WORK to review and improve support for unpaid carers is underway and being prioritised, the Social Security Minister has said following growing calls to change Jersey’s benefit rules to better help Islanders looking after loved ones.
Deputy Lyndsay Feltham yesterday [Tuesday] provided another update in the wake of the JEP’s #TimetoCare campaign.
Launched last month, the campaign has highlighted campaigner Mark Jones’s call to remove “unjust” legislation that prevents the home carer’s allowance – currently £1,183 paid every four weeks – from being issued alongside other benefits such as an old-age pension.
Following the campaign’s launch, Deputy Feltham stated that she has “directed officers to undertake an urgent review of the range of support available”, explaining that this work would include “looking at increased support and, if required, legislative change”.
In yesterday’s update, she said: “At the beginning of last week, I made a commitment to work collaboratively with carers and their families, States Members and community organisations to review and improve support for carers.”
Deputy Feltham continued: “This work has already started. In the last week, I have met community groups, ministers, and officers to better understand the challenges faced by those who care for loved ones and to start to identify how we can strengthen the support available.”
This, the minister stated, has so far included briefing States Members and the Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Group on the current financial support for carers, as well as meetings with Carers Jersey and Enable Jersey “to understand the pressures that carers face” and discuss the steps that the government could take to support them.
Deputy Feltham also said there had been “continued discussions across government to look at how we can improve fairness and consistency in support for carers”.
“This is an important piece of work, and I will continue to prioritise it in the weeks ahead to ensure all carers – both working-age and pensioners – receive the support they need,” the minister added.
“If any carer is struggling right now, please contact the Employment, Social Security and Housing department on 444444 to discuss the help available.”
