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Jersey JE2 3RR
Deputy Sam Mézec , Chair Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel States Greffe
Morier House
St Helier
JE1 1DD
By email
19 April 2023
Dear Chair Independent taxation
I am writing to you in response to the call for views on mandatory independent taxation, published by the States Assembly on Twitter on 11 April 2023.
I thought you would find it useful to understand the extent of the engagement that has been undertaken with Islanders over a period of more than five years. That engagement – summarised in the Appendix – has informed the policy decisions made to-date; those informed decisions have brought us close to the final legislative chapter in the long-overdue process of modernising our personal tax system.
Yours sincerely
Deputy Elaine Millar
Assistant Minister for Treasury and Resources
Appendix – summary of engagement with Islanders
Date | Type of engagement | Participants |
October 2017 | Apptivism Facebook messenger chatbot on the current system of married taxation | 1,200 participants |
February 2018 | 4Insight 1st series of focus groups discussing married and unmarried taxation | 32 participants, in-depth interviews |
June 2018 | Statistics Jersey issued the Jersey Opinions and Lifestyle Survey, which included questions on married taxation | >1,000 responses |
June 2018 | 4Insight 2nd series of focus groups, discussing different elements of the personal tax regime – including tax reliefs and allowances, and tax rates | 32 participants, in-depth interviews |
Jan-Mar 2019 | ComRes online and telephone survey covering married taxation, tax reliefs and allowances, and tax rates | c.3,000 responses |
A majority of participants in the engagement that took place between October 2017 and March 2019 thought it was unreasonable to treat married and unmarried couples differently, with independent taxation being preferred to alternatives, such as household taxation. That engagement informed the policy direction that resulted in the lodging of P.119/2019 and P.78/2021 – the first stage of the movement to independent taxation. The engagement below took place after the States adopted P.78/2021. | ||
Date | Type of engagement | |
September 2021 | Media release – States adopt first stage of law | |
September 2021 | Publication of dedicated page on Government website | |
From September 2021 | Leaflet delivered to all households in Jersey | |
Posters in all Parish Hall s, the Town Library and Citizens Advice (including in Polish and Portuguese) | ||
Social media campaigns • "More information is available" • "Use our online tax calculator" • "Attend our public briefing events" "Event reminders" | ||
Advertising in JEP and Bailiwick Express ("See how the tax you pay may change") | ||
| JEP advertising – "use our online tax calculator" and "attend one of our public brief events" campaigns |
Public events – St Helier (x2), St John, St Brélade, and St Clement | |
Published online tax calculator | |
Online webinar for pilot group participants | |
| Change guide for pilot group participants
Independent Taxation Guide Book |
November 2021 | Facebook LiveStream Event |
From January 2022 | Leaflet included with all income tax returns
Optional-move-to-I T-Leaflet - Final.pdf |
June 2022 | Pilot group – feedback survey |
From January 2023 | Leaflet included with all income tax returns
Independent Tax Optional Move Leafl |
