[youdontknowtho]

That's a great point. Means testing is portrayed as fairness because only people that really need something will be the ones to get it...but that ends up being something that makes everyone who makes just a little too much to get the benefit really angry.

[BurningFrog]

The universal approach is also immensely less complicated, both for the government and the beneficiaries.

It also doesn't create a "marginal tax" trap where if poor people get a higher income, they can lose 100% or more of it to lost benefits.

[jowiar]

It fundamentally shifts the debate from "this is a human right" to "this is charity".