The Social Metrics Commission is an independent charity dedicated to contributing to policy development and action to reduce poverty both now and in the future. Its ultimate goal is to develop new poverty metrics in the UK which have long-term political support and effectively identify those who are in poverty, and how policy can change to support them.

The Commission does this by bringing together top UK poverty thinkers from different political and professional backgrounds to create a set of measures that is academically sound, built upon a robust evidence base, and is backed by broad consensus that will stand the test of time. It is due to report in late 2017.

WPI Economics runs the Secretariat for the Commission, providing technical support and policy advice to Commissioners and the Steering Group, as well as leading on stakeholder engagement, administration, and dissemination of Commission findings. An example of the output that we assisted the Commission with can be seen in their first interim report, which laid out the Commission’s priorities and next areas of study.