The purpose of this thesis was to investigate the views of social service professionals on basic income, which is in the planning stage and supposed to reform the current social welfare system. Social service professionals working in adult social services and financial aid from a large Finnish municipality were interviewed for the thesis. The aim of this study was to find out what kind of risks and opportunities social service professionals see in basic income, and how they believe it will change the welfare of the population.

The theoretical part of this thesis sheds light on the development and current situation of social welfare, the idea of basic income, and the history of discourse on the matter. Different models of basic income are presented and compared. A chapter about the current basic income experiment is also included.

This thesis was implemented in the summer of 2016 as a qualitative study including six interviews, using thematic analysis.

A primary result of the study indicates problems with the present social welfare system from the welfare recipients’ perspective, and a need for reform. The difficulty of reaching the needy and potential passivating effects of the basic income were a concern. The strongest reasons for implementing the basic income were easing the bureaucracy, removal of welfare traps and enhancing the participatory experience for welfare clients.

A shift in the character of social work and more time for face-to-face interaction with welfare clients were believed to be key changes when basic income is implemented. The interviewed professionals indicated a need for new services and provided ideas for them. The results of the study show that among social welfare professionals, basic income is seen as a potential, but not problem-free alternative for the current social welfare system.