Income Support Medical Appeal Tribunal: re-appointment of Chair
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STATES OF JERSEY
INCOME SUPPORT MEDICAL APPEAL TRIBUNAL: RE-APPOINTMENT OF CHAIR
Lodged au Greffe on 9th October 2025 by the Minister for Social Security
Earliest date for debate: 11th November 2025
STATES GREFFE
2025 P.76
PROPOSITION
THE STATES are asked to decide whether they are of opinion −
to re-appoint, in accordance with Article 9 of the Income Support (Jersey) Law 2007, further to a process overseen by the Jersey Appointments Commission, the following person as the Chair of the Income Support Medical Appeal Tribunal for the period stated against their name –
Advocate Simon Thomas – 4 years MINISTER FOR SOCIAL SECURITY
REPORT
- Background
Article 15 of the Income Support (General Provisions) (Jersey) Order 2008 provides for the composition of the Income Support Medical Appeal Tribunal (ISMAT) and the terms of appointment of its members.
The ISMAT hears appeals on the award of the Impairment Component under the Income Support system and any other decisions made on medical grounds. It may also hear appeals regarding care requirements for Home Carer’s Allowance and the care assessments for Long Term Care. The Tribunal will review all facts placed before and may confirm, reverse or vary the decision made by Determining Officers.
The ISMAT consists of a Chair, (or a Deputy Chair) holding a qualification in law, a medical practitioner (selected from a panel of up to 5 members) and a lay member (selected from a panel of up to 5 members).
The Medical Practitioners to the ISMAT must be currently licenced to practice medicine with the UK’s General Medical Council. The role of the medical practitioner is to help the Tribunal interpret and understand specific clinical information and its relevance or not in the determination.
The Lay member must have experience either through their work, from having cared for someone, or because of their own situation, of the needs of someone with a disability. Panel members use this experience to interpret the information provided and consider whether a reasonable assessment has been made.
This report discusses the appointment of the legal Chair.
- Tribunals
The Minister is responsible for the constitution of 3 different Tribunal panels, the Social Security Medical Appeal Tribunal (“SSMAT”), the Social Security Tribunal (“SST”) and the Income Support Medical Appeal Tribunal (“ISMAT”). In consultation with the Judicial Greffe, who is responsible for the convening and administration of the Tribunals, the role of Chair was developed across all 3 Tribunals to ensure consistency of process and decision-making, and to support the further development of a Tribunals Service.
- Terms of appointment and re-appointment
The Income Support (General Provisions) (Jersey) Order 2008 provides that members of the Tribunal are appointed by the States on the recommendation of the Minister after consultation with the Jersey Appointments Commission, and in line with the Appointments Commission’s Code for Quangos and Tribunals.
Advocate Simon Thomas was appointed as Chair by the States Assembly on the 3rd December 2020 (P.155/2020), for an initial 5 year term. As such, his current term of office expires on the 2nd December 2025. The Minister therefore recommends the re- appointment of Advocate Thomas for a final term of 4 years commencing on 3rd
Page - 3
P.76/2025
December 2025. This re-appointment complies with the Appointment Commission’s guidance to provide for a maximum period of 9 years served.
Advocate Simon Thomas qualified at the Jersey Bar in 2014 and has been a partner at Baker & Partners since 2015. Prior to qualification in Jersey, he was called to the English Bar in 1995 and practised from a Chambers in London until relocating to Jersey in 2012. He specialises in litigation and has a varied practice which spans commercial and trusts disputes, employment law, family law, personal injury, regulatory and criminal law. He has been a Crown Advocate since 2015 and has appeared in many of the high profiled criminal cases which have come before the Royal Court in recent years. He teaches the Procedure module on the Jersey Law Course and is a Gray’s Inn advocacy trainer, approved to train newly qualified Jersey Advocates. Simon has been Chair of the Social Security Medical Appeal Tribunal, the Social Security Tribunal and the Income Support Tribunal since 2020 during which time he has presided over numerous appeal hearings, developed good relationships with the medical and lay tribunal members and gained a firm understanding of the law that these tribunals are required to apply.
Financial and staffing implications
There are no additional financial or staffing implications for Government as a result of this proposition.
Children’s Rights Impact Assessment
A Children’s Rights Impact Assessment (CRIA) screener has been prepared in relation to this proposition and is available to read on the States Assembly website.