In reality, for example, between the years 2006 and 2014, we saw a spectacular decline in the number of people below the LICO rate. But because median incomes were increasing so fast in that decade-long period, the low-income measurement rate did not decline. However, what's measured gets done. If governments were seeking to keep the low-income measure rate low, then they could do that by actually decreasing median incomes.
That would be one way to reduce the LIM rate, which is a perverse incentive for governments, isn't it?