It’s described as “hidden poverty,” but the latest official statistics suggest it might be hiding in plain sight.
With Statistics Jersey reporting in their most recent study that close to a quarter of households who responded could not afford to heat their own homes, there really is no way for anyone to claim they just didn’t know.
For decades now, when talking about Jersey, it has been common to automatically, and loosely, describe it as an affluent island. That of course is still the case – for some.
But perhaps that phrase has now become a little lazy, and we really do need to think harder about how far the effect of an exceptionally high cost of living is extending through the population.
As is pointed out, again, in today’s JEP, the island’s foodbanks are providing essential support to a substantial number of households – and 600 are signed up to the Salvation Army’s Pantry Store.
With Statistics Jersey reporting that 23% are struggling to heat their homes, and 15% not having a cooked main meal each day, the evidence of the growing problem is right there before our eyes.
That analysis is supported by other numbers in the Statistics Jersey survey, which illustrate how hard many people are working to earn enough money to support the lifestyle they would like to lead.
That is not one of luxury – it is just one where their family enjoys a modern standard of living in somewhere as expensive as Jersey.
It is timely that this important study was published mid-way through last week’s Budget debate, which set the Government’s plans from 2026 to 2029, accepting there is a forthcoming election.
Ministers will rightly argue that they included measures within those plans specifically to help struggling families, such as with child-care.
Broader oversight of those measures is supposed to be provided by a Cost of Living Strategy Group (no doubt it will be described as a “taskforce”), involving various senior ministers, and Islanders deserve an urgent update from them as to what’s been done to date, how effective it has been and what exactly their plan is for the future.
The evidence we have shows the problem is worsening. No one would be foolish enough to suggest it is an easy one to solve, particularly given the wider context of a shrinking economy, and an ever-increasing bill for providing public services – which increases the need to spend at a time when the money to pay for it is under threat.
But solve it we must.
