Latest News

The Policy Centre has published a New Policy Brief - Long term care. Long-term care is a significant public policy issue in many countries. The key issue is that with an ageing population a growing number of elderly people cannot look after themselves and need support. The Long-Term Care (Jersey) Law 2012 provided for the introduction of the Long-Term Care Scheme with effect from 2014, funded by an additional tax on income and a government contribution.

The Newsletter summarises publications and other activity by the Policy Centre in the previous month.

The Policy Centre has published a new Policy Brief – Liquid waste management . Upgrading Jersey’s liquid waste management system and how this should be funded are important policy issues. This brief collates key evidence, describes statutory context, and analyses policy options aligned to Jersey’s strategic goals and international best practice.

The Policy Centre has published a think piece "Homelessness - the housing first model" by Jennifer Bridge.Homelessness in Jersey is a multifaceted social challenge, affecting individuals from across the community. The scope of the issue extends beyond visible rough sleeping to include those living in temporary accommodation, facing eviction, or experiencing housing insecurity.

Our next breakfast discussion meeting takes place on Thursday 4 December.This session will provide an opportunity to explore the facts and policy considerations surrounding Jersey’s approach to waste management. The Island will be required to make significant decisions in this area over the coming years and a clear understanding of the current position and future options will support informed public discussion.

Access to quality early years support has a lifelong positive impact on children’s development. In Jersey, childcare costs are around 50% higher than across England (12% higher than London), making this provision inaccessible - or a financial strain - for many families.To discuss the issue, on 13 November 2025 the Policy Centre convened a roundtable. 23 people attended – members of the States, primary school heads and representatives of charities and early years providers. A draft research report and note on the proposed offer for 2–3-year-olds were circulated in advance as background information. The research report will be finalised taking account of discussion at the meeting and published by the end of the year.

The Newsletter summarises publications and other activity by the Policy Centre in the previous month.

Healthcare needs to move a concentration on treatment to greater emphasis on prevention. Key points made at a Policy Centre discussion meeting on 30 October – • Illness has a huge adverse impact on the economy. Investments in prevention are often seen as simply a cost whereas a cost benefit analysis would show significant benefits. • We need to do more than simply deal with specific problems but get people back to where they were so they can do their jobs properly – optimisation should be the aim. • We have an opportunity as a small island to be the best in the world using healthcare and other data. • Education is vital in changing behaviour and culture.

The Centre has updated its Policy Brief Economic Trends to include new data on retail prices and business sentiment.

The Newsletter summarises publications and other activity by the Policy Centre in the previous month.

On 23 September the JCRA published its report on the construction industry. As part of its research the JCRA commissioned the Policy Centre to undertake a largely desk-based study to describe and analyse the construction sector in Jersey. This report, completed in June 2024, was based on published material, supplemented by informal confidential discussion with two industry stakeholders.

In August 2024, the Centre published a Policy Brief Regulation of taxis. A recent Freedom for Information response has revealed a research presentation on the taxi industry prepared for the Government’s Driver and Vehicle Standards Department.

A policy brief has been published on referendums in small states and territories, following a two day conference held at Queen Mary University of London in April. The following extracts from the conclusions seem particularly relevant to Jersey -The lessons drawn from recent and historical referendums underscore the importance of clarity in question framing, inclusivity in voter eligibility, and the need for robust public education. 

The Policy Centre has published a comprehensive description of Jersey’s social security system, the first such study since 2017. A detailed Policy Brief draws on the limited amount of easily accessible information including the Government's annual Budgets and Annual Accounts, a response to a Freedom of Information request and the statistics on the government’s opendata archive.

The Newsletter summarises publications and other activity by the Policy Centre in the previous month.