Draft Income Support (Jersey) Amendment No. 2 Regulations 202-
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STATES OF JERSEY
DRAFT INCOME SUPPORT (JERSEY) AMENDMENT No. 2 REGULATIONS 202-
Lodged au Greffe on 26th September 2025 by the Minister for Social Security
Earliest date for debate: 11th November 2025
STATES GREFFE
2025 P.72/2025
REPORT
- Background
The Minister for Social Security has the responsibility for reviewing Income Support benefit rates each year. The Minister must bring forward any proposals to change Income Support component rates to the States Assembly.
- Proposal to increase Income Support
The Minister has proposed an increase of 4% to most components from January 2026, with the exception of the Clinical Cost component. This component will not increase as extra support with GP costs has been provided through the Health Access Scheme.
The increase of 4% is in line with the RPI(X) figure for June 2025 and is above the RPI Low Income figure of 3.9%.
- Details of the proposal
The funding allocated of £2.8 million for 2026 allows for an overall increase of 4% across most components from their current level. The rates will be increased from 1 January 2026. As benefit is paid in advance most households will see some of the increase in their last December payment with the full increase showing in their first January payment.
Clinical cost component: The clinical cost component of Income Support was originally designed to help meet the cost of GP fees for individuals with additional health needs. Surgery GP consultations are now free for children and full-time students. Income support adults are automatically included in the Health Access Scheme which sets a patient fee of £10 for a GP surgery consultation. This means that the need for additional financial support for GP costs is significantly reduced compared to the situation pre-2020. As such the Clinical Cost component has not been increased in recent years.
It is proposed that the component is maintained at its current level for 2026.
The hostel accommodation rate: The hostel accommodation component of Income Support is used to support claimants living in hostel accommodation such as the Shelter. The hostel rate is currently £158.76 compared to the bedsit/lodging rate of £192.15 per week.
Whereas the accommodation provided at hostels is not self-contained, there are significant support services provided by hostel providers, with residents actively supported to move on to more permanent accommodation. As the accommodation component is paid directly to the providers, an increase in the hostel accommodation rate would assist these organisations in their overall financial position and support the services they provide to vulnerable Islanders. Therefore, the Minister has proposed increasing this rate to the equivalent of the rate for private rented lodgings or a bedsit.
Current and proposed rates
Rates are increased by 4% with the exception of:
• Private sector hostel – increased to £199.85
• Clinical costs (a) and (b) – no uplift
Basic Components |
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Component | Legislation | Current Weekly Rate | New Weekly Rate |
Adult | Sch1. Para 2(1)(a) | £125.79 | £130.83 |
Single parent | Sch1. Para 2(1)(b) | £174.93 | £181.93 |
Child (first) | Sch1. Para 2(1)(c) | £103.60 | £107.80 |
Child (subsequent) | Sch1. Para 2(1)(d) | £87.29 | £90.79 |
Household | Sch1. Para 2(1)(e) | £70.14 | £73.01 |
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Private Rented Accommodation |
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Component | Legislation | Current Weekly Rate | New Weekly Rate |
in the case of a hostel | Sch1. Para 4(2)(a) | £158.76 | £199.85 |
in the case of lodgings or a bedsit | Sch1. Para 4(2)(b) | £192.15 | £199.85 |
in the case of lodgings or a bedsit | Sch1. Para 4(2)(b) | £192.15 | £199.85 |
in the case of a flat with 1 bedroom | Sch1. Para 4(2)(c) | £283.29 | £294.63 |
in the case of a flat with 2 bedrooms | Sch1. Para 4(2)(d) | £362.74 | £377.30 |
in the case of a flat with 3 or more bedrooms | Sch1. Para 4(2)(e) | £389.13 | £404.74 |
in the case of a house with 1 bedroom | Sch1. Para 4(2)(f) | £324.73 | £337.75 |
in the case of a house with 2 bedrooms | Sch1. Para 4(2)(g) | £412.16 | £428.68 |
in the case of a house with 3 bedrooms | Sch1. Para 4(2)(h) | £481.32 | £500.64 |
in the case of a house with 4 bedrooms | Sch1. Para 4(2)(i) | £524.65 | £545.65 |
in the case of a house with 5 or more bedrooms | Sch1. Para 4(2)(j) | £580.58 | £603.82 |
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Owner Occupied Accommodation |
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Component | Legislation | Current Weekly Rate | New Weekly Rate |
in the case of a bedsit or flat with 1 or 2 bedrooms | Sch1. Para 4(7)(a) | £8.89 | £9.31 |
in the case of a flat with 3 bedrooms | Sch1. Para 4(7)(b) | £12.53 | £13.09 |
in the case of a flat with 4 or more bedrooms | Sch1. Para 4(7)(c) | £17.71 | £18.48 |
in the case of a house with 1 bedroom | Sch1. Para 4(7)(d) | £8.89 | £9.31 |
in the case of a house with 2 bedrooms | Sch1. Para 4(7)(e) | £12.53 | £13.09 |
in the case of a house with 3 or more bedrooms | Sch1. Para 4(7)(f) | £17.71 | £18.48 |
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Social Capped Accommodation |
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Component | Legislation | Current Weekly Rate | New Weekly Rate |
in the case of a hostel | Sch1. Para 4(13)(a) | £158.76 | £165.13 |
in the case of lodgings or a bedsit | Sch1. Para 4(13)(b) | £182.21 | £189.56 |
in the case of a flat with 1 bedroom | Sch1. Para 4(13)(c) | £268.45 | £279.23 |
in the case of a flat with 2 bedrooms | Sch1. Para 4(13)(d) | £343.56 | £357.35 |
in the case of a flat with 3 or more bedrooms | Sch1. Para 4(13)(e) | £368.55 | £383.32 |
in the case of a house with 1 bedroom | Sch1. Para 4(13)(f) | £307.51 | £319.83 |
in the case of a house with 2 bedrooms | Sch1. Para 4(13)(g) | £390.60 | £406.28 |
in the case of a house with 3 bedrooms | Sch1. Para 4(13)(h) | £456.12 | £474.39 |
in the case of a house with 4 bedrooms | Sch1. Para 4(13)(i) | £497.00 | £516.88 |
in the case of a house with 5 or more bedrooms | Sch1. Para 4(13)(j) | £550.20 | £572.25 |
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Impairment |
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Component | Legislation | Current Weekly Rate | New Weekly Rate |
Personal care element: for a score of at least 15 but less than 36 | Sch1. Para 6(3)(a) | £31.64 | £32.97 |
Personal care element: for a score of at least 36 but less than 56 | Sch1. Para 6(3)(b) | £138.11 | £143.64 |
Personal care element: for a score of at least 56 | Sch1. Para 6(3)(c) | £198.03 | £206.01 |
Mobility element: (a) | Sch1. Para 7(3)(a) | £31.64 | £32.97 |
Mobility element: (b) | Sch1. Para 7(3)(b) | £62.93 | £65.45 |
Clinical cost element: (a) | Sch1. Para 8(2)(a) | £3.99 | £3.99 |
Clinical cost element: (b) | Sch1. Para 8(2)(b) | £7.98 | £7.98 |
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Child Care |
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Component | Legislation | Current Rate | New Rate |
(a) child under 3 | Sch1. Para 10(3)(a) | £10.00 | £10.40 |
(b) child 3 + | Sch1. Para 10(3)(b) | £8.37 | £8.71 |
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Carer |
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Component | Legislation | Current Weekly Rate | New Weekly Rate |
Carer's Component | Sch1. Para 12 | £71.61 | £74.48 |
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Ancillary Home Care Costs |
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| Current Weekly Rate | New Weekly Rate |
Ancillary Home Care Costs | Sch1. Para 14 | £31.29 | £32.55 |
- Children's Rights Impact Assessment
A Children's Rights Impact Assessment (CRIA) has been prepared in relation to this proposition and is available to read on the States Assembly website.
- Financial and staffing implications
The total estimated cost of the changes proposed for January 2026 is £2.8 million a year. The cost of these proposals is provided for in the 2026 draft Budget. There are no staff or other resource implications to this proposal.
Draft Income Support (Jersey) Amendment No. 2 Regulations 202- Explanatory Note
EXPLANATORY NOTE
These Regulations would increase the income support component rates by approximately 4% with 2 exceptions:
- the rate payable for the housing component in the private rented sector in case of residence in a hostel has a greater increase to align it with the rate payable in the case of lodgings or a bedsit;
- the rate payable in respect of the clinical costs element has not been increased.
The Regulations come into force on 1 January 2026.
DRAFT INCOME SUPPORT (JERSEY) AMENDMENT No. 2 REGULATIONS 202-
Made [date to be inserted] Coming into force [date to be inserted]
THE STATES make these Regulations under Articles 5 and 18 of the Income Support (Jersey) Law 2007 –
1 Income Support (Jersey) Regulations 2007 amended
These Regulations amend the Income Support (Jersey) Regulations 2007. 2 Schedule 1 (basic and special components) amended
- This Regulation amends Schedule 1.
- For paragraph 2 (rates for basic components) there is substituted –
2 Rates for basic components
The rates payable for the basic components under Article 5(2) of the Law are –
(a) | under Article 5(2)(a) of the Law (adult component rate) | £130.83 |
(b) | under Article 5(2)(b) of the Law (single parent component rate) | £181.93 |
(c) | under Article 5(2)(c) of the Law (first child component rate) | £107.80 |
(d) | under Article 5(2)(ca) of the Law (subsequent child component rate) | £90.79 |
(e) | under Article 5(2)(d) of the Law (household component rate) | £73.01 |
- For paragraph 4A(3) (rate of housing component – private sector rental) there is substituted –
(3) The rates payable under this sub-paragraph are –
(a) | hostel | £199.85 |
(b) | lodgings or a bedsit | £199.85 |
(c) | flat with 1 bedroom | £294.63 |
(d) | flat with 2 bedrooms | £377.30 |
(e) | flat with 3 or more bedrooms | £404.74 |
(f) | house with 1 bedroom | £337.75 |
(g) | house with 2 bedrooms | £428.68 |
(h) | house with 3 bedrooms | £500.64 |
(i) | house with 4 bedrooms | £545.65 |
(j) | house with 5 or more bedrooms | £603.82 |
- For paragraph 4C(4) (rate of housing component – dwelling owned by member of household) there is substituted –
(4) The rates payable under this sub-paragraph are –
(a) | bedsit or flat with 1 or 2 bedrooms | £9.31 |
(b) | flat with 3 bedrooms | £13.09 |
(c) | flat with 4 or more bedrooms | £18.48 |
(d) | house with 1 bedroom | £9.31 |
(e) | house with 2 bedrooms | £13.09 |
(f) | house with 3 or more bedrooms | £18.48 |
- For paragraph 4I (rates payable under paragraphs 4B(2) and (3) and 4G(5)(ii)) there is substituted –
4I Rates payable under paragraphs 4B(2) and (3) and 4G(5)(ii)
The rates payable under this paragraph are –
(a) | in the case of a hostel | £165.13 |
(b) | in the case of lodgings or a bedsit | £189.56 |
(c) | in the case of a flat with 1 bedroom | £279.23 |
(d) | in the case of a flat with 2 bedrooms | £357.35 |
(e) | in the case of a flat with 3 or more bedrooms | £383.32 |
(f) | in the case of a house with 1 bedroom | £319.83 |
(g) | in the case of a house with 2 bedrooms | £406.28 |
(h) | in the case of a house with 3 bedrooms | £474.39 |
(i) | in the case of a house with 4 bedrooms | £516.88 |
(j) | in the case of a house with 5 or more bedrooms | £572.25 |
- For paragraph 6(3) (rate of personal care element) there is substituted –
(3) The rate of personal care element payable in respect of the total score calculated under sub-paragraph (2) is –
(a) | for a score of at least 15 but less than 36 | £32.97 |
(b) | for a score of at least 36 but less than 56 | £143.64 |
(c) | for a score of at least 56 | £206.01 |
(7) For paragraph 7(3) (rate of mobility element) there is substituted –
(3) The rate of mobility element of the impairment component is –
- £32.97 if the person's average weekly earnings do not exceed the amount in clause (b); or
- £65.45.
(8) For paragraph 10(3) (rate for the child day care component) there is substituted –
(3) The rates payable under this sub-paragraph are –
(a) | for a child under the age of 3 years | £10.40 |
(b) | for a child aged 3 years or over | £8.71 |
- For paragraph 12 (rate for the carer's component) there is substituted –
12 Rate for the carer's component
The rate payable in respect of the carer's component is £74.48.
- For paragraph 14 (rate for ancillary home care costs component) there is substituted –
14 Rate for ancillary home care costs component
The rate payable in respect of an ancillary home care costs component is £32.55. 3 Citation and commencement
These Regulations may be cited as the Income Support (Jersey) Amendment No. 2 Regulations 202- and come into force on 1 January 2026.