Survivor’s Benefit: Repeal of 2012 Changes (P.122/2014): Comments of the Minister for Social Security

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A decision made 5 September 2014:

Decision Reference: MD-S-2014-0118
Decision Summary Title :	DS_comment on P.122-2014 to rescind Survivors Pension		Date of Decision Summary:	04/09/2014
Decision Summary Author:	Policy Principal		Decision Summary: Public or Exempt?	Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Written		Person Giving Oral Report:	N/A
Written Report Title :	WR - comment on P.122-2014 to rescind Survivors Pension		Date of Written Report:	04/09/2014
Written Report Author:	Policy Principal		Written Report : Public or Exempt?	Public
Subject: Minister’s comment on proposition P.122 to rescind changes to Survivor’s Pension, achieved by Social Security (Amendment of Law No. 4) (Jersey) Regulations 2013
Decision(s): The Minister decided to present a comment to the States with regard to P.122/2014 which seeks to rescind recent changes to the eligibility for survivor’s pension.
Reason(s) for Decision: P.122/2014 seeks to rescind changes made to the eligibility conditions for Survivor’s Pension, which, as of January 2013, provided that only survivors with a dependent child may qualify for the pension. Survivor’s allowance was not amended and may be received for the first year after bereavement. Transition arrangements are in place for survivors born during or before 1957. These changes were made following two States debates (P.105/2011 debated on 13/07/2011 and P.101/2012 debated on 05/12/2012). The Minister does not concur that there is any substantive reason to overturn the previous States decision and holds that the amendments are appropriate given pressures growing on the Social Security Fund and changes in society.
Resource Implications: None
Action required: Policy Principal to request the Greffier of the States to arrange for the comment to be presented to the States as soon as practicable.
Signature:		Position: Minister
Date Signed:		Date of Decision (If different from Date Signed):