Financial support for individuals

What is Unemployment Benefit?

Unemployment Benefit is a weekly cash benefit paid to unemployed people who are looking for work with an employer. To be eligible for Unemployment Benefit you must meet certain contribution conditions.

What are the contribution conditions for Unemployment Benefit?

There are two contribution conditions that you must meet to be entitled to Unemployment Benefit. These are:

1. You must have paid at least 26 social insurance contributions as an employed person in Guernsey at any time in your working life; and 
2. You must have paid or had credited at least 26 contributions as an employed person during 2018 (for claims beyond 30 June, this switches to 2019).  

Do I need to have a valid residency certificate to claim Unemployment Benefit?

Yes. If you don’t hold a valid residency certificate or permit you will not be eligible to claim unemployment benefit but you may be entitled to assistance from the Hardship Fund.

How much benefit will I receive?

The amount payable depends on the number of contributions you’ve paid or had credited in 2018. The full rate of benefit is £163.60/week.

How do I claim Unemployment Benefit?

Please call our helpline on 01481 732516 or email hardshipfund@gov.gg to discuss what support may be available to you.

What is Sickness Benefit?

Sickness Benefit is a weekly cash benefit paid to you if you’re unable to work due to illness or injury. 
 
To receive Sickness Benefit you must be unable to work for at least 4 days and meet certain contribution conditions.

What are the contribution conditions for Sickness Benefit?

There are two contribution conditions that you must meet to be entitled to Sickness Benefit. These are:

1. You must have paid at least 26 social insurance contributions, as an employed or self-employed person, at any time in your working life; and
2. You must have paid or had credited at least 26 contributions, as an employed or self-employed person, during 2018 (for claims beyond 30 June, this switches to 2019). 

How much benefit will I receive?

The amount payable depends on the number of contributions you’ve paid or had credited in 2018. The full rate of benefit is £163.60/week.

How do I claim Sickness Benefit?

Please call our helpline on 01481 732516 or email hardshipfund@gov.gg to discuss what support may be available to you.

What is Income Support?

Income Support is a weekly cash benefit for people on low incomes. It’s a means-tested benefit which brings a person’s income up to the level which the States decides is the minimum amount needed to live on – this varies based on household size.

What is the requirement rate?

The minimum amount required to live on is known as the ‘requirement rate’. A person’s requirement rate will depend on their circumstances. For example, a person who only has to look after themselves will not need as much money as, say, a person with a family to support. Similarly, a person who only requires assistance on a short-term basis will not need as much money as a person with a long-term need. An allowance for rent or mortgage interest is added to the requirement rates.

Who can claim Income Support?

A person who is over 18 years of age, no longer in full-time education and resident in Guernsey, Alderney, Herm or Jethou may claim income support if their resources are insufficient to meet their needs.

If you live with a partner (whether you’re married or not), both your income and their income will be taken into account when determining if you’re entitled to income support. So, in the case of a couple where one person currently has no income, or very reduced income, as a direct result of COVID-19, and their partner remains in employment, the partner’s income will be taken into account as income available to the household.  If the partner’s income (and any other income the couple may have) is not enough to meet the couple’s/family’s needs, the person would be eligible for income support, providing they have savings below the capital limit (see below) and they’re ordinarily resident in Guernsey, Alderney, Herm or Jethou. If they’re not ordinarily resident in the islands they may be eligible for a payment from the hardship fund (see below).

What are the contribution conditions for Income Support?

There are no contribution conditions for Income Support.

Do I need to have a valid residency certificate to claim Income Support?

Yes. If you don’t hold a valid residency certificate or permit you will not be eligible for Income Support. But you may be entitled to assistance from the hardship fund.

I live in open market accommodation, does this impact my entitlement?

The type of property that you’re occupying may impact your eligibility for Income Support.
 
If you know the classification of the property that you’re occupying (e.g. Part A, B, C or D of the Open Market Register) this will be helpful when discussing what support is available to you.

If you are living in Part A, you may be entitled to a personal allowance under income support, but not a rent allowance (see below). If you are living in Part D, you are not entitled to any income support or rent allowance unless you have been resident in the Islands for 5 years or more in total. But everyone can be assisted from the hardship fund based on their financial need.

What about my rent?

If you’re a householder - that is to say, if you’re living in and responsible for the upkeep of a house or a flat, and not living as part of somebody else’s household - a rent allowance will be added to your requirement rate (but only up to the maximum rent allowance for your household size – which is explained below) when calculating your weekly needs.

What is the maximum rent allowance?

This is the maximum amount of rent which will be taken into account to calculate a householder’s weekly needs. If the amount of rent that you pay per week is less than the maximum rent allowance for your household size, the amount of rent you pay will be taken into account.

• Single householder or couple with no dependent children - £227.00 
• Couple/single householder with one dependent child  - £271.82 
• Couple/single householder with two dependent children -£346.05
• Couple/single householder with three or more dependent children -£423.02
• Persons living in shared accommodation -£181.16

What if I own my own home?

If you’re an owner occupier, an allowance will be added to your requirement rate based on the interest element of any mortgage repayment up to the value of the maximum rent allowance for your household size (see above).

What if I have savings or other investments?

Income Support is not payable if you have savings or other investments worth more than the relevant capital limit for your household size, as set out below:

• Single person with no dependent children - £13,000.00 
• Couple with no dependent children - £15,000.00
• Couple/single person with one dependent child - £17,000.00 
• Couple/single person with two dependent children - £21,000.00
• Couple/single person with three or more children- £23,000.00 
• The value of the home you live in will be disregarded if you’re an owner occupier.

How do I claim Income Support?

Please call our helpline on 732516 or email hardshipfund@gov.gg to discuss what support may be available to you.

What is the Hardship Fund?

The States of Guernsey has set up a Hardship Fund to provide emergency support for people in immediate financial need who may not otherwise qualify for unemployment benefit, sickness benefit or income support.

What are the contribution conditions for the Hardship Fund?

There are no contribution conditions for the Hardship Fund.

What are the residency conditions for the Hardship Fund?

To qualify for a payment from the Hardship Fund you must be currently resident in Guernsey, Alderney, Herm or Jethou. If your employment permit is tied to a job that you have lost and you are unable to return home due to travel restrictions, you can apply for emergency assistance from the hardship fund.

Am I entitled to assistance from the Hardship Fund?

If your household income has been severely reduced as a result of COVID-19 but you don’t qualify for Sickness Benefit, Unemployment Benefit or Income Support you may be entitled to help from the Hardship Fund.

To qualify for assistance from the hardship fund your household must be in immediate financial need. The income support means-test and capital limits (described above) are applied to decide whether a person is in immediate financial need.  If you live with a partner (whether you’re married or not), both your income and their income will be taken into account when deciding if you’re entitled to a payment from the hardship fund.

If you have savings or other investments worth more than the relevant income support capital limit for your household size you will not be eligible for assistance from the Hardship Fund – you would be expected to support yourself and your family using your savings. If your savings fall below the relevant capital limit, please contact us.

How much will I be entitled to?

Payments are for essential items such as food, toiletries, cleaning products, etc. The Hardship Fund does not cover rent or mortgage interest payments. The weekly rates payable are:

• £100 for the first adult in the household
• £80 for the second adult in the household
• £55 per child in the household

How do I apply for an emergency payment from the fund?

Please call our helpline on 732516 or email hardshipfund@gov.gg to discuss what support may be available to you.

I’m self-employed, can I claim Income Support?

Yes, providing you meet the eligibility criteria set out in the Income Support section above.

Is any other support available from the States for self-employed people during the COVID-19 situation?

A grant of £3,000 is available to self-employed persons (single operators) and to self-employed persons that employ up to 10 persons (including themselves), providing they meet certain eligibility criteria – details are available via this link.
 
Please note, if a self-employed person claims Income Support, the value of the grant may be taken into account. This will depend upon when the grant was paid and when income support becomes payable. For income support purposes only, the grant will be valued as income of £230 per week for a maximum period of 13 weeks.

If it can be shown that some or all of the grant has been applied to a necessary business expense, the amount which is valued in the Income Support calculation will be reduced.

If you employ staff, you may also able to claim support under the Coronavirus Payroll Co-funding Scheme. Again, eligibility criteria apply. Further information about this scheme is available via this link.
 
To apply for the £3,000 grant and/or the Payroll Co-funding Scheme, please email business.support@gov.gg.
 
You can also request a deferral or staggered payment of your Social Insurance contributions for quarters 1 and 2. If you have already paid your Social Insurance contributions for quarter 1 you can request a refund. To arrange a refund or deferral, please email financial.support@gov.gg with the title “refund” or “deferral” and someone will contact you as soon as possible.
 
If you have a general tax or social insurance debt query, please contact Revenue Services at rsdebt@gov.gg. If you have an urgent general inquiry for Revenue Services, please contact rspriority@gov.gg. For non-urgent enquiries contact revenueservice@gov.gg. 

I’m self-employed - can I claim Unemployment Benefit?

Generally, contributions paid as a self-employed person do not count for Unemployment Benefit which would mean that you could not receive Unemployment Benefit as a self-employed person. But, if in 2018 you have at least 39 contributions paid or credited as an employed person, then any self-employed (or non-employed contributions) on your record for the remaining 13 weeks of the year will be treated as if they were employed person contributions. After 30 June, the relevant contribution year becomes 2019.

I’m self-employed - can I claim Sickness Benefit?

Yes, providing you meet the two contribution conditions set out in the Sickness Benefit section above.

I am about to reach pension age - can I claim my pension now or should I wait until the current restrictions are relaxed?

Pension claims are still being processed as normal. If you’re unable to submit your claim on time, please don’t worry - late claim rules will not be applied.

I am in receipt of Old Age Pension but that’s not enough to live on. Is there any other support available?

If you are of pensionable age you may be entitled to assistance in the form of Income Support.

Unemployment Benefit and Sickness Benefit are not available for people over pension age.