INCOMING politicians have been challenged to tackle a startling wealth gap which finds a quarter of Jersey children living in relative poverty and parents queueing for food and essentials at food banks.
Patrick Lynch, said that the cost of living had become a “trendy phase” for would-be States Members campaigning for election, but that too many were “dancing around the real issue” of poverty.
Figures from Statistics Jersey show that 15% of children are in “relative low income” before housing costs, but that figure rises to 24% once accommodation has been paid for. For single-parent households, that number is 54%.
Relative low income is defined as 60% of the median income in the Island.
The report found that Jersey had a bigger percentage of children living in poverty than Cyprus, Ireland and Estonia.
During one of the recent hustings events, Mr Lynch challenged those on stage about the figures.
Speaking to the JEP, he pointed out that many candidates cite the cost of living in their manifestos, but that “no one quantifies it and no one seems to have much solution”.
“Cost of living is a trendy phrase [but] it’s dancing around the real issue. The real issue is poverty, and the difficulty that so many people, so many families are experiencing here on the Island,” he said.
He added that the majority of the Island’s poverty is concentrated in St Helier, and the thousands who use food banks do so only as a last resort, sometimes waiting in the rain for hours.
“It’s not something people do out of choice,” he said. “There is a lot of stigma entrenched. There are more people who just because of their pride won’t attend.”
Among the possible solutions would be bringing the minimum wage closer to the living wage and tackling the cost of GP appointments, Mr Lynch said, adding that removing the duty on fuel would help workers who use their car to go from job to job, like cleaners.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Children’s Commissioner warned that poverty affected “every part” of the lives of those affected and said it was “encouraging to see that the issue of child poverty is finding its way into discussions, hustings and debate in the lead-up to the elections”.
They added: “This is a lived reality for a significant number of children and young people in Jersey.
“When a child is growing up in a family under intense financial pressure, every part of their life is affected. In rights terms, poverty is not a side issue; it cuts across development, health, education and dignity.”
It comes after a number of food banks in the Island have reported significant increases in the number of people requesting help.
Sinéad Wright, president of the St Vincent de Paul Society in Jersey, said the charity’s 20 volunteers helped feed 2% of the Island’s population – with 1,700 people in total registered – including 650 families.
“Anybody who says there is no poverty in Jersey needs to come and do our job on a daily basis,” she said.
She added that while the charity had provided groceries and help with bills for many years, the number of people in need had increased since Covid.
The organisation started to operate mother-and-baby clinics in conjunction with St Mark’s Church, and had opened a food bank in St Peter, open on Friday afternoons, due to increased demand.
“We saw a particular rise in families, particularly younger families – toddlers and babies,” she added. They needed baby food, baby wipes and nappies – which can cost £16 or £17 a pack.”
