Tuesday 08 September 2020
Self-employed and non-employed customers in Guernsey and Alderney who have been impacted financially by the COVID-19 pandemic are being given the option to have their social security contributions for 2020 based on their income for the current year, instead of on income for the two years prior as has previously been the case.
Basing contributions on the current year's income is a change that will come in for all Revenue Service self-employed and non-employed customers from 2021. This change will bring their income tax and social security in line with each other, and forms one of the next steps in the transformation of the Revenue Service into a single service, following the merger of Income Tax and Social Security in 2018.
But ahead of the change planned for 2021, those whose income levels for this year are below those of 2018 are being given the option to bring forward this change to be effective from 1 January 2020. The Revenue Service is writing to those customers from this week with details of their new contribution rate.
The Committee for Employment & Social Security approved the changes and its President, Deputy Michelle Le Clerc, said:
"We know this year has been very difficult for many of the Revenue Services' customers, who have seen their normal income drop significantly as a result of COVID-19 and the important restrictions that were brought in to protect the community. We really want to help, which is why we're now offering them the choice to base this year's contributions on this year's income which should mean a lower payment for those whose income has fallen."
