PolicyEngine
diff --git a/‎policyengine_uk_data/datasets/local_areas/local_authorities/loss.py‎
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diff --git a/‎policyengine_uk_data/storage/la_council_tax.csv‎
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diff --git a/‎policyengine_uk_data/targets/compute/council_tax.py‎
Lines changed: 11 additions & 2 deletions b/‎policyengine_uk_data/targets/compute/council_tax.py‎
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diff --git a/‎policyengine_uk_data/targets/sources/la_council_tax.py‎
Lines changed: 240 additions & 0 deletions b/‎policyengine_uk_data/targets/sources/la_council_tax.py‎
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diff --git a/‎policyengine_uk_data/tests/test_calibrate_save.py‎
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@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@
 - ONS income: ONS small area income estimates
 - Tenure: English Housing Survey
 - Private rent: VOA/ONS private rental market statistics
+- Council tax bands A-H: VOA Council Tax Stock of Properties (per LA)
+- Council tax £ paid (net of CTR): MHCLG taxbase × Band D (England),
+  Welsh Government Council Tax Income (Wales)
 """
 
 from policyengine_uk import Microsimulation
@@ -252,6 +255,57 @@ def create_local_authority_target_matrix(
         national_rent * la_household_share,
     )
 
+    # ── Council tax band counts (LA targets) ───────────────────────
+    # Derived/proxy targets: per-LA VOA dwellings in each band A-H.
+    # Lineage drift vs the matrix-side household council_tax_band:
+    # VOA counts dwellings (incl. exempt / empty / second homes);
+    # matrix counts households. See la_council_tax.py for full
+    # caveat. Missing cells stay NaN and are masked out by the
+    # calibrator; this keeps the target direct instead of fabricating
+    # national-share fallbacks for Scotland or Northern Ireland. Band I
+    # is Wales-only and rarely populated, so it is intentionally
+    # excluded.
+    ct_path = STORAGE_FOLDER / "la_council_tax.csv"
+    if ct_path.exists():
+        ct_data = pd.read_csv(ct_path)
+        ct_columns = ["code"] + [f"count_band_{b}" for b in "ABCDEFGH"]
+        if "total_council_tax_net" in ct_data.columns:
+            ct_columns.append("total_council_tax_net")
+        ct_merged = la_codes.merge(ct_data[ct_columns], on="code", how="left")
+        ct_band = sim.calculate("council_tax_band").values
+        for band in "ABCDEFGH":
+            col = f"voa/council_tax/{band}"
+            matrix[col] = (ct_band == band).astype(float)
+            csv_col = f"count_band_{band}"
+            has_count = ct_merged[csv_col].notna().values
+            direct = ct_merged[csv_col].values
+            y[col] = np.where(
+                has_count,
+                direct,
+                np.nan,
+            )
+
+        # ── Council tax £ paid, net of CTR (LA targets) ────────────
+        # Derived/proxy target: y = MHCLG taxbase × Band D (E) or WG
+        # Council Tax Income (W). Matrix col is FRS-reported
+        # council_tax_less_benefit (gross − reported CTB). Same
+        # intent (household council tax paid net of CTR), different
+        # construction paths — see la_council_tax.py for the lineage
+        # caveat flagged in review by @MaxGhenis. Both sides are net
+        # of CTR, per Max's 28 Apr standup decision on FRS alignment.
+        # Missing cells remain NaN and are masked out by the calibrator.
+        if "total_council_tax_net" in ct_merged.columns:
+            matrix["housing/council_tax_net"] = sim.calculate(
+                "council_tax_less_benefit"
+            ).values
+            has_ct_net = ct_merged["total_council_tax_net"].notna().values
+            direct_net = ct_merged["total_council_tax_net"].values
+            y["housing/council_tax_net"] = np.where(
+                has_ct_net,
+                direct_net,
+                np.nan,
+            )
+
     # ── Country mask ───────────────────────────────────────────────
     country_mask = create_country_mask(
         household_countries=sim.calculate("country").values,
 
@@ -19,9 +19,18 @@ def compute_council_tax_band(target, ctx) -> np.ndarray:
 
 
 def compute_obr_council_tax(target, ctx) -> np.ndarray:
-    """Compute OBR council tax receipts, optionally by country."""
+    """Compute OBR council tax receipts, optionally by country.
+
+    OBR Table 4.1 reports "Total net council tax receipts" — net of
+    council tax reduction (CTR) support. The matching household-level
+    signal is therefore ``council_tax_less_benefit`` (= gross council
+    tax less the CTR award), not ``council_tax`` (which is the gross
+    liability before CTR). Using the gross variable here would
+    systematically push weights down to fit a net target, leaking
+    bias into adjacent national calibrations.
+    """
     name = target.name
-    ct = ctx.pe("council_tax")
+    ct = ctx.pe("council_tax_less_benefit")
 
     if name == "obr/council_tax":
         return ct
 
@@ -0,0 +1,240 @@
+"""Local-authority council tax calibration targets (derived proxies).
+
+Produces three kinds of LA-level calibration target from public data:
+
+- ``ons/council_tax_band_d/{code}``: the average Band D council tax
+  (inclusive of all precepts) each household pays in billing authority
+  ``code``. Sourced from MHCLG, Welsh Government and Scottish
+  Government annual publications.
+- ``voa/council_tax/{code}/{band}``: the number of dwellings in band
+  ``A``–``H`` (England) or ``A``–``I`` (Wales) for billing authority
+  ``code``. Sourced from the VOA *Council Tax: Stock of Properties*
+  summary tables.
+- ``housing/council_tax_net/{code}``: net council tax requirement per
+  LA (net of CTR support). England derived from MHCLG taxbase × Band D;
+  Wales sourced directly from WG Council Tax Income (Table 3).
+
+Data for all 360 LAs in ``local_authorities_2021.csv`` is joined from
+the committed canonical file ``storage/la_council_tax.csv``. Rows where
+a source did not provide a value are omitted so calibrators cleanly
+skip them.
+
+Lineage caveats (flagged in PR review by @MaxGhenis):
+
+- ``voa/council_tax/{A..H}`` is a **derived proxy**, not a direct
+  match for the matrix-side household ``council_tax_band``:
+  * Target counts VOA dwellings; matrix counts policyengine-uk
+    households. A household ≠ a dwelling in general.
+  * VOA stock includes exempt, empty, and second-home dwellings,
+    which contribute zero to the matrix-side sum (no household lives
+    in them in the FRS).
+  * VOA covers England and Wales only. Scotland and NI cells are
+    masked out of the loss matrix unless a direct source is available.
+  * Banding ratios differ: Scotland diverged from the standard
+    6/9–18/9 E&W ratios after the 2017 reform; Wales has Band I,
+    England does not.
+
+- ``housing/council_tax_net`` is a **derived proxy**:
+  * Target value (England) is MHCLG ``taxbase × Band D``, where
+    taxbase is Band D equivalent dwellings adjusted for ~7
+    discount, premium, and exemption classes (single-person,
+    disabled relief, second-home, empty-home premium, family
+    annexe, etc.). Wales uses WG-published net council tax income
+    direct.
+  * Matrix col is FRS-reported ``council_tax_less_benefit``
+    (household-reported gross less reported CTB).
+  * Same intent (what households pay net of CTR), different
+    construction paths and underlying microdata sources.
+
+Known coverage gaps:
+
+- Northern Ireland is excluded because its domestic rates system is
+  distinct from council tax. ``loss.py`` masks NI cells rather than
+  fabricating a fallback.
+- Band-count rows for Scottish LAs are absent because the VOA summary
+  tables do not cover Scotland; Scottish Assessors publishes per-LA
+  chargeable-dwellings data separately and is a follow-up.
+- Band I only exists in Wales (introduced in the 2005 Welsh revaluation);
+  English rows leave it null.
+- City of London has Band A suppressed by VOA for disclosure control;
+  its other bands are populated.
+
+Sources:
+- MHCLG *Council Tax levels set by local authorities in England 2026-27*
+  https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/council-tax-levels-set-by-local-authorities-in-england-2026-to-2027
+- MHCLG *Council Taxbase 2025 in England* (Table 1.35 taxbase after CTR)
+  https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/council-taxbase-2025-in-england
+- Welsh Government *Council Tax levels: April 2026 to March 2027*
+  https://www.gov.wales/council-tax-levels-april-2026-march-2027-html
+- Scottish Government *Council Tax Assumptions 2025* (CT by Band, 2025-26)
+  https://www.gov.scot/publications/council-tax-datasets/
+- VOA *Council Tax: Stock of Properties, 2025*
+  https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/council-tax-stock-of-properties-2025
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from functools import lru_cache
+
+import pandas as pd
+
+from policyengine_uk_data.targets.schema import (
+    GeographicLevel,
+    Target,
+    Unit,
+)
+from policyengine_uk_data.targets.sources._common import STORAGE
+
+
+_CSV_NAME = "la_council_tax.csv"
+
+# Latest fiscal years covered by each source. The LA Band D amounts are
+# structurally single-year snapshots; callers that need longer time
+# series should uprate via the existing council-tax uprating index.
+_YEAR_BAND_D_ENGLAND = 2026
+_YEAR_BAND_D_WALES = 2026
+_YEAR_BAND_D_SCOTLAND = 2025
+_YEAR_BAND_COUNT = 2025
+
+_BAND_COUNT_COLUMNS = {band: f"count_band_{band}" for band in "ABCDEFGHI"}
+
+_ENGLAND_REF = (
+    "https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/"
+    "council-tax-levels-set-by-local-authorities-in-england-2026-to-2027"
+)
+_WALES_REF = "https://www.gov.wales/council-tax-levels-april-2026-march-2027-html"
+_SCOTLAND_REF = "https://www.gov.scot/publications/council-tax-datasets/"
+_VOA_REF = (
+    "https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/council-tax-stock-of-properties-2025"
+)
+# Net council tax requirement per LA. England derived from MHCLG
+# Council Taxbase 2025 Table 1.35 ("Tax base after allowance for council
+# tax support") × LA Band D amount. Wales sourced directly from the
+# Welsh Government Table 3 "Council tax income (£m)" — already net.
+_NET_CT_REF_ENG = (
+    "https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/council-taxbase-2025-in-england"
+)
+_NET_CT_REF_WAL = _WALES_REF
+
+
+@lru_cache(maxsize=1)
+def _load_table() -> pd.DataFrame | None:
+    """Return the committed LA council-tax table, or ``None`` if missing."""
+    csv_path = STORAGE / _CSV_NAME
+    if not csv_path.exists():
+        return None
+    return pd.read_csv(csv_path)
+
+
+def load_la_net_council_tax() -> pd.DataFrame:
+    """Load per-LA net council tax requirement (£, after CTR support).
+
+    Returns a DataFrame with columns ``code, total_council_tax_net``
+    for LAs where a directly-observed net figure is available
+    (England + Wales). Scotland and NI are absent; loss-matrix callers
+    should mask those cells rather than fabricating fallback values.
+    """
+    df = _load_table()
+    if df is None or df.empty:
+        return pd.DataFrame(columns=["code", "total_council_tax_net"])
+    if "total_council_tax_net" not in df.columns:
+        return pd.DataFrame(columns=["code", "total_council_tax_net"])
+    return df.loc[
+        df["total_council_tax_net"].notna(),
+        ["code", "total_council_tax_net"],
+    ].reset_index(drop=True)
+
+
+def _year_for_band_d(country: str) -> int:
+    if country == "WALES":
+        return _YEAR_BAND_D_WALES
+    if country == "SCOTLAND":
+        return _YEAR_BAND_D_SCOTLAND
+    return _YEAR_BAND_D_ENGLAND
+
+
+def _ref_for_band_d(country: str) -> str:
+    if country == "WALES":
+        return _WALES_REF
+    if country == "SCOTLAND":
+        return _SCOTLAND_REF
+    return _ENGLAND_REF
+
+
+def get_targets() -> list[Target]:
+    """Emit LA-level Band D amount + band-count targets."""
+    df = _load_table()
+    if df is None or df.empty:
+        return []
+
+    targets: list[Target] = []
+
+    # Band D amount targets — one per LA with a reported value.
+    for _, row in df.iterrows():
+        amount = row.get("band_d_amount")
+        if pd.isna(amount):
+            continue
+        code = str(row["code"])
+        country = str(row["country"])
+        targets.append(
+            Target(
+                name=f"ons/council_tax_band_d/{code}",
+                variable="council_tax_band_d_amount",
+                source="ons",
+                unit=Unit.GBP,
+                geographic_level=GeographicLevel.LOCAL_AUTHORITY,
+                geo_code=code,
+                geo_name=str(row["name"]),
+                values={_year_for_band_d(country): float(amount)},
+                reference_url=_ref_for_band_d(country),
+            )
+        )
+
+    # Band count targets — one per (LA, band) where VOA has a value.
+    for _, row in df.iterrows():
+        code = str(row["code"])
+        name = str(row["name"])
+        for band, col in _BAND_COUNT_COLUMNS.items():
+            count = row.get(col)
+            if pd.isna(count):
+                continue
+            targets.append(
+                Target(
+                    name=f"voa/council_tax/{code}/{band}",
+                    variable="council_tax_band",
+                    source="voa",
+                    unit=Unit.COUNT,
+                    geographic_level=GeographicLevel.LOCAL_AUTHORITY,
+                    geo_code=code,
+                    geo_name=name,
+                    values={_YEAR_BAND_COUNT: float(count)},
+                    is_count=True,
+                    reference_url=_VOA_REF,
+                )
+            )
+
+    # Net council tax £ targets — one per LA with an observed value.
+    # Mirrors the FRS net-of-CTR amount; pairs with the band targets
+    # above to cover both FRS council-tax data points.
+    if "total_council_tax_net" in df.columns:
+        for _, row in df.iterrows():
+            net = row.get("total_council_tax_net")
+            if pd.isna(net):
+                continue
+            country = str(row["country"])
+            ref = _NET_CT_REF_WAL if country == "WALES" else _NET_CT_REF_ENG
+            targets.append(
+                Target(
+                    name=f"housing/council_tax_net/{row['code']}",
+                    variable="council_tax_less_benefit",
+                    source="mhclg" if country == "ENGLAND" else "stats_wales",
+                    unit=Unit.GBP,
+                    geographic_level=GeographicLevel.LOCAL_AUTHORITY,
+                    geo_code=str(row["code"]),
+                    geo_name=str(row["name"]),
+                    values={_YEAR_BAND_D_ENGLAND: float(net)},
+                    reference_url=ref,
+                )
+            )
+
+    return targets
@@ -120,3 +120,42 @@ def test_calibrate_local_areas_saves_weights_in_nonverbose_branch(
         # Verify the saved weights have the area_count x n_households shape
         # produced by the calibrator.
         assert weights.shape == (2, 4)
+
+
+def test_calibrate_local_areas_masks_nan_local_targets(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    """Sparse local targets should be allowed.
+
+    Local-authority sources are not available for every area/metric pair.
+    A NaN target means "do not train on this cell", not "propagate NaN
+    through the loss".
+    """
+
+    import h5py
+
+    from policyengine_uk_data.utils import calibrate as calibrate_module
+    from policyengine_uk_data.utils.calibrate import calibrate_local_areas
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(calibrate_module, "STORAGE_FOLDER", tmp_path)
+
+    matrix_fn, national_matrix_fn = _make_toy_inputs(n_households=4, area_count=2)
+
+    def sparse_matrix_fn(dataset):
+        matrix, local_targets, country_mask = matrix_fn(dataset)
+        local_targets.iloc[1, 0] = np.nan
+        return matrix, local_targets, country_mask
+
+    weight_file = "toy_sparse_weights.h5"
+    calibrate_local_areas(
+        dataset=_StubDataset(np.array([1.0, 1.0, 1.0, 1.0])),
+        matrix_fn=sparse_matrix_fn,
+        national_matrix_fn=national_matrix_fn,
+        area_count=2,
+        weight_file=weight_file,
+        dataset_key="2025",
+        epochs=5,
+        verbose=False,
+    )
+
+    with h5py.File(tmp_path / weight_file, "r") as f:
+        weights = f["2025"][:]
+        assert np.isfinite(weights).all()