// BBC BUSINESS NEWS — FINANZA
Proposed budget 'a step in the right direction'
Treasury Minister Alan Maclean said the proposed budget sought to "target the resources we had available to those most in need"
Jersey's government has released its budget for 2027 to 2030, with a number of targeted measures designed to help families with the cost of living.
These include increasing the number of free hours of nursery care for two to three-year-olds from 15 hours to 20 hours, and doubling the parental grant, external to £1,800 for families with newborns or those adopting a child.
The funding for the Health Department has increased again, from £381m in 2026 to £406m.
Last year, the Fiscal Policy Panel , externalsaid Jersey was spending more than it was earning, but Treasury Minister Alan Maclean told the BBC the planned new budget was "a step in the right direction" towards correcting that.
In his foreword to the budget, Chief Minister Lyndon Farnham wrote: "For many households, the cost of living remains the most immediate concern.
"Housing, childcare and everyday living costs continue to put pressure on family budgets. Businesses are also dealing with higher costs and an increasingly competitive environment.
"We are providing practical support to help put more money back into islanders' pockets, particularly for families facing the greatest pressures."
The measures targeted to help families with the cost of living include:
Free nursery care for two to three-year-olds increasing from 15 hours a week to 20 hours