Benefits cut for middle-class kids living at home

Wednesday 22 July 2015

Benefit loopholes that allowed young people living at home with middle-class parents to claim £92 per week have been closed, as the Social Security starts to cut back as part of ministers’ deficit reduction package.

Under the old rules, anyone from 19 to 24 could claim £92.12 per week – even if they were living at home with well-off parents who earned too much to qualify for Income Support.

The Social Security department estimates that around 75 people will be affected by the change – they say that the move will save them around £200,000 per year.

The changes will not affect families with young people where the whole household is already receiving Income Support, and it will not affect young people who have a serious illness or disability.

The department has already written to those affected to explain what is happening.

Social Security Minister Susie Pinel said: “One of the biggest challenges we face as a department is in identifying areas where public money is not targeted.

“With the growing need to make savings across the States as a whole, this is one of a number of changes we will be implementing to help us achieve this.

“The new measures introduced today will allow us to continue to support those young people who really need our help, by providing a fairer and more targeted benefits system that protects the vulnerable in Jersey.

“It will also encourage young people to move closer towards financial independence and enable the department to make a saving of up to £200,000 by the end of 2016.”