flexi wrote: "If everybody got a basic income, basic necessities such as housing and food, would just get more expensive."
you are not talking about a basic income, because a basic income covers housing and food, so if this gets more expensive, the basic income gets higher:
The amount should provide for a decent standard of living, which meets society’s social and cultural standards in the country concerned. It should prevent material poverty and provide the opportunity to participate in society. This means that the net income should, at a minimum, be at the poverty-risk level according to EU standards, which corresponds to 60% of the so-called national median net equivalent income. Especially in countries where the majority have low incomes, and therefore median income is low, an alternative benchmark (e.g. a basket of goods) should be used to determine the amount of the Basic Income, to guarantee a life in dignity, material security and full participation in society. http://basicincome2013.eu/ubi/question/what-is-the-unconditi...