Rise in help offered for discrimination at work

A report to the States showed the number of people asking for help had risen to 116 in 2024, up from 36, in 2023

Requests for help dealing with workplace discrimination have trebled in the last year, according to a charity offering advice and support to people in Guernsey.

Citizens Advice Guernsey's latest report to the States showed the number of people asking for help had risen to 116 in 2024, up from 36, in 2023.

Laws preventing discrimination on the grounds of disability, carer status, race, religion or belief, and sexual orientation came into force in September 2023.

Annie Ashmead, the charity's deputy chief executive, told BBC Radio Guernsey the legislation prompted people to come forward.

Ms Ashmead said: "It's because now there are protections in place so people have legislation that can protect them.

"Obviously, it is always hoped that once the issue has been highlighted that, through negotiation with their employer, the problem can be resolved without it necessarily needing to go further down the line."

The report also noted cases of discrimination outside of the workplace had risen from 36 to 73 in the last year.

Of the island's population of more than 25,000, the charity said it was contacted by just under 3,000 people in 2024 who were looking for advice on things such as housing, finances and employment.

Ms Ashmead said some of their clients "are working members of society who are struggling and are facing having to go to food banks and facing debt so these things do need to be addressed".

She said housing was one of the main issues people contacted them about, "particularly the lack of access to affordable housing and the increasing rents".

"People may not be able to afford the new rent and there is nowhere else for them to go, so it can be a real real problem," she said.

'Increasingly complex problems'

The charity said its report provided an "interesting barometer" of the social issues concerning islanders.

The data also highlighted a further decline in the number of people using its service for debt and money problems, falling from 1,168 to 833 in the same period.

Ms Ashmead said: "The problem is still there but we have had fewer inquiries about it.

"Even if the statistics themselves may appear quite small compared to the number of people in Guernsey... they are still people and they are part of our community and we need to make sure that everyone is looked after well."

Ms Ashmead said the charity was now spending an average of around 10 to 15 minutes more with each client due to their "increasingly complex problems".