of €1,100-2,600. The pilot was launched by the association Mein Grundeinkommen; DIW Berlin and partner institutes ran the evaluation, which they describe as independent of the association.
Findings. Recipients saved about a third of the payments and spent almost 8% on charity or on family and friends. They neither left the labour market nor significantly reduced hours. Life satisfaction was 0.42 standard deviations higher and mental health about 0.30 higher than in the comparison group, with stable effects.
Limits. The sample is small, selected and time-limited, so it says little about a permanent universal scheme or economy-wide effects.
Original source: DIW Wochenbericht 15/2025, Deutsches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung (DIW Berlin)