IN NUMBERS: Almost a third of households struggling to meet costs

Tuesday 31 December 2024

Nearly a third of households found it difficult to meet the cost of housing this year, according to a recent survey – with those in social housing, younger adults, and families with children struggling the most.

The Jersey Opinions and Lifestyle Survey, which gathered insights from 1,200 islanders, revealed that 32% of households struggled to meet their housing costs in 2024.

Pictured: Overall, approximately a third (32%) of households found it difficult to meet the cost of their housing. (Statistics Jersey)

The challenge was most acute for those in social rental accommodation, where more than half of households found it difficult to keep up with their housing expenses, according to the report recently published by Statistics Jersey. 

Financial strain extended beyond housing costs.

Over a third of households struggled to cope financially overall, with single-parent households and those in social rental accommodation being the most affected.

More households found it difficult (35%) than easy (28%) to cope financially for the first time since 2010.

Adults living in social rental accommodation were most likely to report that they had experienced a significant rent increase in the last three years, at 57%. 

Pictured: Almost half (48%) of rental households had a significant rent increase in the last three years.  (Statistics Jersey)

Housing satisfaction, while relatively high overall, showed stark differences across different groups. 

Although 85% of adults expressed satisfaction with their housing overall, this figure dropped dramatically for those living in bedsits, with just 36% satisfied.

Housing satisfaction has also declined over time, with just 42% of adults describing themselves as "very satisfied" in 2024, compared to 58% in 2022.

Pictured: Around one in four (23%) households living in social rental accommodation lived in a house, compared to 80% of households living in owner-occupied accommodation. (Statistics Jersey)

Location and demographics also played a key role in housing satisfaction.

Adults living in St Helier were the least likely to feel "very satisfied" with their housing.

Younger adults also reported lower satisfaction – with only 23% of 16- to 34-year-olds "very satisfied", compared to 69% of adults aged 65 and older.

Pictured: More than four-fifths (85%) of adults were satisfied with their housing, but this reduced to just 36% of adults living in a bedsit. (Statistics Jersey) 

Financial well-being also had a strong correlation with housing satisfaction.

Among those struggling financially, only 24% were "very satisfied" with their housing, compared to 69% of those who found it easy to cope.

Families with children also reported lower satisfaction – with only 32% of parents feeling "very satisfied", compared to 45% of adults in child-free households.