Essential Needs

Outcome

% of households who report being able to meet their essential needs as they define and prioritise them

This indicator measures the percentage of households who feel they can meet their essential needs as they define them. It uses a simple, standardised scale for easy data collection and analysis. It helps assess how Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA) affects households’ ability to cover essential expenses.

Collect the following data by conducting individual interviews with a representative sample of the selected household representatives:

RECOMMENDED SURVEY QUESTIONS (Q) AND POSSIBLE ANSWERS (A)

Q1: To what extent is your household able to meet its essential needs as you define and prioritise them?

A1:

1) All

2) Most

3) About half

4) Less than half

5) None

6) I don’t wish to respond

 

To calculate the indicator’s value, divide the number of households whose representatives report meeting “all” essential needs by the total number of surveyed households. Multiply by 100 to obtain the percentage.

Disaggregate the data by female-headed households / single-parent households, and other vulnerability criteria.

1) Report also on how many households are able to meet most, half, less than half, or none of their essential needs. Tracking the full range of responses over time reveals whether multipurpose cash programming is helping improve needs fulfilment and highlights persistent gaps, especially if many households fall below the top categories.

 

2) In addition to measuring the percentage of households able to meet their essential needs, consider assessing also:

• Which essential needs are households currently unable to fulfil: For respondents who do not report ability to meet “all” their essential needs, ask: “Which essential needs is your household currently unable to fulfil?” Include a pre-defined list of possible needs in the questionnaire (see Annex 2 of the guidance attached below). Needs reported by a notably high percentage of households indicate significant gaps that warrant further attention.

• Why they are not able to meet the needs: For each unmet need, ask “Why is your household unable to fully meet this need?” The answer options should include:

  • Financial reasons / cannot afford

  • It is not available on the local market

  • Public services needed (e.g., health or education) are not available

  • Other – specify: .............................................

• The main impacts the cash has had: Ask all respondents who received cash assistance: “What are the most important things that the cash helped your household to do or buy that you could not do or buy before?” Include a pre-defined list of possible needs in the questionnaire (see Annex 2 of the guidance attached below).

 

3) This is a core multipurpose cash assistance indicator according to the Multipurpose Outcome Indicators and Guidance (see below), developed by the Grand Bargain Cash Workstream in 2022. The guidance also includes an alternative method to calculate the indicator, with a module tracking specific needs.