July 23, 2020
Please find below and attached Carols Proposed New Benefit Rates document – you are welcome to share with members
Proposed New Benefit Rates
By Carol Le Page, Director Social Policy
Each year the Committee for Employment and Social Security looks at the rates of benefits for the following year against its uprating policy in place at the time (see the ESS Policy Letter – Contributory Benefits And Contribution Rates For 2021 due to be discussed at the August States meeting) . In February 2020 the States confirmed its agreement of this policy and the rate has accordingly been proposed for next years increase is 2.6% which is in line with the agreed policy. This proposed increase when applied to the benefits under the Social Insurance Fund provides the new table of benefits as follows:
It is unlikely that the above benefit increases will prove controversial.
The ESS normally also reports on prescription charges etc at the same time but the responsibility for items under the Health Service Fund have now been transferred to the Committee for Health and Social Care and it will be for them to recommend to the States what if any increase should be made.
In addition the amounts for long term care, which are also normally in the annual uprating policy letter, are part of a whole separate report on proposals from the ESS on the Supported Living and Ageing Well Strategy: Extending the Life of the Long-term Care Insurance Scheme