ON paper, Jersey is one of the wealthiest jurisdictions in the world. But for many women living in the Island, the reality of everyday life tells a different story.
From paying for contraception and abortions to navigating expensive childcare, fertility treatment and career penalties linked to motherhood, women often face financial pressures that men do not encounter in the same way….
Abortion
A landmark government assessment into women’s health found that females in Jersey experience “systemic gender inequalities” affecting everything from earnings and healthcare access to mental health and long-term wellbeing.
One of the most visible examples is abortion. Even under sweeping proposals to modernise the Island’s termination of pregnancy laws due to be debated this week, abortions will remain a paid-for service.
Currently, the cost is £185 for Jersey residents and £511 for non-residents, with the new legislation placing those charges on statutory footing for the first time.
While certain groups — including under-18s, students, people in income-support households, and victims of rape or incest — are exempt from the fees, most patients must pay.
For some, the financial impact is greater. Because abortions beyond 12 weeks are unlikely to be available in Jersey, Islanders must travel to the UK – where the total cost of a pregnancy termination can reach £1,500 (before flights and accommodation, which must also be covered by the patient).
A government-commissioned study into women’s experiences of abortion services found that the costs associated with termination were a “concern for most participants” and created barriers for those already experiencing financial difficulty.
Some participants said they only discovered the cost of the procedure after beginning the process of accessing care, while others described the funding application process as confusing and “dehumanising”.
Contraception
Access to contraception presents a similar challenge.
Unlike in the UK – where contraception has been free for over 50 years – most contraceptive services in Jersey must be paid for by patients.
Reforming the system was identified as a key priority within government discussions about women’s health, but progress has been slow.
Officials have acknowledged that the current contraceptive system is “a mess”, while political scrutiny has warned that planned reforms are now “at risk due to resourcing constraints”.
Work to develop a single, coherent contraception offer was originally expected to be completed within the current political term.
But with just months left before the election without any progress, Islanders are left still waiting for changes that have already been discussed for years.
IVF
For those who actually do want to conceive, fertility treatment presents another financial hurdle.
Jersey introduced a publicly funded IVF scheme last year, but the programme has already been beset by funding challenges and strict eligibility criteria.
A total of £620,000 was allocated to support fertility treatment – but it later emerged that staffing costs had not been included in the budget. Those costs are estimated at around £200,000 per year, meaning the treatment fund could run out before the end of the year.
Assistant Health Minister Andy Howell, who has responsibility for women’s health, warned that the service may need to pause IVF treatment until 2027 if the funding gap is not resolved.
At the same time, access criteria remain tightly restricted, with limits based on income, age, body mass index, previous children and other factors.
The ‘tampon tax’
Even basic hygiene products carry an additional cost in Jersey, with the Island remaining the only place in the British Isles that still charges GST on menstrual products – commonly known as the “tampon tax”.
The government has instead opted to introduce a free-period-product scheme, which distributes supplies through community locations and public toilets.
The programme, which cost £600,000 to launch, distributed more than 55,000 packs of period products within its first two years.
While the scheme has recently been expanded to include reusable products such as menstrual cups and period pants, critics say the fundamental issue remains unresolved – as essential items such as tampons and sanitary pads continue to be taxed as standard consumer goods.
The workplace
Beyond healthcare costs, women often face significant financial disadvantages in the workplace.
Statistics Jersey’s latest gender pay gap report shows that women in the Island earn 7.8% less than men on average.
The disparity widens significantly during what economists describe as the “peak earning years”.
Women aged 55 to 59 face a pay gap of 16.1%, while the gap in the finance sector – one of Jersey’s highest-paying industries – rises to 65.7% for women in that same age group.
Experts say much of this gap is driven by the “motherhood penalty”.
Career breaks for childcare often result in women returning to work at a lower level or on reduced hours, slowing salary progression and weakening long-term earning potential.
Part-time work, while providing flexibility for families, can also reduce pension contributions and long-term financial security.
Childcare costs play a major role in these decisions. According to the government’s Women’s Health and Wellbeing Assessment, childcare in Jersey is 37% more expensive than in England.
The financial pressure can make it difficult for parents – particularly mothers – to remain in full-time employment. Single mothers, who make up 88% of single parents in Jersey, are especially vulnerable to these pressures.
For some families, the cost of childcare effectively cancels out the financial benefits of returning to work.
Health
The financial and social pressures facing women have broader health implications.
Public Health’s 2024 Women’s Health and Wellbeing Assessment found that women and girls in Jersey are at greater risk of poor health outcomes than men.
Although women live longer on average, they spend more years in poor health – around 24 years compared with 18 years for men.
The report also highlights high levels of mental-health difficulties, financial stress and social isolation among women.
Only 27% of women say their mental health needs are being adequately met, while one in four experience loneliness frequently.
Researchers concluded that economic pressures, gender inequality and social expectations all contribute to poorer health outcomes.
Many of these issues were supposed to be addressed through a dedicated Women’s Health Strategy.
Work on the strategy began in 2021 and was expected to provide a coordinated plan to improve healthcare and support services for women across the Island.
But in 2024, the strategy was cancelled due to funding and resource constraints.
Instead, a detailed evidence report was published outlining the scale of the challenges facing women in Jersey.
Political scrutiny has since pushed for the strategy to be revived and, following a successful amendment, the government is now required to publish a dedicated Women’s Health Strategy by the end of this year.
Much of the reporting on these issues – reproductive healthcare costs, childcare pressures, workplace inequality and health outcomes – is separate, but the Women’s Health Assessment makes it clear they are deeply interconnected.
Financial insecurity can limit access to healthcare, increase stress, and reduce opportunities in education and employment.
And while each individual cost may appear manageable on its own, together they create a cumulative burden that shapes women’s lives from adolescence to retirement.
As one respondent told researchers: “The Island is not set up to let women succeed; we are always expected to compromise on something.”
