A social action charity has lauded the decision to raise Jersey’s living wage to £15.10 per hour by 2026.
The revised rate, approved this week, is slated to take effect at the start of January.
This living wage surpasses Jersey’s minimum wage by £1.51, which is itself set to increase to £13.59 per hour from April 2026.
Patrick Lynch, CEO of Caritas Jersey, stated that the living wage represents the minimum income islanders require “in order to thrive, and not just survive here in Jersey.”
Mr. Lynch added, “This will be welcome news for many at accredited organizations and their subcontractors, ahead of the new year, when many people will have increased rental costs and also face increases in the cost of some utilities and other day to day expenses.”
“The Jersey Living Wage has never been as important as it is now for so many people with poverty unfortunately still increasing and a continued rise in food bank usage in our island.”
“To put that in perspective, in February 2022 one food bank was seeing 195 families; that figure has now risen to over 640 families.”
“The majority of the people who form this increase are people in work, on minimum or low wages.”
He further noted that the gap between the minimum wage and the Jersey Living Wage “remained worryingly high” and is something “Assembly members should ponder as they debate the budget this week and look ahead to next June’s general election.”
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