Micro-simulation models are tools for evidencebased analysis of social policy interventions. Rooted in representative household surveys of a country’s population, the models paint a picture of income, expenditure and poverty levels. They enable researchers to simulate the impact of existing and potential new social policy interventions. This brief summarises the results of a baseline micro-simulation analysis for Vanuatu, analysing the impact of various social protection interventions on income levels, poverty headcounts and poverty gaps, nationally and by demographic group (Samson 2012). The models employ Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES) data from Vanuatu’s 2008 HIES.