04 July 2008
The Treasury Minister has given a detailed breakdown of the average cost of GST to island households, in a set of written answers tabled in the States Assembly today.
The figures, using detailed RPI indices, show the estimated average cost of GST for all Jersey households is £626 a year.
For a household containing a couple, neither of whom are pensioners, the average figure is £693 pa; the average cost for a couple with at least one dependent child is £877 and the average for a household containing a single pensioner is £259 pa.
The average amount of GST per year paid by lower income households (the bottom 20%) is £271. That compares with an average sum of £318 per year, which has been allocated to compensate those on income support for the cost of GST.
Senator Terry Le Sueur said “When GST was introduced we accepted it would increase the tax burden for consumers, but we increased Income Support and we increased income tax thresholds by an extra 3.5%, on top of the planned 3% increase, to help mitigate the effects of GST.
“These measures have reduced the impact of GST on the most vulnerable. They have led to the lowest earners being more than compensated for the introduction of the tax, while the impact on middle earners, particularly those with families, has been significantly reduced through increases in tax thresholds.
“Nobody likes extra taxes, but GST will leave the Island in a strong position to deal with the loss of up to £100m in tax revenues next year, as a result of the move to 0/10%, which is essential to protect our economy,.”
The written answers have been prepared in response to questions from Deputy Geoff Southern.
Notes to editors:
For more information please contact Senator Terry Le Sueur on 07797 718798
The following tables have been compiled using the Annual Expenditure per household figures from 2004/5, adjusted to 2008 using RPI
Average Annual Expenditure on GST per household |
Household type |
Annual GST bill |
Couple (both not pensioners) |
£693 |
Couple with at least 1 dependent child |
£877 |
Single parent (at least 1 dependent child) |
£452 |
Person living alone (not pensioner) |
£331 |
Person living alone (pensioner) |
£259 |
Two or more pensioners |
£575 |
Average household |
£626 |
Average Annual expenditure on GST per quintile |
Quintile 1 (average income £16,123) |
£271 |
Quintile 2 (average income £22,092) |
£358 |
Quintile 3 (average income £34,054) |
£528 |
Quintile 4 (average income £49,616) |
£775 |
Quintile 5 (average income £86,011) |
£1,274 |
Average household (income £40,511) |
£626 |
Each quintile is a fifth of the households in Jersey, so for instance, the bottom fifth’s income averages £16,123, and the top fifth £86,011.
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