P&R urged to speed up review of Guernsey relocation grants
A scrutiny report links States of Guernsey relocation allowances to high rents, and Deputy Rylatt says a review due in September 2025 is still unfinished.
At a glance
- Guernsey's P&R is urged to finish a review of States relocation grants originally due in September 2025.
- The grants give £5,000, or £6,600 for Alderney, plus up to four years of rental help and other support.
- An FOI request showed more than £5m was spent on relocation packages in 2025, the most since the support began.
Guernsey's P&R is being urged to complete a delayed review of the relocation grants offered to people who move to the island to take up jobs with the States of Guernsey, after a scrutiny report linked the allowances to the island's high rental costs.
Deputy Rylatt said it was "disappointing that the review has still not been completed, having originally been due in September 2025". With housing costs continuing to place "enormous pressure" on islanders, Rylatt said it needed to be a priority for P&R to understand the impact the packages may be having, particularly on the rental market, and hoped the committee would conclude the work and set out what changes, if any, it intends to make.
What the grants cover
Under the current policy, people relocating to Guernsey for a job with the States are entitled to a £5,000 grant, rising to £6,600 for Alderney. The support also includes help with rental costs for up to four years, storage costs and, in some cases, assistance with the mortgage on an unsold home.
Rents up 65% in a decade
According to the States of Guernsey, rents have risen by 65% over the last decade, reaching an average of £2,138 per month. A freedom of information request earlier this year revealed that more than £5m was spent by the States on relocation packages in 2025, the most since the support was introduced.
The recent report from the Scrutiny Management Committee linked the relocation allowances to the current high price of renting a home in Guernsey.
Rylatt's comments focus on the timing of the review and what it might conclude. The review's findings have not yet been published.
Source: BBC Business.
Questions and answers
- What relocation support does the States of Guernsey offer?
- People moving to Guernsey for a States job get a £5,000 grant, or £6,600 for Alderney, plus help with rental costs for up to four years, storage costs and, in some cases, support with an unsold home's mortgage.
- How much did the States spend on relocation packages?
- A freedom of information request earlier this year revealed more than £5m was spent by the States on relocation packages in 2025, the most since the support was introduced.
- Why is the relocation grant review being questioned?
- A report from the Scrutiny Management Committee linked the relocation allowances to Guernsey's high rental costs. Rents have risen 65% in a decade to an average of £2,138 per month.
