Source hierarchy
Every number originates from a Tier-1 source. Tier-2 sources are used only to interpret a Tier-1 text, never as the origin of a figure. Tier-3 (blogs, forums, aggregators) is never cited.
Tier 1 — origin of any figure
- Statistics office
- Government
- Provider terms
Tier 2 — interpretation only
- Aggregated index
- Media
Rules we enforce
- Headline figures: headline figures are sourced from official statistics where available; derived facts inherit the lowest confidence of their inputs.
- Aggregated indices: not permitted — they may not back any figure in this topic.
- Re-verification cadence: every record is re-checked at least every 180 days (sooner for low-confidence records); an overdue high-confidence record fails our build until a human re-verifies it.
- Human gate: a record is only treated as editor-confirmed once our editor has checked it against the Tier-1 source. Records that aren't yet editor-confirmed are still published openly — but always with their full source list, the date they were last checked and a confidence badge showing how sure we are — so you can weigh the evidence yourself rather than us hiding work in progress.
What this means for you
Information, not legal advice — always confirm with the competent authority.
See the site-wide methodology for how this fits our overall research and verification process, or the editorial policy for who reviews it.