Calculating the Minimum Expenditure Basket: A Guide to Best Practice

If you play a role in developing or revising MEB, then this tool is for you. 

This guidance is the revised and restructured version of the 2020 Minimum Expenditure Basket (MEB) Decision Making Tool. 

The MEB has emerged as a key tool in humanitarian action in situations where cash and voucher assistance is being used. 

However, there are also a great deal of questions arising in this area: What exactly is an MEB, how do we construct it, what can we use it for, and what are the issues to look out for? 

This guidance answers these questions – and more – in a great depth. 

By using this guidance you will be able to: 

✔️Define key concepts of MEB
✔️Decide if/when an MEB is needed
✔️Understand what an MEB may achieve
✔️Outline what capacities and resources will be required for different types of MEB
✔️Make decision on the most appropriate path to take in relation to a particular context
✔️Learn how to incorporate basic needs under sectors/clusters
✔️Navigate and locate the growing literature on MEBs. 

This new toolset now also includes specific MEB guidance for the Health, Protection, WASH, Education, Nutrition, Non-Food Items and Shelter clusters. 

Compared to the 2020 version of the report, this 2022 guidance provides: 

🔍An expanded overview of key guidance & resources for basic needs clusters
💡 New thinking
💾 Up-to-date perspectives on important debates
📚 New examples and resources. 

If you have any questions about this publication, please do get in touch.