Jersey pensioners left frustrated over lack of States decision on alleged 'double tax'

• ITV Channel's Emma Volney spoke to pensioners frustrated with States inaction over a recent petition

Jersey pensioners are frustrated that their concerns over being taxed twice are not being acted on.

It comes as a petition, that received more than 5,000 signatures, called for the States of Jersey to debate whether double-taxing pensions should be abolished.

The petition stated: "All employed persons are obliged by law to pay social security contributions. Contributions are not deducted from gross pay for taxation purposes.

"At pensionable age, such pensions received are again liable to tax. This amounts to double taxation and such pensions should be exempt from taxation."

In its original response, the States responded that even though the old age pension is taxable, pensioners on low incomes who receive only the old age pension do not pay any income tax, adding that making the States old age pension exempt from tax would not benefit pensioners with the lowest incomes.

However, after being debated in the State Assembly, pensioners were left annoyed that there was no vote on the taxation and no clear signs that change would be enacted.

Paul Troalic, who started the petition, says: "I'm a little bit disappointed, if I'm honest, because I thought with the number of signatures that we had, they would take it a little more seriously."

Another pensioner quips: "It's an absolutely crazy situation, but in all fairness, when do the States listen?"

Jersey Ministers have insisted that pensioners are not double-taxed.

There are also concerns that stopping the state pension from counting towards people's taxable income would cost the government £21 million in lost revenue annually.

However, there are also calls to how petitions are treated when they reach the threshold to be debated.

Deputy Barbara Ward says: "If you've got 5,000 people that are voting for something, that's over 6% of the population.

"We can't ignore them."

Connétable Karen Shenton-Stone, who has political responsibility over the petitions process, has also encouraged people who see petitions reaching the thousands to contact their local representative to see if they will bring the proposition to the States.

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