Skip to main content Skip to accessibility
This website is not compatible with your web browser. You should install a newer browser. If you live in Jersey and need help upgrading call the States of Jersey web team on 440099.
Government of Jerseygov.je

Information and public services for the Island of Jersey

L'înformâtion et les sèrvices publyis pouor I'Île dé Jèrri

Covid-19 Income Support Temporary Application Scheme for Short Term Incapacity Allowance: Update

A formal published “Ministerial Decision” is required as a record of the decision of a Minister (or an Assistant Minister where they have delegated authority) as they exercise their responsibilities and powers.

Ministers are elected by the States Assembly and have legal responsibilities and powers as “corporation sole” under the States of Jersey Law 2005 by virtue of their office and in their areas of responsibility, including entering into agreements, and under any legislation conferring on them powers.

An accurate record of “Ministerial Decisions” is vital to effective governance, including:

  • demonstrating that good governance, and clear lines of accountability and authority, are in place around decisions-making – including the reasons and basis on which a decision is made, and the action required to implement a decision

  • providing a record of decisions and actions that will be available for examination by States Members, and Panels and Committees of the States Assembly; the public, organisations, and the media; and as a historical record and point of reference for the conduct of public affairs

Ministers are individually accountable to the States Assembly, including for the actions of the departments and agencies which discharge their responsibilities.

The Freedom of Information Law (Jersey) Law 2011 is used as a guide when determining what information is be published. While there is a presumption toward publication to support of transparency and accountability, detailed information may not be published if, for example, it would constitute a breach of data protection, or disclosure would prejudice commercial interest.

A decision made on 21 December 2020

Decision Reference:  MD-S-2020-0092

Decision Summary Title :

DS – Income Support – Covid 19 – Update to Temporary Scheme (STIA)

Date of Decision Summary:

21/12/2020

Decision Summary Author:

Senior Policy Officer

Decision Summary:

Public or Exempt?

Public

Type of Report:

Oral or Written?

Written

Person Giving

Oral Report:

N/A

Written Report

Title :

WR – Income Support – Covid 19 – Update to Temporary Scheme (STIA)

Date of Written Report:

21/12/2020

Written Report Author:

Senior Policy Officer

Written Report:

Public or Exempt?

 

Public

Subject: Update of Income Support Temporary Application Scheme for Short Term Incapacity Allowance (STIA)

Decision(s): The Minister has decided to update the Temporary Application Scheme for STIA – this follows revised public health advice.

The Minister has decided to increase the maximum number of days of STIA equivalent payments that can be made using Income Support exceptional payments from 21 to 24 days.

The update to the scheme takes effect from 8th December 2020. The Covid-19 sickness (Isolation) Benefit scheme rules have already been updated to reflect this increase in days. The Temporary Income Support Scheme was setup by Ministerial Delegation earlier this year.

Reason(s) for Decision:

On 23rd March 2020 the Minister signed MD-S-2020-0017. This delegated the power to make exceptional payments available under Article 8(2) of the Income Support (Jersey) Law 2007, to Determining Officers appointed under that Law. These delegations have been extended twice by MD-S-2020-0036 and 0060, they are currently set to expire at the end of March 2021.

 

As part of the initial MD, the Minister established a temporary scheme which allowed exceptional payments of Income Support up to the maximum value of 14 days of STIA to be made, under ministerial guidance, to people who would not normally qualify for STIA.

 

Following updated advice in relation to household isolation (issued by the Medical Officer of Health) the Minister signed MD-S-2020-0027 which, effective from the 28th March, increased the maximum number of days of STIA equivalent payment from 14 to 21 days.

 

Changes to the covid-19 testing regime now mean that a person could test positive when tested on day 10 of their self-isolation and then have to isolate for a further 14 days. Therefore, in order to align with these changes, the number of days of income support payable under this temporary scheme is being increased from 21 to 24 days.

Resource Implications: There are no additional manpower or resource implications to the variations being applied.

 

The cost of the Covid-19 sickness benefit is met by the Social Security Fund and the Customer and Local Services budget allocated to Income Support.

 

Action required: Senior Policy Officer to advise CLS Group Director of Customer Operations that the Ministerial Decision confirming these changes has been signed.

Signature:

 

 

Deputy J A Martin

Position:

Minister for Social Security

 

Date Signed:

 

 

Date of Decision (If different from Date Signed):

 

Covid-19 Income Support Temporary Application Scheme for Short Term Incapacity Allowance: Update

 

Ministerial Decision Report

 

 

Income Support – Covid 19 – Update to Temporary Scheme (STIA)

 

 

Background

In February, the Minister for Social Security established a temporary scheme - Covid Sickness (Isolation) Benefit, this scheme supports public health advice by enabling people to claim an amount equivalent to Short Term Incapacity Allowance (STIA) if they are required to self-isolate because they are at risk of transmitting coronavirus. The benefit is available to various categories of people and there are rules around who can and can’t claim it. More detail on this benefit can be found on www.gov.je [1].

 

To support this scheme, the Minister decided to delegate the ability to make decisions under Article 8(2) of the Income Support (Jersey) Law 2007 to Determining Officers appointed under that law.

 

Determining Officers currently have the power to make exceptional payments of Income Support to a household which would not normally be entitled to STIA because they have not supplied all of the written proofs required by the legislation.

 

These delegations were originally made for a period of 3 months on March 23rd 2020 by MD-S-2020-0017, they were extended by a further 3 months on the 23rd June by MD-S-2020-0036 and extended once again on the 24th September by MD-S-2020-0060. The delegations are currently due to expire on 31st March 2021.

 

Temporary application scheme for STIA following Government advice to self-isolate

Currently, under the rules agreed by Minister and applied to the exceptional payments delegation, a Determining Officer is allowed to make an exceptional payment of Income Support up to the maximum value of 21 days of STIA. Payments are made, under ministerial guidance, to people who would not normally qualify for the benefit.

Note: Following updated advice in relation to household isolation, issued by the Medical Officer of Health, the maximum number of days of STIA equivalent payment was increased from 14 to 21 days earlier this year. This change became effective from: 28th March 2020 following the Minister signing MD-S-2020-0027 on the 13th May 2020.

Further changes to the temporary scheme – 21 to 24 days

Following the implementation of an updated covid-19 testing regime, particularly in relation to people travelling into the Island[2], public health have citied an issue that a person that is in self-isolation following public health advice could test positive at their day 10 test and then be required to isolate for a further 14 days. This would mean that they would be in isolation for 24 days in total.

 

In order to align with this updated regime and following guidance from public health, the Minister has decided to update the temporary scheme and increase the maximum value of days that can be paid for by an Income Support exceptional payment from 21 to 24 days.

 

This update to the temporary scheme will take effect from 8th December 2020. The Covid Sickness (Isolation Benefit) scheme rules have already been updated to reflect this change.

 

Note: For avoidance of doubt, there are no other implications to any existing delegations, other than the minor change in the number of days payment that can be made (21 – 24 days). Moreover, the delegations described earlier in this report are separate to the delegations made by MD-S-2020-0054 (signed 18th September 2020).


Back to top
rating button