Guaranteed income found to improve people’s health during the pandemic

People who received $500 monthly cash payments for two years as part of the Stockton Economic Empowerment Demonstration (SEED) reported improved physical health during the COVID-19 pandemic as a result of increased financial assistance, according to the final program evaluation published in the Journal of Urban Health. The findings build on interim results of the SEED program published in 2021 in which payment recipients prior to the pandemic reported steadier monthly incomes, less anxiety and stress, and an easier time securing full-time employment.