Coalition Urges Jersey Government to Launch Poverty Taskforce as Families Face Mounting Cost of Living Pressures

A coalition of charities, schools and businesses has called on Jersey's government to establish a dedicated taskforce to tackle poverty, warning that rising living costs are pushing many families to the brink.

In an open letter addressed to the Council of Ministers, 13 organisations said too many households were struggling to cope with the cost of living, with one in four children now living in a relative low-income household. The group argued that urgent action is needed to address growing financial hardship across the island.

Patrick Lynch, of Caritas Jersey, said the organisations behind the appeal have the knowledge and experience to help shape effective solutions.

"We need to get the right people in the room," he said. "We've already had some preliminary discussions with government, and we hope they will look seriously at creating a taskforce."

The Government of Jersey has been approached for comment.

Among the signatories are Caring Cooks, Jersey Community Foundation, Mind Jersey, Mentorhood Jersey, Milli's Separated and Step Family, La Petite Ecole Group of Day Nurseries, Geomarine, Haute Vallée School, Brighter Futures, Khora Partners, Jersey Child Care Trust and Freeda. Five additional organisations and government agencies also backed the report.

The letter highlights how household incomes have failed to keep pace with rising living costs, gradually eroding living standards. It also points to evidence suggesting that more than one in three households are experiencing financial hardship.

According to the coalition, many low and middle-income families are being forced to make impossible choices, including cutting back on food and heating or taking on multiple jobs, often at the expense of their physical and mental wellbeing.

Lynch said the newly elected government should now deliver on promises made during the election campaign.

"Every candidate spoke about the cost of living crisis," he said. "But while it was a major campaign issue, we saw very few concrete proposals that would genuinely tackle the problem."

The organisations warned that failing to address poverty could have far-reaching consequences, including lower workforce participation, increased demand on health, education and social services, and poorer outcomes for children and young people.

The letter argues that Jersey cannot build a strong and sustainable economy while so many families remain financially insecure.

Instead, the coalition is calling for a more joined-up approach to tackling poverty, with services designed around the real experiences of families. It says meaningful progress will require bold, long-term reforms rather than small, incremental changes.

The group's recommendations include working directly with the signatories to better understand the challenges families face, identifying gaps in existing support systems, developing practical and sustainable solutions, and creating a more coordinated, preventative approach to improving family wellbeing across the island.