Draft Income Support (Jersey) Amendment Regulations 202-
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REPORT
- Background
The Minister for Social Security has the responsibility for reviewing Income Support benefit rates each year. The Minister must bring forward any proposals to change Income Support component rates to the States Assembly.
- Proposal to increase Income Support
The Minister has proposed an increase of 3.6% to most components from January 2027, with the exception of the Clinical Cost component. This component will not increase as extra support with GP costs has been provided through the Heal th Access Scheme.
The increase of 3.6% is in line with the RPI(X) figure and the RPI(low income) figure for June 2026. This is above the headline rate of inflation which was 2.8%.
In addition to these Regulations, the Minister will make an Order to increase the level at which earnings, pension income and maintenance income are disregarded as part of the Income Support calculation, from 26% to 27.5%.
- Details of the proposal
The funding allocated of £3.8 million for 2027 allows for an overall increase of 3.6% across most components from their current level. The rates will be increased from 1 January 2027. As benefit is paid in advance most households will see some of the increase in their last December payment with the full increase showing in their first January payment.
In addition to the component increases set out in these Regulations, the Minister will make an Order to increase the level at which earnings, pension income and maintenance income are disregarded as part of the Income Support calculation from 26% to 27.5%.
Clinical cost component: The clinical cost component of Income Support was originally designed to help meet the cost of GP fees for individuals with additional health needs. Surgery GP consultations are now free for children and full-time students. Income support adults are automatically included in the Heal th Access Scheme which sets a patient fee of £10 for a GP surgery consultation. This means that the need for additional financial support for GP costs is significantly reduced compared to the situation pre-2020. As such the Clinical Cost component has not been increased in recent years.
It is proposed that the component is maintained at its current level for 2027.
Current and proposed rates
Rates are increased by 3.6% with the exception of Clinical costs (a) and (b) – no uplift
Component | Legislation | Current Weekly Rate | New Weekly rate | |
Basic Components |
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Adult | Sch1. Para 2(1)(a) | £130.83 | £ 135.59 | |
Component | Legislation | Current Weekly Rate | New Weekly rate | |
Single parent | Sch1. Para 2(1)(b) and (ba) | £181.93 | £ 188.51 | |
Child (first) | Sch1. Para 2(1)(c) | £107.80 | £ 111.72 | |
Child (subsequent) | Sch1. Para 2(1)(d) | £90.79 | £ 94.08 | |
Household | Sch1. Para 2(1)(e) | £73.01 | £ 75.67 | |
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Private Rented Accommodation |
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in the case of a hostel | Sch1. Para 4(2)(a) | £199.85 | £ 207.06 | |
in the case of lodgings or a bedsit | Sch1. Para 4(2)(b) | £199.85 | £ 207.06 | |
in the case of a flat with 1 bedroom | Sch1. Para 4(2)(c) | £294.63 | £ 305.27 | |
in the case of a flat with 2 bedrooms | Sch1. Para 4(2)(d) | £377.30 | £ 390.95 | |
in the case of a flat with 3 or more bedrooms | Sch1. Para 4(2)(e) | £404.74 | £ 419.37 | |
in the case of a house with 1 bedroom | Sch1. Para 4(2)(f) | £337.75 | £ 349.93 | |
in the case of a house with 2 bedrooms | Sch1. Para 4(2)(g) | £428.68 | £ 444.15 | |
in the case of a house with 3 bedrooms | Sch1. Para 4(2)(h) | £500.64 | £ 518.70 | |
in the case of a house with 4 bedrooms | Sch1. Para 4(2)(i) | £545.65 | £ 565.32 | |
in the case of a house with 5 or more bedrooms | Sch1. Para 4(2)(j) | £603.82 | £ 625.59 | |
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Owner Occupied Accommodation |
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in the case of a bedsit or flat with 1 or 2 bedrooms | Sch1. Para 4(7)(a) | £9.31 | £ 9.66 | |
in the case of a flat with 3 bedrooms | Sch1. Para 4(7)(b) | £13.09 | £ 13.58 | |
in the case of a flat with 4 or more bedrooms | Sch1. Para 4(7)(c) | £18.48 | £ 19.18 | |
in the case of a house with 1 bedroom | Sch1. Para 4(7)(d) | £9.31 | £ 9.66 | |
in the case of a house with 2 bedrooms | Sch1. Para 4(7)(e) | £13.09 | £ 13.58 | |
Component | Legislation | Current Weekly Rate | New Weekly rate | |
in the case of a house with 3 or more bedrooms | Sch1. Para 4(7)(f) | £18.48 | £ 19.18 | |
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Social Capped Accommodation |
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in the case of a hostel | Sch1. Para 4(13)(a) | £165.13 | £ 171.08 | |
in the case of lodgings or a bedsit | Sch1. Para 4(13)(b) | £189.56 | £ 196.42 | |
in the case of a flat with 1 bedroom | Sch1. Para 4(13)(c) | £279.23 | £ 289.31 | |
in the case of a flat with 2 bedrooms | Sch1. Para 4(13)(d) | £357.35 | £ 370.23 | |
in the case of a flat with 3 or more bedrooms | Sch1. Para 4(13)(e) | £383.32 | £ 397.18 | |
in the case of a house with 1 bedroom | Sch1. Para 4(13)(f) | £319.83 | £ 331.38 | |
in the case of a house with 2 bedrooms | Sch1. Para 4(13)(g) | £406.28 | £ 420.91 | |
in the case of a house with 3 bedrooms | Sch1. Para 4(13)(h) | £474.39 | £ 491.47 | |
in the case of a house with 4 bedrooms | Sch1. Para 4(13)(i) | £516.88 | £ 535.50 | |
in the case of a house with 5 or more bedrooms | Sch1. Para 4(13)(j) | £572.25 | £ 592.90 | |
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Impairment |
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Personal care element: for a score of at least 15 but less than 36 | Sch1. Para 6(3)(a) | £32.97 | £ 34.16 | |
Personal care element: for a score of at least 36 but less than 56 | Sch1. Para 6(3)(b) | £143.64 | £ 148.82 | |
Personal care element: for a score of at least 56 | Sch1. Para 6(3)(c) | £206.01 | £ 213.43 | |
Mobility element: (a) | Sch1. Para 7(3)(a) | £32.97 | £ 34.16 | |
Mobility element: (b) | Sch1. Para 7(3)(b) | £65.45 | £ 67.83 | |
Clinical cost element: (a) | Sch1. Para 8(2)(a) | £3.99 | £ 3.99 | |
Clinical cost element: (b) | Sch1. Para 8(2)(b) | £7.98 | £ 7.98 | |
Child Care |
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Component | Legislation | Current Hourly Rate | New Hourly Rate |
(a) child under 3 | Sch1. Para 10(3)(a) | £10.00 | £ 10.78 |
(b) child 3 + | Sch1. Para 10(3)(b) | £8.37 | £ 9.03 |
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Carer |
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Component | Legislation | Current Weekly Rate | New Weekly Rate |
Carer's Component | Sch1. Para 12 | £71.61 | £77.21 |
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Ancillary Home Care Costs |
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Ancillary Home Care Costs | Sch1. Para 14 | £31.29 | £33.74 |
The Regulations also take the opportunity to rectify a missing cross-reference to Article 5(2)(ba) of the Income Support (Jersey) Law 2007. This references the award of the Single Parent Component. This was an administrative oversight and has not affected any actual claims.
Financial and staffing implications
The total estimated cost of the changes proposed for January 2027 is £3.8 million a year. The cost of these proposals is provided for in the 2027 draft Budget. There are no staff or other resource implications to this proposal. This cost includes the cost associated with the improvement in the disregard for certain types of household income.
Children's Rights Impact Assessment
A Children's Rights Impact Assessment (CRIA) has been prepared in relation to this proposition and is available to read on the States Assembly website.
Draft Income Support (Jersey) Amendment Regulations 202- Explanatory Note
EXPLANATORY NOTE
These Regulations, if passed, will increase the rates of the components of income support by 3.6%. The exception is the rate payable in respect of the clinical cost element of the impairment component, which has not been increased. These Regulations will also insert missing references to Article 5(2)(ba) of the Income Support (Jersey) Law 2007 into the Income Support (Jersey) Regulations 2007.
These Regulations come into force on 1 January 2027.
Draft Income Support (Jersey) Amendment Regulations 202- Contents
DRAFT INCOME SUPPORT (JERSEY) AMENDMENT REGULATIONS 202-
Contents
Regulation
1 Income Support (Jersey) Regulations 2007 amended ................................................... 8 2 References to Article 5(2) of the Income Support (Jersey) Law 2007 amended ........... 8 3 Schedule 1 (basic and special components) amended .................................................. 8 4 Title .............................................................................................................................. 11 5 Commencement .......................................................................................................... 11
DRAFT INCOME SUPPORT (JERSEY) AMENDMENT REGULATIONS 202-
Made [date to be inserted] Coming into force [date to be inserted]
THE STATES make these Regulations under Articles 5 and 18 of the Income Support (Jersey) Law 2007 –
1 Income Support (Jersey) Regulations 2007 amended
These Regulations amend the Income Support (Jersey) Regulations 2007.
2 References to Article 5(2) of the Income Support (Jersey) Law 2007 amended
For "or (b)" there is substituted ", (b) or (ba)" in the following places –
- Regulation 5(2);
- Regulation 5D(2);
- Regulation 5E(7);
- Schedule 1, paragraph 1(5);
- Schedule 1, paragraph 3(3)(a);
- Schedule 1, paragraph 5(5); and
- Schedule 1, paragraph 11(3).
3 Schedule 1 (basic and special components) amended
- This Regulation amends Schedule 1.
- For paragraph 2 (rates of basic components) there is substituted –
2 Rates for basic components
The rates payable for the basic components under Article 5(2) of the Law are –
(a) | under Article 5(2)(a) of the Law (adult component rate) | £135.59 |
(b) | under Article 5(2)(b) or (ba) of the Law (single parent component rate) | £188.51 |
(c) | under Article 5(2)(c) of the Law (first child component rate) | £111.72 |
(d) | under Article 5(2)(ca) of the Law (subsequent child component rate) | £94.08 |
(e) | under Article 5(2)(d) of the Law (household component rate) | £75.67 |
- For paragraph 4A(3) (rate of housing component – private sector rental) there is substituted –
(3) The rates payable under this sub-paragraph are –
(a) | hostel | £207.06 |
(b) | lodgings or a bedsit | £207.06 |
(c) | flat with 1 bedroom | £305.27 |
(d) | flat with 2 bedrooms | £390.95 |
(e) | flat with 3 or more bedrooms | £419.37 |
(f) | house with 1 bedroom | £349.93 |
(g) | house with 2 bedrooms | £444.15 |
(h) | house with 3 bedrooms | £518.70 |
(i) | house with 4 bedrooms | £565.32 |
(j) | house with 5 or more bedrooms | £625.59 |
- For paragraph 4C(4) (rate of housing component – dwelling owned by member of household) there is substituted –
- The rates payable under this sub-paragraph are –
(a) | bedsit or flat with 1 or 2 bedrooms | £9.66 |
(b) | flat with 3 bedrooms | £13.58 |
(c) | flat with 4 or more bedrooms | £19.18 |
(d) | house with 1 bedroom | £9.66 |
(e) | house with 2 bedrooms | £13.58 |
(f) | house with 3 or more bedrooms | £19.18 |
- For paragraph 4I (rates payable under paragraphs 4B(2) and (3) and 4G(5)(ii)) there is substituted –
4I Rates payable under paragraphs 4B(2) and (3) and 4G(5)(ii)
The rates payable under this paragraph are –
(a) | in the case of a hostel | £171.08 |
(b) | in the case of lodgings or a bedsit | £196.42 |
(c) | in the case of a flat with 1 bedroom | £289.31 |
(d) | in the case of a flat with 2 bedrooms | £370.23 |
(e) | in the case of a flat with 3 or more bedrooms | £397.18 |
(f) | in the case of a house with 1 bedroom | £331.38 |
(g) | in the case of a house with 2 bedrooms | £420.91 |
(h) | in the case of a house with 3 bedrooms | £491.47 |
(i) | in the case of a house with 4 bedrooms | £535.50 |
(j) | in the case of a house with 5 or more bedrooms | £592.90 |
- For paragraph 6(3) (rate of personal care element) there is substituted –
(3) The rate of personal care element payable in respect of the total score
calculated under sub-paragraph (2) is –
(a) | for a score of at least 15 but less than 36 | £34.16 |
(b) | for a score of at least 36 but less than 56 | £148.82 |
(c) | for a score of at least 56 | £213.43 |
(7) For paragraph 7(3) (rate of mobility element) there is substituted –
(3) The rate of mobility element of the impairment component is –
- £34.16 if the person's average weekly earnings do not exceed the amount in clause (b); or
- £67.83.
- For paragraph 10(3) (rate for the child day care component) there is substituted – (3) The rates payable under this sub-paragraph are –
(a) | for a child under the age of 3 years | £10.78 |
(b) | for a child aged 3 years or over | £9.03 |
- For paragraph 12 (rate for the carer's component) there is substituted –
12 Rate for the carer's component
The rate payable in respect of the carer's component is £77.21.
- For paragraph 14 (rate for ancillary home care costs component) there is substituted –
14 Rate for ancillary home care costs component
The rate payable in respect of an ancillary home care costs component is £33.74.
4 Title
These Regulations are the Income Support (Jersey) Amendment Regulations 202-. 5 Commencement
These Regulations come into force on 1 January 2027.