What question did this study set out to answer?

The aim is to assess how effectively governments evaluate the impacts of policies on different population subgroups.

February 21, 2026

How Well Do Governments Assess the Distributional Impacts of Policy?

CCCaroline Cecot RHRobert W. Hahn EIEslem ImamogluGeorgetown University

Key Points

The aim is to assess how effectively governments evaluate the impacts of policies on different population subgroups.
Examined 907 benefit-cost analyses from the US, UK, and EU (2016-2020)
Analyzed the use of distributional weights and net benefit quantification
Compared distributional analyses across regions
Only 2 net benefits quantified for US subgroups, none in UK, and 1 in EU
Distributional weights used in 5 UK analyses, none in US and EU
Usage of distributional weights primarily focused on income transfer policies in the UK

Abstract

ABSTRACT Policy makers are showing increased interest in understanding the impacts of public policies on subgroups of the population. We provide the first cross‐regional comparison of distributional analyses by examining 907 benefit–cost analyses (BCAs) in the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union from 2016 through 2020. In these regions, we find almost no quantification of net benefits for a population subgroup (2 US BCAs, 0 UK BCAs, and 1 EU BCA). Distributional weights were also rarely used (5 UK BCAs, none elsewhere). Moreover, when distributional weights were used in the United Kingdom, they were used mainly to evaluate policies involving income transfers between low‐ and high‐income groups rather than in broader regulatory analyses. We consider possible explanations for the lack of quantification of net benefits by subgroup along with the implications of our findings for conducting distributional analysis. JEL Classification: K23, K32, Q58, I0

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