Everyone from school-age children to the retired is being invited to help decide how Jersey is going to pay for a spiralling number of pensioners who need long-term nursing care.
It is estimated, for example, that by 2026 the number of people aged 80 and above will have almost doubled from 3,567 to 7,128. At the same time, the pool of people of working age is due to shrink, leaving fewer earners to pay for the growing bill.
As a result of the increase in the elderly population, the cost of providing long-term nursing care in people’s houses and in residential homes is expected to soar from £55 million today to £110 million in 2026.
A consultation document, in the form of a government green paper, has been published by the Social Security department so ordinary Islanders can inform policymakers about the best and most palatable way forward. A series of public meetings is also planned to test public opinion.
