Income and spending
The 2009/10 Household Spending and Income Survey (HSIS) collects information about the spending habits and income of Jersey households.
Download 2009/10 HSIS leaflet (size 47kb)
A Household Expenditure Survey was last run in 2004/2005 and the last Income Distribution Survey was run in 2002. This new 'Household Spending and Income Survey' combines both and will run for a year from May 2009 to May 2010.
Download 2004/05 Household Expenditure Survey (1.33mb)
Download 2002 Detailed Income Distribution Survey Report(147kb)
Download 2002 Summary Income Distribution Survey Report (165kb)
Why is the survey important?
Finding out the types, quantities and cost of things which Jersey households spend their money on is vital for a number of official statistics to be produced.
For example to calculate the Retail Prices Index ( RPI) statisticians give more weight or importance to some goods or services than others depending on what proportion of a household’s income on average is spent on them. It is vital that the RPI is accurate as it is a key economic measure, often affects pay negotiations and rents and is used to update a variety of benefits.
Find out more about the Retail Price Index
It is also important to collect information on different sources of income for different household types so we can assess the income distribution for Islanders. This information can be used to analyse the impact of income support and benefits and to investigate the effect of housing costs on income levels.
Is the survey confidential?
Yes, any information given by households will be treated as strictly confidential and will not be shared with anyone outside the Statistics Unit. Within the unit, the information will only be used to produce aggregate (grouped) statistics so that no person, household, or small group of households can be identifiable in the results. Under no circumstances will household records be made available to any other States departments or private organisations.
What does the survey involve for participants?
Letters are sent to randomly selected households informing them that they have been chosen to take part. A fieldworker will then visit to talk through the survey and answer any questions they might have. The fieldworker will arrange to return at a convenient time to lead the household through a series of questions (eg on the household make-up and large / regular purchases). The household will then be asked to keep a spending diary over the next fortnight.
We greatly appreciate the help of all those who participate in the survey as they are representing not only their own household but all others like it. The HSIS is an opportunity for Islanders to take part in a process that affects everyone in Jersey and it is hoped that the majority of selected households will take it up. Households may themselves like the idea of tracking exactly what they spend their money on as it can be a useful household budgeting exercise.