Top issues for islanders

Introduction

This Brief explains the importance of assessing the issues about which the public are concerned, presents the results of a survey commissioned by the Policy Centre in January 2026 and compares the results of that survey with results from previous Jersey surveys and a recent UK survey.

Summary

It is important to know what people consider to be the most important issues facing the Island. This should influence the issues that are prioritised by politicians and others. Properly structured research surveys are the most effective way to understand people’s views.

The Government’s Engagement and Information Improvement Report (October 2022) recommended that a structured centralised approach to observing public opinion should be implemented to provide Ministers with information about current issues that matter most to Islanders.

The Government commissioned one such survey, in January 2024. Unprompted, the top issues were economic concerns (34%), housing (21%) and faith in government (12%). Young people (17-24) were more likely to cite housing as their top issue, those aged 25-74 economic concerns (eg cost of living, inflation) and those over 74 faith in government.

The Policy Centre repeated the survey in January 2025. Unprompted, the most important issues were cost of living (29%), housing (17%) and faith in government (11%). When asked about other issues, the combined figures for most important/other issues were cost of living (64%), housing (59%), the hospital (51%), healthcare (49%) and faith in government (45%).

In the January 2026 survey, unprompted, the most important issues were cost of living (38%), housing (13%), faith in government (11%) and Jersey’s economy (8%). When asked about other issues, the combined figures for most important/other issues were cost of living (82%), faith in government (56%), housing (54%), the hospital (53%) and healthcare (50%).

Cost of living was the most important issue for all income, age and household groups.

Housing was significantly more important for the under 35s than for the other age groups.

Healthcare and the hospital were more significant issues for the 55+ age group than for the other age groups.

The most significant change compared with the 2025 survey was an increase in the rating of cost of living as the most important/other issue – 82% compared with 64%.

In the most recent (January 2026) IPSOS Issues Index for the UK,

immigration/immigrants was the most important/other issue (41%), followed by the economy (34%), NHS/hospital/healthcare (24%) and defence/foreign affairs/international terrorism (24%). Inflation/prices rated 23%.

There is a huge difference between the results of the Jersey and UK surveys. For example, 38% of respondents in Jersey cited cost of living as being the most important issue compared with just 9% in the UK. It may be that in responding to such surveys the public are influenced partly by the volume of media and political comment.

Assessing issues that concern people

It is important for policy makers and interest groups to understand the issues that concern people. This can most effectively be done by properly structured research surveys. The model is the well-established Ipsos Issues Index in the UK. This is conducted every three months and asks just one question: “What do you see as the most/other important issues facing Britain today?” In the absence of such surveys public policy discussions are more likely to be based on anecdotal evidence or campaigns, with comments, not supported by evidence, such as “everyone I speak to is concerned about…..” or “the overwhelming weight of public opinion is in favour of……”.

The Government’s Engagement and Information Improvement Report (October 2022) included the following comment –

Having compared Jersey’s current practice with best practice in other jurisdictions an identified gap is polling (i.e. the continuous monitoring of public opinion through mass surveying). Polling would assist Government in understanding public opinion on a broad range of issues in a timely fashion, in turn allowing Government to assess its priorities and how policies might be received.

Recommendation A10 in the report was that –

A structured centralised approach to observing public opinion should be implemented to provide Ministers with information about current issues that matter most to Islanders.

The January 2024 survey

One survey was duly done in January 2024. The fieldwork was done by the market research company 4Insight. The results have not been published, but were released in November 2024 in response to a freedom of information request. The key results were –

• Unprompted, the top issues were economic concerns (eg cost of living) (34%), followed by housing (21%) and faith in government (12%).
• Young people (17-24) were more likely to cite housing as their top issue, those aged 25-74 economic concerns (eg cost of living, inflation), those over 74 faith in government.
• When asked to select (up to four) “other Important Issues” facing Jersey, economic concerns (eg cost of living, inflation) was still the most commonly selected (50%), followed by the hospital (43%) and faith in government/politicians (36%).
• Talent leaving the island (32%), healthcare (32%) and housing (31%) were also selected frequently.

The January 2025 Survey

In January 2025, the Policy Centre took up the concept, using the format adopted for the January 2024 survey with the research being done by the same company 4Insight. The survey had 1,362 respondents, compared with 1,801 in the 2024 survey. The results are published on the Policy Centre website.

Unprompted, the most important issues were cost of living (29%), housing (17%), faith in government (9%) and population levels (9%). When asked about other issues from a list the combined figures for most important/ other issues were cost of living (64%), housing (59%), the hospital (51%), healthcare (49%) and faith in government (45%).

Cost of living was significantly more important for respondents with dependent children than for those without and for those in the 35-54 age group than for those in the other age groups. Housing was the most important/other issue for 17-34 age group and significantly more important than for other age groups.

The January 2026 Survey

The survey was repeated in January 2026 with the same format and questions, and the research being done by the same company 4Insight. The survey had 1,422 respondents, compared with 1,362 in the 2025 survey. The results are published on the Policy Centre website.

The following charts shows the top issues mentioned spontaneously and the top/other issues.

Figure 1 What do you see as the most important issues facing Jersey today

It will be seen that cost of living was by far the most important issue – mentioned by 38% of respondents. The other issues most commonly mentioned were housing (13%) and faith in Government (11%).

Figure 2 What do you see as the most important/other issues facing Jersey today

It is useful to analyse the results by different categories of respondent, but bearing in mind that the question is about the issues facing Jersey, not the issues facing the people themselves. The following three charts show breakdowns by age group, household composition and household income.

Figure 3 Most/other important issue by age group

Figure 4 Most/other important issue by dependent children

Figure 5 Most/other important issue by household income

Key points –

• Cost of living was seen as the most important/other issue by all age groups, income levels and household types. 88% of under 35s mentioned this as did 80% of the 55+ age group.
• Housing was significantly more important for 17-34 age group than for other age groups. It was mentioned by 77% of the 17-34 age group, 58% of the 35-54 age group and 49% of the 55+ age group. This reflects that the younger age group is most likely to be paying a high proportion of their income on housing costs. Those in the older age groups have in many cases paid of mortgages and therefore had minimal housing costs.
• Population levels were seen as an issue by 36% of the 55+ age group, 24% of the 17-34 age group.
• Healthcare and the hospital were more significant issues for the elderly than for the other age groups.
• Faith in government was an issue for 60% of the 55+ plus age group, 42% of the 17-34 age group.
• Climate change and the environment were issues for 24% of the 17-34 age group, 14% of the 55+ age group.
• Similarly, education was an issue for 26% of the 17-34 age group, 14% of the 55+ age group.

It is useful to compare the results with those from the Jersey Opinions and Lifestyle Survey Report 2025. The proportions of people who reported that they found it difficult to cope financially ranged from 69% for single parents, to 44% for working age people living alone, 34% for couples with children, and 27% for pensioners. However, in respect of issues facing the Island, different household groups had broadly similarly views.

Trends 2024 – 2026

The results of the 2026 survey can be compared directly with those in the 2024 and 2025 surveys as the same questions were used. Table 1 shows the data for the most important/other issues from the 2025 and 2026 surveys.

Table 1 Most important/other issues, 2026 compared with 2025

There were few significant changes between the two surveys in respect of the ranking of issues. However, cost of living was mentioned by a significantly higher proportion (82%) in 2026 than in 2025 (64%). Faith in government and poverty/inequality also showed significant increases.

The chart below shows trends over the three surveys in respect of the most important issues.

Figure 6 Most important issues, 2024, 2025 and 2026

No great significance should be read into relatively minor year-to-year changes. However, cost of living has consistently been the most important issue. Housing has remained the second most important issue but with a significant decline over the three surveys.

Comparison with the UK

The survey is broadly comparable with the regular survey conducted by Ipsos. The following chart is reproduced from the most recent survey Ipsos Issues Index (January 2026).

Figure 6 IPSOS Issues Index, January 2026 – most/other important issues facing Britain today

Immigration/immigrants was the top issue (41%), followed by the economy (34%), NHS/hospital/healthcare (24%), defence/foreign affairs/

international terrorism (24%) and inflation/prices (23%).

The IPSOS figures are disaggregated by sex, social grade, ethnic background and age. For example, immigration scored 33% in the 18-34 age group but 52% in the 75+ age group. By contrast, housing scored 21% in the younger age group but 6% in the older age group. This pattern is similar to that in Jersey.

The reports track trends since 2014. For example, inflation scored just 2% in June 2021, then rising to 54% in August 2022 and falling to 23% in January 2026. Immigration scored 56% in September 2015, falling to 5% in April 2020, rising to 41% in January 2026.

The differences between the UK and Jersey figures are difficult to explain. Table 2 compares the data for the most important issues. The definitions are not identical but are sufficiently close to enable reasonable comparisons to be made.

Table 2 Most important issue, UK and Jersey, January 2026

The huge difference in respect to the cost of living is apparent. 38% of respondents in Jersey cited this as being the most important issue compared with just 9% in the UK. Similarly, housing was rated as much more important in Jersey than the UK. Conversely, the economy and population/immigration were cited much more frequently in the UK than in Jersey. Terrorism/ foreign affairs/terrorism did not rate a mention in Jersey but, unprompted, was cited by 8% of respondents in the UK.

It may well be that in responding to such surveys the public are influenced partly by the volume of media and political comment. If politicians speak much more about immigration, then it may be seen as a more important issue. In this context it is significant to note that the increase in the proportion of people in the Ipsos survey identifying immigration as the most important issue has coincided with a sharp reduction in the rate of immigration.

Another UK survey is also relevant. On 20 February 2026 the UK Office for National Statistic published Public opinions and social trends, Great Britain: January 2026.

This asks a different question – simply whether an issue is important. This will inevitably get much higher percentages than the approach used in the IPSOS and Policy Centre surveys. The report states –

The most frequently reported important issues in the latest period (3 December 2025 to 4 January 2026) continued to be:

• the cost of living (88%)
• the NHS (86%)
• the economy (71%)

Other commonly reported issues during this time include:

• immigration (60%)
• crime (58%)
• housing (55%)

These proportions have generally stayed the same as during a similar period a year ago, when 86% of adults reported the cost of living and 72% reported the economy as important issues. The proportion of adults reporting the NHS is also similar compared with a year ago (88%), but has been increasing over the past few months, from 80% in October 2025.

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