NEWLY-RELEASED figures have provided a snapshot of the impact of the rising cost of living for many Islanders.
A survey by consultancy firm Island Global Research was completed by 2,660 residents in Jersey, Guernsey, the Isle of Man and Gibraltar between 12 April and 7 May, following a similar study carried out in 2022.
Published this week, the resulting report has captured the everyday economic reality faced by some people in Jersey – with one-in-two Islanders who took part reporting that the had found it difficult to meet living costs over the past year, while one in four had received support for everyday expenses.
In fact, of the 672 Jersey-based respondents, 10% said they often had to go without essentials such as food or heating.
Those who couldn’t afford such costs comprised mostly (93%) of Islanders aged under 65, while just under half were living in private rental accommodation and 27% in affordable housing.
One of the most notable areas of inflation over the past two years has been food – something that is also apparent from the survey results.
More than a third (36%) of Jersey respondents said they found it difficult to meet the cost of groceries.
This represents an increase of 7% from the last time the survey was conducted.
Summarising some of the feedback, the report noted that food and housing costs were among Islanders’ biggest concerns.
“Many respondents said they were considering leaving the Island, or knew of people who had left the Island, due to the cost of living,” it stated.
“Others were concerned that the high cost of living would drive more young people away. A small number said they wanted to leave but felt unable to due to family ties.”
Additionally, nearly half (49%) of Jersey respondents said they had found it difficult to meet living costs in the past 12 months, while one in four had received support to finance their everyday living expenses in the last six months.
Meanwhile, a quarter of respondents reported cutting back on what the report described as “discretionary” costs, such as holidays and eating out.
Of those who said they had received at least one type of financial support with their day-to-day living costs, 15% had been helped by friends or family and 9% had been aided by the government.
“There was a large number of respondents who weren’t aware of any support available or suggested there wasn’t any support available for people struggling to meet their cost of living,” the report continued.
“Those who noted there were support [options] available often said that the support was not enough to cover costs. It was also hard to find, with a handful requesting more information about support to be made available.
“Others said they themselves were just outside the threshold to receive support and had to look for help elsewhere.”
The survey also highlighted the extent to which some Islanders are feeling the cost of living increase, with 88% of Jersey respondents agreeing that it was affecting their household. Nearly a third (32%) were “extremely concerned” about the impact of these changes and a further 29% were “very concerned”. Commenting on its report, Island Global Research said: “Changes to the cost of living are a global issue, but one that impacts each and every one of us in our day-to-day lives. It is perhaps of greater concern now than at any time in over a decade, with frequent coverage in the local and national media over the past few years.”
The organisation added that it hoped the insights provided by the survey would “help our communities make informed decisions, as concerns and uncertainties remain around the future of the cost of living”.
