Yes, but so what? People not in need would still be benefitting from BI payments to them, and those benefits should be offset against any increase in tax and/o

Yes, but so what? People not in need would still be benefitting from BI payments to them, and those benefits should be offset against any increase in tax and/or reduction in salary. There's a legitimate question as to whether a UBI would encourage slacking, but that's a separate issue from whether or not the money exists. The money clearly does exist, because it's already being spent. It's just being spent in what's arguably a humiliating and distorting way.