Jersey Cheshire Home has welcomed an agreement from the Health Minister to help fund its services in 2025.

Its future was in doubt because of shortfall, putting its services for the thirty residents with severe disabilities at risk.

There were fears the specialist care Cheshire Home offers could be compromised because of the growing gap between its running costs and income.

A bid to the government's budget from Deputy Inna Gardiner asked for £200,000 next year.

It wasn't debated in the States Assembly though, after the Health Minister said an agreement had been reached with the disability charity to secure the extra funding needed.

HCS has not yet provided any further details about where the money will come from, but Cheshire Home Chairman Jim Hopley confirmed the deal to Channel 103 and said he is delighted.

" The Long Term Care Scheme simply does not cover the operating cost of the Cheshire Home, and most of our residents are not in a position to pay extra fees.  

"It costs us £25 a day, not a week or a month, £25 a day extra to look after the highly-dependent residents we've got beyond what Long Term Care gives us.

"The structural deficit topped out at £750,000 during Covid.  That is an awful lot of money to find by fundraising, donations, campaigns and activities.

"We've got an open book.  We have explained exactly what our situation is, but until now we have had a lot of sympathy - but no money.

"Deputy Inna Gardiner took up our plight, and at the eleventh hour we had a meeting with the Chief Minister and the Health Minister and got an agreement they will cover our short-term deficit next year."

He has also welcomed a further commitment from government to find a longer term solution by mid 2025.

"More importantly from our perspective, and probably a the perspective of some other charities, they made a total commitment that Tom (Binet) and the Social Security Minister Lynsey Feltham will get together in the new year and take a long look at the Long Term Care, particularly for people with complex and high-dependency care needs."

Mr Hopley also thanked Deputy Gardiner for 'setting the scene' for an agreement to be reached.

"The vulnerability we were experiencing was quite extreme.  The risk was quite high.  We weren't crying wolf.

"If the money wasn't found we would have had to look very hard at the level service that we provide next year and ultimately, if we started dipping into our reserves too heavily then there would have been the inevitable consequence of potential closure further down the road."