THE Jersey Employment Trust will receive a £2.5 million base budget from the government in 2027 – but the figure falls short of the £2.7 million being provided to the charity this year.
The new £2.5m base budget aims to provide “greater certainty” for the organisation and the hundreds of Islanders it supports, according to ministers.
It comes after the government confirmed JET’s funding would be maintained at £2.7 million for this year, following public concern over the charity’s financial position.
In January, all 38 jobs at the charity were put “at risk” after ministers said that additional top-up funding beyond an agreed £1.9 million would not be provided.
JET had argued that the £1.9m was insufficient for the work it had been doing, claiming that additional funds had been provided by the government for several years.
The move sparked outrage amid fears that around half of the charity’s 550 clients could be affected, while an online petition calling on the government to secure JET’s financial future passed 5,000 signatures within days.
JET was then asked to produce a detailed business plan by June to inform its case for government support beyond the end of this year.
Chief Minister Lyndon Farnham has now confirmed a new baseline for 2027.
“The Jersey Employment Trust provides valuable support to Islanders, helping people access opportunities and live more independent lives,” he said.
“This funding gives JET greater certainty to plan ahead and continue its important work.”
He added that the £2.5 million figure would establish a base level “going forward” and support ongoing discussions about how services could be developed in future.
JET chair Dan Perkins welcomed the announcement, praising ministers for recognising both “the importance of JET’s work” and “the realities of delivering these services today”.
“This commitment provides important certainty for the Islanders we support and for our staff, allowing us to plan ahead with confidence,” he added.
It comes just two weeks after Social Security Minister Lyndsay Feltham said she could not commit to funding for the charity beyond 2026 due to political and budget constraints, stressing that any further support would depend on future budget decisions.
“Given the forthcoming elections, and the annual budgeting process, it is not possible for me as minister to agree funding above the base grant beyond 2026,” she explained.
Any future financial support above the agreed baseline will instead depend on the next government’s budget decisions, added Deputy Feltham.
