Guernsey Press

Benefit claimants urged to engage over sweeping changes

SWEEPING benefit changes, which will impact thousands of islanders, will come into force next July, and those individuals and families who will be affected are being encouraged to engage now with Employment & Social Security.

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Employment & Social Security president Deputy Michelle Le Clerc has urged more than 3,000 families and individuals in receipt of benefits to engage with it before sweeping changes take effect from next summer. (Pictured by Peter Frankland, 20092694)

Letters have started being sent out ready for the changes to come in on 6 July.

ESS president Michelle Le Clerc said they were keen to talk to people now, well ahead of the start.

‘We know people will have concerns and we know there will be anxieties,’ she said.

‘We need their up to date information, then they will know how their household will be affected. There will be more winners than losers. The States has put an additional £4m. into the welfare system.’

Currently, there are around 3,300 individuals or families either receiving supplementary benefit, rent rebate, or both.

Under the changes, the rebate scheme will end and instead housing support and supplementary benefit will merge into the income support scheme.

An income support paper will go to the States early next year, which will include examples of how changes will affect families.

Full story in today's Guernsey Press