Jersey's government has published its budget for 2027 to 2030, which includes several targeted measures to help families with the cost of living. These proposals include increasing free nursery care for two to three-year-olds from 15 hours to 20 hours weekly, and doubling the parental grant to £1,800 for families with newborns or those adopting.
Other measures aimed at families include a £250 family support payment for each school-aged child in low to middle-income households in 2027, and the extension of free school meals to secondary school pupils on the Jersey Premium funding scheme.
The budget also proposes an increase in funding for the Health Department, from £381m in 2026 to £406m. Treasury Minister Alan Maclean described the planned new budget as "a step in the right direction" towards addressing concerns raised by the Fiscal Policy Panel last year that Jersey was spending more than it was earning.
Chief Minister Lyndon Farnham stated in his foreword to the budget that the cost of living, including housing, childcare, and everyday expenses, remains a primary concern for many households. He added that businesses are also facing higher costs and increased competition.
Maclean also noted that the budget includes an uprating of the pension by 4.7% and a community cost bonus to assist individuals not in families who are typically just above income threshold levels. He indicated that revenues from Pillar Two, a global corporation tax for multinational companies, would be used to fund the building of the new acute hospital, reducing the need for borrowing or using reserves.