Sorry, I've got to jump in here.

Part of the problem with a cash UBI is that the poor typically spend any cash they get buying fast food, cigarettes, and maybe alcohol maybe drugs and then running out of money before the next check arrives. They really don't know how cheaply somebody can live by cooking every meal at home, not smoking, etc. (My sister is a perfect example of this.) Give them more cash and they will just buy more McDonalds, etc. You would just be subsidizing the fast food industry, payroll lenders, pawn shops, and so forth.

You can avoid that problem with my free food, shelter, clothing, and medical care approach.

As for creating a UBI tax credit, that only works for people who pay some taxes and file. You would be boosting the working poor a bit, but ignoring everybody below that level! I think we really need a bottom-up system. And I suspect this would be easy to pass because we already spend the money it would take on welfare programs. We just need to redirect that money to actually help the real poor.

I also think "the poverty line" is hogwash: $11,770 income for an individual is poor but certainly survivable. The real poor are homeless and have to beg or collect aluminum cans to survive.