I have drawn the following lessons from the history of the UK's tax and benefits systems:

• • The proposals that have changed the system have been for identifiable groups of people.

• • Those proposals that have changed the system have benefited from longstanding and widespread debate and a reasonable level of public understanding of what was intended.

• • Those proposals that have become Acts of Parliament are those that have not reduced the number of civil servants, and those that have not become Acts of Parliament would have reduced the number of civil servants.

If you have drawn different conclusions from your own context then you will need to draw your own conclusions as to the best way to implement a Citizen's Income. If you have drawn similar conclusions to mine then you might agree that there could be two possible ways of implementing a Citizen's Income:

1. One demographic group at a time. The fact that it is the proposed changes to the system that would benefit particular groups that have become law suggests that implementing a Citizen's Income one demographic group at a time might be the approach most likely to succeed.

2. Start with a small Citizen's Income for everyone. Proposals that do not reduce the number of civil servants are more likely to succeed. A small Citizen's Income would not reduce the number of civil servants because many households would still need means-tested and other existing benefits, and a new administrative mechanism would be needed to implement the Citizen's Income. The small Citizen's Income could then grow.

We shall look at each option in turn.

1. Universal benefits for different demographic groups

The UK already has a Citizen's Income for children. It will probably not be long before we see a Single-tier State Pension (STP), and it might not be much longer before that becomes a Citizen's Pension. Some other countries have universal benefits for children, or have implemented benefits for children which they intend to universalise. Some countries already have Citizen's Pensions. To establish universal benefits for children and a Citizen's Pension could be the best way for any country to begin the process of establishing a Citizen's Income.