Minority of Jersey businesses can now claim wage subsidy

A limited number of businesses in Jersey are able to claim back a percentage of the wages they have paid their workers from today.

Hotels, bars, restaurants, some shops, fisheries, hairdressers and businesses offering beauty treatments can claim up to £200 per week to cover the last ten days of March.

This “phase one” subsidy is part of a wider £101 million package of support from government.

“Phase two”, which will cover half the islands workforce, or 27,000 people, will pay up to 80% or £1,600 per month of their wages for April, May and June.

Details of how that will work are due to be announced within the next fortnight.

The list of businesses excluded from phase two, including financial services and property development, has caused anger from a number of business owners and industry representatives who fear their firms could collapse during the coronavirus crisis.