Evaluating the results of a social benefit simulation using individual administrative data on benefit receipt

The simulation of social benefit entitlements is an important application of tax-benefit microsimulation models in social policy research. However, the simulation of social benefits that include a comprehensive means test and overlap with other social benefits is subject to numerous data limitations and simulation inaccuracies. This note examines the validity of the results of an open-source tax-benefit microsimulation model (GETTSIM) on social benefit entitlements. We use accurate administrative data collected during the application process for the simulation to assess the quality of the simulation. We find a low beta error rate and a high match between simulated and recorded benefits, making GETTSIM a powerful tool for the analysis of social policies.