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CAMPAIGNERS wanting Jersey to follow the lead taken by Guernsey in changing benefit laws which penalise home carers must recognise significant differences between the two Bailiwicks, according to a former Sarnian politician. Michelle Le Clerc, who served as Guernsey’s Employment and Social Security Committee prior to stepping down as a Deputy in 2020, said that analysing the way benefit laws were structured in the neighbouring jurisdictions was “like comparing apples with pears”. In April 2020, following a States vote 18 months earlier, Guernsey’s law was changed to remove the “overlapping benefit” rule, allowing carers of people receiving severe disability benefit to receive carer’s allowance while also receiving sickness benefit, unemployment benefit or a parental benefit. The issue has come into the spotlight in Jersey this month as a result of the JEP’s #TimeToCare campaign calling for a fair deal for family carers penalised by current policies. Following coverage of the difficulties faced by carers such as retired accountant Mark Jones, who cares full-time for both his adult children, ministers in Jersey have promised to conduct an urgent review into the matter. Ms Le Clerc said that she had great sympathy for those in Jersey such as Mr Jones, but also highlighted the different context in Guernsey. She said the carer’s allowance available to those people in Guernsey providing a high level of care for someone receiving severe disability benefit was currently £113 per week, way below the comparable figure in Jersey of £295. Guernsey’s change meant that it became possible to receive both the carer’s allowance and other benefits, and were also able to work. “The changes introduced in 2020 acknowledged that the situation [in Guernsey] wasn’t perfect and made a contribution to those who were giving up their time as carers,” Ms Le Clerc said. “It wasn’t an easy decision, as there will always be a divide between politicians who prioritise social policy and those whose focus is on financial prudence. “I think if the allowance in Guernsey had been at the much higher rate applicable in Jersey, the decision might have been different. “It won’t be an easy decision for Jersey, as there may be concern about the overall financial impact of changing the law, but it seems only right that the government should carry out its review.” The specific rule at the heart of the campaign is the Social Security (Overlapping of Benefits) (Jersey) Order 1975. Under the rules, when those receiving the home carer’s allowance – currently £1,183 paid every four weeks – reach pension age, they face a choice of either continuing with that benefit or switching to their old-age pension. Carers Jersey has described the rule as “discriminatory” and warned that some Islanders were being placed in “an impossible, untenable situation”. Pensioners in Jersey currently receive £298 per week, just above the equivalent figure in Guernsey of £280.
