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Hello. I would like to put across my views on the recent proposal.
I am so disappointed and angered by the recent proposal to remove the 20 free hours for those earning a 'high wage' of £75k combined.
Having worked hard in school and university to get good qualifications and a good job I enjoy, I feel yet again were being punished for trying to better ourselves.
The middle earners are constantly being squeezed for every last drop to pay for those who are given so many things for free. *(I understand that not everyone can have well paying jobs and that some of those people do need help) but there are many more who take advantage of the system.
I have to say whomever thought that £75k was a high income doesn't seem to have their head screwed on straight. With my husband and I earning around £10k more than this, we have very little in way of savings each month and live a normal, certainly not luxurious, lifestyle. Paying the mortgage, nursery fees (which are already extortionate), insurance, petrol, household bills and food bills leave very little else.
This cap is ridiculously too low! The level should be around the £120-£150k to be looking at those who have a little extra income however, I feel there should be no such thing as means testing for what is the future of Jersey. This proposal should be scrapped.
A family member works in a states nursery and reports there are 3 English speaking children there. There are parents who have the 20 free hours and abuse the system, treating it like drop in childcare for when they want it. This not only costs the taxpayer money but also uses up spaces for the working parents who struggle to find places for their children. The 20 free hours should be for those with parents at work to encourage people into jobs.
We are trying to get equal pay for women and also trying to get mothers back into work after having children. This proposal goes completely against that. There will be families who make little more by both parents being at work and it will push out the lower earner to look after the children as it won't be worth their while working. Predominantly this would be the woman giving up her career yet again.
The proposal will drive up the demand for states nurseries for those looking for the 20 hours free. The difficulty there is that states nurseries tend to be term time only. Only teachers and the very lucky few have jobs that are term time only. This will then cause ongoing problems looking for childcare in the school holidays. My son has 2 grandparents in Jersey and they are not well enough to be looking after a young child for weeks at a time so we would also really struggle to find cover.
I am infuriated by this proposal. Those earning low income get a lot of things for free. Those who are wealthy can afford the extra money however, yet again it's us in the middle who are expected to pay out more than our fair share, to save a measly £250,000! In the grand scheme of things, this is such a small amount of money to cause such disruption.
Thank you for your time. Sincerely,