The official version of this document can be found via the PDF button.
The below content has been automatically generated from the original PDF and some formatting may have been lost, therefore it should not be relied upon to extract citations or propose amendments.
1240/5(8123)
WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR SOCIAL SECURITY BY DEPUTY G.P. SOUTHERN OF ST. HELIER
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 18th FEBRUARY 2014
Question
Following his response to question 7837 on 24th September 2013 in which he stated that "Good progress has been made on creating a web-based Income Support calculator. it is anticipated that the calculator will be available shortly" can the Minister yet state when the calculator will appear?
Will he further state whether he is in a position to release "The Income Support Policy Guidelines document" which he stated "has been comprehensively reviewed over the last few months and will be reissued later this year" and, if not, when will it be available?
Answer
As stated in my response to question 7837, a technical upgrade was in progress on the gov.je website which temporarily slowed development of the calculator. Good progress has been made since then, and we are currently in the final stages of internal testing. Thorough testing is necessary due to the large number of variables that are available to input, and to ensure that the calculator is user-friendly and works on a variety of devices. I am unable to supply a firm date for the launch of the calculator, as it is wholly dependent on the success of the testing process, but I am aware that officers are working hard at present to complete this.
Meanwhile, a detailed estimate of Income Support entitlement continues to be available to customers who telephone, write to or call into the Department in person. In most cases, officers can generate an estimate very quickly when supplied with basic information about a household. The Department's own calculator is held by the Citizens Advice Bureau and a number of States members.
The Income Support Policy Guidelines document has been available to download from the Income Support section of gov.je since Monday February 3rd. This document provides a general summary of Income Support policy and, in conjunction with the new award letter successfully launched in 2012, helps customers to better understand how their payments are calculated.