Government boosts funding for home care in Jersey

The government said the increase reflects

People in Jersey who receive funding from the long-term care scheme will receive a 7.7% increase in weekly payments from 2024.

The government said the increase reflected the "rise in average earnings across the island".

It also said there had been an increase of just over 20% since December 2022.

The scheme, currently being restructured, meets care costs up to a "maximum level" and is funded by income taxpayers.

'Continuing commitment'

In April, the Jersey Care Federation (JCF) said the price of home care was likely to reach £39.80 an hour by 2024, a result of carer wages, inflation, the price of fuel, rising rents and bills.

Jersey's government said at the time it would "consider additional funding".

On Tuesday, Deputy Elaine Millar, minister for social security, said the increase recognised the government's "continuing commitment to a vitally important sector".

She said there was also "new literature" and a new website about the scheme, with a review of the homecare sector in the pipeline.

This would inform a "restructure of how the scheme pays benefit for home care" in order to ensure it remains "both sustainable and equitable", Ms Millar said.

The government said this restructure had included public consultation earlier this year, with a report due soon and changes to be implemented in 2024.

Health and Social Services Minister Karen Wilson said: "The uprate for 2024 demonstrates that this government continues to support the vital services the sector provides to islanders."

She added that it also supported "wider pieces of work being undertaken by the government to support the needs of the sector and islanders for years to come".