Funding Boost Secures Future for Disability Employment Charity

A Jersey charity supporting people with disabilities and long-term health conditions says it can now “plan ahead with confidence” after being promised millions of pounds in government funding.

Chief Minister Lyndon Farnham announced that Jersey Employment Trust (JET) would receive a base budget of £2.5m from 2027, providing long-term financial certainty for the organisation.

Earlier this year, the charity warned that 38 jobs were at risk after being told additional grants would not be available. However, following public concern and support from the community, ministers agreed to maintain funding while a longer-term solution was explored.

JET chairman Dan Perkins welcomed the decision, saying the funding commitment would provide stability for both staff and those who rely on the charity’s services.

“We are particularly grateful to the Chief Minister and his team for securing this outcome,” he said. “The recognition of both the importance of JET’s work and the realities of delivering these services today has been critical.

“This commitment provides important certainty for the islanders we support and for our staff, allowing us to plan ahead with confidence.”

Farnham said the charity played a vital role in helping islanders gain skills and find employment, adding that the funding would ensure it could continue its “important work”.

He also said the move would establish a baseline for future funding and support ongoing discussions about how services could be strengthened and developed in the years ahead.