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Last year the States agreed the 2015 Christmas bonus was the final one pensioners were going to get in the festive period.
That's because Social Security said it could no longer afford to fund it as the £85 to 19,000 Islanders was costing the department well over £1.5million each year.
However, it seems Social Security Minister Susie Pinel isn’t such a curmudgeonly Scrooge after all and says because States finances are better than expected, she wants to bring back the bonus this year in a modified form.
In the past, all pensioners were entitled to the bonus, but the new proposed system though will be means tested so not all pensioners will get the £84.87. The aim is to only give it to the really needy. In terms of pensioners that means two groups (1) those who are on Income Support; and (2) those who are over 65-years-old, receive a Jersey old-age pension or hold ‘entitled status, are ordinarily resident, not liable to pay income tax, and have household savings of under £30,000 (excluding the value of the family home and normal household possessions).
Adults and children who have a significant disability and full-time informal carers who are on Income Support will also be entitled to the bonus.
It’s estimated more than 5,100 people will qualify for a Christmas bonus by 2019 and that it will cost the department around £436,000 every year.
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