Flagged during subagent review of #300.
The UK model applies reforms via simulation_modifier_from_parameter_values after Microsimulation construction (src/policyengine/tax_benefit_models/uk/model.py:190,198), using p.update() on parameters. This means any UK structural reform that is gated on a *.in_effect=True parameter — where the structural reform class only activates inside Microsimulation.__init__'s call to create_structural_reforms_from_parameters — would silently no-op.
US recently hit this class of bug (#300) when gov.contrib.ctc.*.in_effect=True reforms crashed because the structural reform's variables were registered on the per-sim system but populations were built from the module-level system. The UK variant is subtly different: the structural reform never gets applied at all because p.update() happens post-construction.
Evidence
policyengine_uk/reforms/reforms.py contains at least one in_effect gate (confirmed via grep).
- UK uses
simulation_modifier at src/policyengine/tax_benefit_models/uk/model.py:187-202, which runs after Microsimulation.__init__ has already decided which structural reforms to apply (based on base-parameter in_effect=False).
What to check
- Enumerate UK
gov.contrib.*.in_effect parameters. If any exist and activate structural reforms, this is a real latent bug.
- Write a regression test along the lines of
tests/test_us_microsim_structural_reforms.py::test__gov_contrib_gate_runs_cleanly for a UK gate.
- If confirmed, the fix is to pass UK reforms at
Microsimulation(reform=...) construction time (same pattern US uses) instead of via post-construction p.update().
Not blocking v4.0.1; file as a v4.0.2 / v4.1 candidate.
Flagged during subagent review of #300.
The UK model applies reforms via
simulation_modifier_from_parameter_valuesafterMicrosimulationconstruction (src/policyengine/tax_benefit_models/uk/model.py:190,198), usingp.update()on parameters. This means any UK structural reform that is gated on a*.in_effect=Trueparameter — where the structural reform class only activates insideMicrosimulation.__init__'s call tocreate_structural_reforms_from_parameters— would silently no-op.US recently hit this class of bug (#300) when
gov.contrib.ctc.*.in_effect=Truereforms crashed because the structural reform's variables were registered on the per-sim system but populations were built from the module-level system. The UK variant is subtly different: the structural reform never gets applied at all becausep.update()happens post-construction.Evidence
policyengine_uk/reforms/reforms.pycontains at least onein_effectgate (confirmed via grep).simulation_modifieratsrc/policyengine/tax_benefit_models/uk/model.py:187-202, which runs afterMicrosimulation.__init__has already decided which structural reforms to apply (based on base-parameterin_effect=False).What to check
gov.contrib.*.in_effectparameters. If any exist and activate structural reforms, this is a real latent bug.tests/test_us_microsim_structural_reforms.py::test__gov_contrib_gate_runs_cleanlyfor a UK gate.Microsimulation(reform=...)construction time (same pattern US uses) instead of via post-constructionp.update().Not blocking v4.0.1; file as a v4.0.2 / v4.1 candidate.