Two decades since it was introduced, the Islandwide domestic rate is rising by 2.3% this year, in line with inflation, raising – along with its commercial equivalent – more than £18m for central funds.

The rate was introduced in 2006, when the government took over responsibility for social welfare and residential care from the individual parishes.

However, the rate – which is still collected by parishes on behalf of the government – does not rise in line with the cost of welfare or care; rather, any change is based on the March RPI of the year in question, which this year was 2.7%.

In 2026, the Islandwide rate will raise £18,249 from household and business ratepayers. This is budgeted to rise to £19,798 by 2029.

When it comes to parish rates, which fund the lion’s share of parish services, most parishes have kept increases within RPI. Three have not raised their rate this year at all.

Each parish is, of course, very different: rates income in St Mary this financial year is expected to be £460,200; in St Helier, it is £10m.

The parish with the highest rate increase this year is St Lawrence, at 12%. This is almost entirely due to more money being needed for the roads reserve fund and the property reserve, with the parish expecting to spend around £50,000 a year over the next four to five years to fund works to the parish church.

St Mary has the highest rate at 1.95p, which is unchanged this year, but there are only 25 million quarters in the parish. St Helier, by contrast, has 707 million quarters.

St Helier’s rates increased by less than RPI this year in an effort to help parishioners deal with general rising costs. This was possible due to the assembly approving a change in policy to the minimum amount allowed in the rates reserve fund, with it being lowered from 18 weeks to 16 weeks of expenditure.

Other parishes, including St Ouen and St John, have stressed the need to keep spending tight to help parishioners cope with cost-of-living pressures.

As an example, St John, following a competitive tender process, has entered into a new refuse and recycling contract with the Parish of St Helier, which is expected to save around £55,000 each year compared with previous costs.

All parishes bar one have now set their rate for this year, with Grouville still to hold its Rates Assembly.

It means that most Islanders have now received their rates demand, with payment typically due in late October or November.

Rented properties are typically split between the occupier and owner. The only exception to this is if the terms of the letting include furniture and furnishings – then the landlord is liable for the occupier’s rate.

However, it may also be part of the letting agreement that the landlord can recover the cost of rates from their tenant(s).

  • St Clement – 1.26 p to 1.31p per quarter (3.9% increase)
  • St Brelade – 1.44 p to 1.49p (3.4%)
  • Grouville – to be set at Rates Assembly on 9 September
  • St Helier – 1.34p to 1.37p (2.3%)
  • St John – freeze in the parish rate, which remains at 1.23p
  • St Lawrence – 1.16 p to 1.3p (12%)
  • St Martin – 1.63p to 1.67p (2.45%)
  • St Mary – freeze in the parish rate, which remains at 1.95p
  • St Saviour – freeze in the parish rate, which remains at 1.59p
  • St Peter – 1.38p to 1.42p (2.89%)
  • St Ouen – 1.34p to 1.36p (1.49%)
  • Trinity – from 1.3p to 1.4p (7.69%)