‘Welcome home’ packages suggested to attract young adults back

The political movement Future Guernsey has suggested that providing financial assistance to local youngsters living away from the island could give them hope of returning home and boost the economy.

The proposal looks set to be included in a suite of policies currently being drawn up by Future Guernsey, which is expected to evolve into a political party and field candidates at June’s election.

‘One thing we are seriously considering is a “welcome home” package for islanders who have left Guernsey, often to gain qualifications and experience, and who subsequently feel that their route to coming home has been closed off due to the high cost of living and the housing shortage,’ said Future Guernsey political adviser Gavin St Pier.

The States currently offers a relocation package to new employees who are moving their residence to Guernsey to take up a role in the public sector.

It generally includes an upfront lump sum to cover travel and removal expenses, travel costs, contributions towards rent or other accommodation costs, and a house purchase grant if the individual is selling a property elsewhere to move to Guernsey.

Local youngsters at university remain resident in Guernsey and therefore cannot apply for a relocation package if taking up a job with the States. Former Bailiwick residents can be eligible, but only if they can prove they were not otherwise intending to return to the island.

‘Relocation packages are often available to those who come to the island from other parts of the world to take up key posts, but they are not available to local skilled returnees,’ said Deputy St Pier.

‘We think this a penny-wise, pound-foolish policy. It’s an area where we believe we could level the playing field for islanders and begin to stem the tide of brain drain.’

When the States published a relocation directive in 2018, it stated that it would make a one-off payment of £5,000 to any employee relocating to Guernsey, a portion of which could be claimed back if the individual changed employer within three years. The directive also included rent support of up to £280 a week, or up to £434 a week if the relocating employee was meeting mortgage repayments in their former jurisdiction on a home which was for sale.

Future Guernsey said it recognised that the island would continue to need workers from the UK and overseas to fill key roles and praised their contribution to the community.

But it said it was determined to ‘meet the needs of young islanders’ through the suite of polices it was currently developing.

A cost estimate has not been provided of extending relocation packages to local youngsters who are not entitled to them currently.

‘We have young islanders with key skills reporting that they are being priced out of coming home at a time when we have a declining birth rate, an ageing population and therefore a lower tax base,’ said Deputy St Pier.

‘We need to increase the number of people in our population in work, particularly those in their 20s and 30s. Why not do so by levelling the playing field on relocation packages and potentially attracting more local, young, skilled people home to keep our key industries running?

‘This policy would not only reunite families, but also help towards securing a sustainable future for the island.’