[SomeCallMeTim]

>The classic example being a single mom who, while working, and paying child care, makes less than on welfare.

It can be worse that this.

At least in some states, every dollar you earn is deducted (at least in part) from your welfare checks. This was at least the case a while ago; I couldn't vouch for its truth today after welfare has been "reformed" several times. It was definitely true at one time, though.

When this was true, at the very least, it was a severe disincentive to working, since until you were able to make more than your welfare check, you would be at best be making pennies on the dollar by taking a job.

[waps]

But how you cheat on universal income is to declare having more children than you actually have. Or just actually having them, treating them badly.

Or at least, every now and then, there's an article in various European news articles that someone pulled that crap. (Most Euro countries will give a monthly stipend of ~100 euro per child you have, no questions asked (in Belgium you have to work to get it, I believe, but no other qualifications. A bank director gets it, and so does the cleaning lady))

[SomeCallMeTim]

>But how you cheat on universal income is to declare having more children than you actually have. Or just actually having them, treating them badly.

Welfare also scales payments based on the number of kids you have. This is a common (and almost certainly apocryphal) accusation against people currently on welfare; if it's ever true, it's an exception and not the rule. (which is why it would be news)

What is true is that the vast majority of people want to feel useful -- and (at least when the women in question are even moderately educated) they don't want to have extra children just to have a higher stipend.