Half of budget spent on elderly, sick and disabled

Statistics Jersey said total government expenditure was £1.79bn in 2024

Nearly half of all government spending went on health and support for the elderly, sick and disabled in 2024, a report has said.

Statistics Jersey said total public expenditure on the island rose by 5.1% (£86.3m) to £1.79bn, which was a "slower increase" than the 6.3% recorded in 2023.

The report said 48.3% of the whole budget was spent on the health (£515.7m) and the old age (£260.8m) and sickness and disability (£87.2m) sections of the social protection department.

It added higher costs for pensions and disability benefits led to social protection having the largest year-on-year expenditure increase of all departments with £561.6m spent on its services - an extra £23.3m.

Statistics Jersey said 73% of all government spending was concentrated on social protection, health and education.

It said the budgets for those departments "highlighting the significance of demographic changes in shaping overall spending levels".

Education had the third highest expenditure at £220.9m while general public services, focused on centralised maintenance and insurance costs, property projects and increased parish spending, was fourth highest at £187.4m.

The report added that public order and safety - which included expenditure on police and fire services - was the only department which had a drop in spending year-on-year, going from £107.2m in 2023 to £106.6m in 2024.