Support schemes and funding
This 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. Please see the PDF for the official version of the document.
WQ.384/2025
WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR SOCIAL SECURITY BY DEPUTY L.M.C. DOUBLET OF ST. SAVIOUR
QUESTION SUBMITTED ON MONDAY 13th OCTOBER 2025 ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON MONDAY 20th OCTOBER 2025
Question
"Will the Minister –
- provide a table detailing all the support schemes and funding (either directly from Government budgets or from organisations in receipt of Government grants) that exist for Islanders who are in receipt of Income Support (or who would otherwise be eligible but who have less than 5 years residency) to include (but not be limited to) free school meals, pupil premium, assistance with childcare costs and healthy start vouchers; and
- will she state, in relation to each different scheme or funding provision, the number of Islanders who benefitted and the expenditure for each of the last 3 years?"
Answer
- The Employment, Social Security and Housing Department provides details of Income Support households to other departments to support eligibility for the following schemes:
• Health Access Scheme
• Free school meals
• Pupil Premium
• Healthy Start vouchers
• Low carbon heating incentive
Eligible Income Support households also receive the Christmas Bonus and Cold Weather payments under Income Support legislation.
The main Income Support scheme includes a childcare component, and support with childcare costs (which includes nursery care, after school and wraparound care and holiday clubs run by registered childcare providers) is included in the overall calculation of the weekly Income Support payment. Income Support families receive support through the NEF childcare scheme in the same way as other parents.
States Members will be aware that additional funding is proposed in the 2026 Budget to provide a new Back to School bonus for low-income families. The exact eligibility criteria will be published next year.
In addition, other departments and organisations may use Income Support eligibility as a route to subsidised services, by directly asking benefit recipients to give evidence of their status.
- Given the range of different schemes and departments involved, it has not proved possible to collate this information in the time available. The information will be collated and circulated to all States Members as soon as possible.