Rent burden causing housing stress, deputy says

Jersey ministers are being urged to come up with a different way of setting rent for social housing.

Social housing rents are currently set at 80% of what they would be in the private market.

Deputy Raluca Kovacs said this made social rent too expensive and it was causing rental stress. She proposed a new policy with lower, more predictable rents to help reduce tenants' reliance on benefit payments.

Housing Minister Sam Mézec said: "Reviewing the social housing rents system was in our manifestos and it is an important thing to consider."

She said Jersey's social housing rents were now three times higher than those in the Isle of Man, with 53% of social housing tenants in Jersey now living in rental stress.

Kovacs said this meant some tenants had little money left for food, healthcare and education.

"We need a new policy that ensures social housing rents are affordable and prevent rental stress," she said.

"This approach would not only relieve pressure on low-income households but also reduce dependence on income support, creating a more sustainable safety net."

Mézec said: "I am grateful to Deputy Kovacs for bringing forward the proposition for debate.

"Reviewing the social housing rents system was in our manifestos and it is an important thing to consider.

"I will be taking soundings from my ministerial colleagues to establish what is the best way forward on this."

The States is set to debate the plans in May.

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