Benefits merger proposal 'would bring equality'
PROPOSALS to amalgamate social welfare benefits would have an ongoing cost of at least £2.9m. a year if approved.
The plan would see the rent rebate scheme, administered
by Housing, and supplementary benefit, administered by Social Security, merge into one system called the income support scheme.
The aim is for a simpler system that is easier to run and treats people equally whatever type of housing they live in.
The States will debate the matter at its March meeting.
The policy letter was drafted by the Social Welfare Benefits Investigation Committee (SWBIC), who have said that because rent rebates and supplementary benefit are paid according to a different set of rules, people who live in social housing and those who rent privately are sometimes treated differently.
SWBIC chairman Andrew Le Lievre said the proposals represented a chance for Guernsey to improve its support of low income families.
'For 60 years the two systems have existed in tension and in all probability did nothing to improve the lot of social welfare policy,' he said.
'It will be SWBIC's greatest achievement if we can bring the two together.
'If approved, the States can look forward to a solid base on which to change social welfare systems – this would put us in a position where we can catch up with the rest of the world.'
