The States voted by 43 to four to back the Employment and Social Security Committee’s new scheme.
As a result, existing separate benefits – including family allowance, childcare allowance, the Health Insurance Exception scheme, rent rebates and parish welfare – will be replaced by a single income support payment, based on household income.
Among the changes, the new system will provide: * Four levels of support towards the additional costs of disability for low-income groups.
* A carer’s allowance to anyone on a low income caring for a severely disabled person.
* Support towards health costs to help low-income families and for those with chronic health conditions to help with high costs.
* An improved contribution toward registered childcare costs to enable low-income parents to work and train for work.
* A ‘citizens fund’ to help with exceptional expenses which may not be covered in the regular income support payment.
