PolicyEngine's default headline poverty measure for the UK is absolute poverty before housing costs (absolute_bhc, in_poverty_bhc). The docs don't say so. docs/outputs.md lists calculate_uk_poverty_rates without saying which of its four measures to headline, or why.
Reasons to document:
- Relative poverty measures inequality, not poverty. policyengine-uk draws the relative line at 60% of each simulation's own median. A reform that raises the median therefore raises the line. For example, a personal allowance rise to £15,000 in 2026-27 lowers absolute child poverty but raises relative child poverty.
- After-housing-costs measures subtract housing spending. Much of that spending is discretionary (a flat or a mansion), and international poverty statistics are computed on income before housing costs.
The docs should also state what the absolute line is. policyengine-uk uses HBAI's FYE 2011 line uprated by CPI (household.poverty.absolute_poverty_threshold_bhc). In March 2026 DWP moved its absolute reference year to FYE 2025 for years with administrative data linking, so rates on PolicyEngine's line run below DWP's current absolute figures.
PolicyEngine's default headline poverty measure for the UK is absolute poverty before housing costs (
absolute_bhc,in_poverty_bhc). The docs don't say so.docs/outputs.mdlistscalculate_uk_poverty_rateswithout saying which of its four measures to headline, or why.Reasons to document:
The docs should also state what the absolute line is. policyengine-uk uses HBAI's FYE 2011 line uprated by CPI (
household.poverty.absolute_poverty_threshold_bhc). In March 2026 DWP moved its absolute reference year to FYE 2025 for years with administrative data linking, so rates on PolicyEngine's line run below DWP's current absolute figures.