55% Of Islanders Struggle With The Cost Of Living

A survey shows more than half of Guernsey's population has found it difficult to cope with rising prices over the past 12 months.

Island Global Reach surveyed 2,761 residents living in Jersey, Guernsey, the Isle of Man, and Gibraltar, between 17 and 30 March 2023.

The data from the 926 participants in Guernsey shows 55% of islanders have delayed payments, borrowed money, or cut back to manage increases in the cost of living - with 7% saying they go without essentials like food and heating to get by.

Low-income households were most likely to be affected, but more middle and higher-income households say they've struggled, something the polling company says it will monitor.

These figures are similar to previous years and suggest that people in Guernsey are weathering cost of living increases better than the other island communities surveyed.

62% of survey participants in Jersey and the Isle of Man found coping with the cost of living difficult last year - 7% more than in Guernsey.

Those saying they go without essentials was 9% in Jersey and 12% in the Isle of Man.

These graphs compare the four islands survey responses: