A new government scheme has been launched giving low income workers in the island £250 to support them through winter.

The Registered Employee Support Payment Scheme (RESPS) will involve a one off payment for people who have been in Jersey for fewer than five years and therefore cannot qualify for income support. 

It's estimated that 900 people in the island will be eligible for the help. 

Social Security Minister Lyndsay Feltham tells us the criteria islanders need to meet: 

"People need to be aged 18 or older, have registered status and live in Jersey, have been a Jersey resident for less than five years and have a British or Jersey bank account in their name.

"They would not have claimed income support within the last seven days and have contribution earnings for July, August and September.

"They should be able to prove that their total earnings for that period of time were below £7000."

Social Security Minister Lyndsay Feltham

Deputy Lyndsay Feltham thinks this support comes at the right time: 

"It's just really important for us to be able to support low income earners, particularly over the winter months.

"I am conscious that our minimum wage will be raising on 1 April and these workers will of course benefit from that but I really wanted to be able to provide them some support in the interim period."

The government says that people who are believed to be eligible will have been contacted to apply for the help.

Those who have not received communications about the scheme but who believe they qualify, can still apply on the gov.je website.

The deadline for islanders to fill in the online form is 22 November 2024.