Support for old-age pensioners

Benefit or scheme

Purpose and funding route

Eligibility and income test

Value / what eligible pensioners receive

Notes

Jersey Old Age Pension

Social Security contributory pension paid at pension age, based on the person's contribution record.

Available to people who have reached pension age and have sufficient Jersey Social Security contributions. No income test; entitlement is based on contribution record

Pension payment based on the individual's contribution record. A full contribution record provides the full standard pension rate (£16,294 a year); partial records receive a proportionate pension.

Cold Weather Bonus

Tax-funded winter heating support for pensioner households.

At least one adult must have lived in Jersey for the last 5 years

Adult over pension age. no household Jersey tax liability for previous year

Variable payment linked to monthly temperature, paid in two instalments covering October to December and January to April.

Only one Cold Weather Bonus can be claimed per household.

Cold weather payments for Income Support households

Tax-funded additional help with heating costs during colder months.

Paid to Income Support targeted households that include at least one adult aged over 65

Automatic cold weather payments between November and May when temperature conditions are met; value varies by temperature and

Payments are automatic when conditions are met.

household circumstances.

Pension Plus

Tax-funded targeted support with dental, optical and chiropody costs for lower- income pensioners.

Applicants must have reached pension age, have a Jersey Old Age Pension or Entitled residential status, and combined annual Jersey income tax liability of no more than £1,000.

Capital assets must be below £64,000, excluding the home lived in.

Up to £55 every 2 years for an eye test; up to £165 every 2 years for glasses, lenses or contact lenses; up to £55 annually for dental check-up; up to £1,900 every 4 years for dental treatment or dentures; and up to £165 annually for chiropody.

Missed or cancelled appointments are not covered.

Chris tmas Bonus

Tax funded – targeted support for pensioners at Chris tmas

Paid automatically to people over pension age, who receive Income Support; or have a pension plus claim and no tax liability

£114.19 per year

Payments are automatic when conditions are met.

Free TV licence for people aged 75 or over

BBC-funded support with the cost of a TV licence for older residents.

Applicants must be aged 75 or over and live in a house or flat. Annual income must be below £21,250 for a single person or below £36,125 for a couple.

A free TV licence for the main home. If the licence has already been paid for, the BBC licensing authority refunds the difference directly.

A person under 75 who permanently lives with someone who qualifies can claim on their behalf.

Senior citizen bus pass

Service concession providing free travel on Jersey bus services.

Available to people permanently resident in Jersey who are aged 65 or over, or permanently resident, under 65 and holding a Jersey Social Security pension card.

Free travel on Jersey bus services.

Heal th Access Scheme (available to all age groups)

Heal th Insurance Fund support providing reduced fixed fees for GP and nurse appointments.

Covers all members of an Income Support household and pensioners receiving Pension Plus.

Adults pay £10 for GP surgery or telephone consultations, £30 for GP home visits, £7 for nurse surgery or telephone consultations and £4 for healthcare assistant consultations.

Pensioners can qualify through either income support or pension plus.

Community Costs Bonus (available to all age groups)

Tax-funded annual payment to help with cost-of-living pressures.

At least one adult must have lived in Jersey for the last 5 years. Household combined Jersey tax liability must be less than £2,735 for 2025. No household member can have had an open Income

One-off annual lump sum of £516.50 for the 2026 scheme.

One-off additional payment of £200 proposed in 2027 budget

Majority of claimants are pensioners

Support claim in the previous 7 days.

Income Support (available to all age groups)

Tax-funded means-tested household benefit providing help with living, housing and eligible costs.

Eligibility depends on household circumstances, income, assets, residence and other factors. There is no single income threshold; entitlement is calculated by comparing household income and assets with applicable components and eligible costs.

Amount varies by household and is calculated from applicable components, eligible housing costs, income and assets.

Pension income is subject to the income disregard which increases total household income

Housing Adaptation Grant (available to all age groups)

Tax-funded grant to make a primary home more accessible for people with disabilities.

Applicants must be Jersey residents with Entitled status, need clinically supported adaptations, and meet the means test which considers income and assets.

Means-tested grant support towards eligible adaptation costs. The maximum grant can cover 100% of eligible costs, with partial awards requiring the applicant to contribute.

Not pensioner- specific but particularly relevant to older people with disabilities or reduced mobility.

Subsidised primary care services (available to all age groups)

Heal th Insurance Fund support for subsidised GP and pharmacy services.

A person can have a health card if they have lived in Jersey for at least 6 months and have paid Social Security contributions. No income test.

GP consultation or home visit fees are reduced by £50.28; remote consultations and face-to-face allied health professional appointments are reduced by £30.28; eligible prescriptions are free.

Does not provide general free hospital or wider healthcare entitlement.

Long-term care scheme (available to all adults)

Financial support with eligible long- term care costs through the long-term care funding route.

Eligibility depends on assessed care needs, income, assets and the applicable long-term care financial route. Means- tested financial assessment available from day one of care

Financial support towards assessed long- term care costs; amount depends on care level, income, assets and support route.

Not solely a pensioner benefit, but particularly relevant to older people who need formal care.

Connect Me (available to all age groups)

Community wellbeing and social prescribing support.

Available to Islanders who may feel lonely, isolated or less active, with access through the Connect Me Directory, Li nk Workers and events.

Access to community activities, wellbeing support, social prescribing and Li nk Worker guidance; not normally a direct cash benefit.

Includes directory access, events and grant- funded community activities.