Minimum wage set to rise to £13.59 an hour

It is part of a proposal by the Minister for Social Security, Deputy Lyndsay Feltham

The minimum wage in Jersey is set to increase to £13.59 per hour from April 2026, up from its current rate of £13.

It is part of a proposal by the Minister for Social Security, Deputy Lyndsay Feltham.

The Government of Jersey said the rise would help to ensure pay kept pace with both the cost of living and broader economic growth.

Feltham, who has the final say on the change, called it an "important step in ensuring that employees are paid fairly in Jersey".

The government said the proposed increase aimed to fulfill its commitment to raise the minimum wage to two-thirds of the island's median wage.

The rate of £13.59 slightly exceeds the calculated two-thirds median wage target of £13.55, based on the median earnings figure for 2024.

Feltham said: "This proposed increase... more than achieves our commitment to move the minimum wage in line with two-thirds of the median wage."

The minister said the recently reinstated trainee rate would be maintained at £10.50 per hour for 2026.

'Fair pay for workers'

The decision on the minimum wage has been welcomed by the Jersey Chamber of Commerce.

Chamber president Lee Madden said the new rate "strikes a balance between fair pay for workers and giving businesses time to plan and adapt".

He also said it would help maintain competitiveness while Jersey moved towards a living wage economy.

"We recognise the pressures faced by employees in meeting the cost of living, and we believe this increase will make a meaningful difference.

Patrick Lynch, the CEO of Caritas Jersey, said he was "disappointed" the minimum wage would continue to lag behind the Jersey living wage.

"The route to parity and a true living wage for the many islanders in poverty on low wages appears as far away now as it was at the last election," he said.