18-Year-Olds Granted Access to Jersey’s Social Housing

People in Jersey will be able to apply for social rented housing from the age of 18 under planned changes to the island’s housing policy.

The Housing Minister says the move will widen access to affordable accommodation and better reflect the needs of younger islanders struggling to secure long-term housing.

At present, islanders with Entitled status who do not have children must be at least 25 to qualify for social housing. That age limit was lowered from 30 in September 2024, following an earlier reduction from 50 in April 2022. From January 2026, the minimum age will be reduced again to 18.

The reforms will also introduce a new “general needs” category for prospective tenants. Known as Band 4, it will be open to people who do not meet existing social housing criteria but wish to live in a social rented property for personal or financial reasons.

Housing Minister Deputy Sam Mézec said the changes were possible because of an expanding supply of homes and were designed to make the system more inclusive.

He said the government wanted to improve access to affordable, good-quality housing, particularly for younger people who may feel priced out of Jersey’s housing market.

The announcement follows the delivery of around 1,000 new homes by Andium Homes and other social housing providers.

Further changes will also shorten the residency requirement for Entitled status applicants from six months to three, while restrictions affecting hardship cases will be removed. This means residents granted Entitled status on hardship grounds will be able to access housing immediately.

Deputy Mézec added that income thresholds would be reviewed annually to ensure they reflect the cost of living, with long-standing applications assessed every three months.

He stressed that people facing homelessness or urgent housing need would continue to receive the highest priority for social rented homes.