The Ultimate Guide to Moving to Jersey

Moving overseas can be a daunting prospect. Possibly there will be a new language to learn, a new culture to adapt to, unfamiliar products on shop shelves, maybe a new time zone to adjust to, and you may be far away from friends and family.

For these reasons many people do not take the plunge and make that home move, it is maybe just a little too scary, too far out of their comfort zone.

However, moving to Jersey in the Channel Islands could solve all your overseas relocation fears and provide you with all the benefits of an amazing island life.

And it is as easy to move from the UK to Jersey as it is to move home within the UK.

Jersey is neither part of the UK nor the EU so is unaffected by Brexit. If you have the right to live within the UK you have the right to live in Jersey.

In this week’s home moving blog, we look at moving to Jersey from the UK and provide you with lots of essential information about making that incredible home move.

Read on to discover:

• Things to Know About Moving From the UK to Jersey
• Finding a New Home in Jersey
• Cost of Living in Jersey
• Healthcare in Jersey
• Education in Jersey
• Travel Around Jersey
• Essential Information about Moving to Jersey from the UK

Things to Know About Moving From the UK to Jersey

There can be no denying that property prices and the cost of living in Jersey are eye-watering compared to the UK, but as with most things in life, it can be swings and roundabouts, and there are some financial incentives for moving here.

• Salaries tend to be higher than in the UK
• Fast-track promotion is easier than other world financial centres
• The personal income tax rate is a maximum of 20%
• There is no capital gains tax
• There is no inheritance tax
• You do not pay VAT on goods or services
• Cars do not pay road tax
• Currently, cars do not need an MOT (that could change in 2024)
• Being such a small island there will be little to no commuting costs
• Free prescriptions

So if the numbers work for you, what can you expect living in Jersey to be like?

• You will experience a high quality of life
• Jersey is very safe with a very low crime rate
• Education is of a very high standard
• Jersey is very family friendly
• Great weather with balmy summers and mild winters
• A work-life balance is extremely important to the islanders and is easy to attain
• Superb quality beaches
• The opportunity for an outdoor lifestyle
• Easy and quick transport links to the UK and Europe
• Numerous good restaurants including several Michelin-starred eateries
• The physical and mental benefits of living near the coast

Finally, you need to know that there are four categories of residence and employment statuses that determine whether you can be employed and where you can live in Jersey:

#1 Entitled

• You must have lived in Jersey for 10 years
• You may buy, sell or lease any property
• You can work anywhere and do not need permission to do so

#2 Licensed

• You must be considered an essential employee
• You can buy, sell, or lease properties not part of assisted purchase schemes or in social rented housing as long as you keep your licensed status
• An employer requires permission to employ a licensed person

#3 Entitled for Work

• You must have lived in Jersey for 5 consecutive years or be married to someone who is Entitled, Licensed, or Entitled to Work
• You can lease a registered property or jointly buy a property with an Entitled spouse
• You can work anywhere and do not need permission to be employed

#4 Registered

• This applies to anybody who does not qualify for any of the above categories
• You can rent a property as your main place of residency
• An employer requires permission to employ you

There is more detailed information regarding residential statuses at www.gov.je

You may also like to read: International Home Moves: The Ultimate Home Moving Challenge? Whilst moving to Jersey is fairly easy there are still things that are different about moving overseas than locally. Find out all you need to know about moving abroad in this essential guide.

Now read on to discover all you need to know about relocating to Jersey.

Finding a Home in Jersey

There are 12 parishes in Jersey, each taking its name from the ancient parish churches and each one enjoying a share of the beautiful coastline.

• St Helier is the capital town of Jersey and accommodates over a third of the whole island’s population. With a number of museums, an art centre, an opera house, sports venues, castles, markets, and numerous restaurants and bars, there is always plenty to do here.
• Grouville is situated in the southeast of the island a boasts the incredible Royal Bay of Grouville. Here you will also enjoy the Royal Jersey Golf Course.
• St Brelade is the second largest parish in Jersey and being only 7km west of St Helier is a popular commuter area. Although quite urbanized there are some stunning bays on the coast such as St Brelade’s Bay and Portelet.
• St Clement is the second most densely populated and smallest parish in Jersey. The parish is mostly urban and is a popular commuter suburb of St Helier. St Clement has two primary schools and one secondary school and a couple of sports facilities including a nine-hole golf course. Just off the coast is one of the world’s largest inter-tidal reefs.
• St John is just 7km from St Helier but is a mainly rural parish. The two main villages are St John which has shops, a village pub, the parish church, and a primary school. Sion is the other popular village with a small shop and a garage. It is also worth mentioning that the cliffs on the coast here offer some of the most amazing views in all of Jersey.
• St Lawrence is just 8km from St Helier and being a mainly inland parish only has a short coastline. The majority of residents here tend to live around Bel Royal, Six Roads, or Le Mont Felard. There are two primary schools within the parish, a country life museum, and the Jersey War Tunnels, and hosts a cider-making festival each year.
• St Martin is about 6km northeast of St Helier and is one of the most desirable places to live in Jersey. Here you will find Mont Orgueil Castle dating back over 800 years. Life here is laid-back which is reflected in the extensive green lane network which gives priority to horseriders, pedestrians, and cyclists and has a 15mph speed limit.
• St Mary is the smallest parish with only one, sparsely populated village. The village of St Mary has a church, petrol station, pub, and a primary school. It is just 8km from St Helier.
• St Ouen is about 9km to the northwest of St Helier and is quite different from other parishes. It has its own dialect of Jerrias (the traditional language of Jersey) for example. Part of the parish forms the Grosnez peninsula and the northern and western boundaries are coastal with some beautiful bays and beaches. Most of the parish is rural with St Ouen’s Village being the main place people choose to live.  
• St Peter is home to Jersey Airport and is just 7km from St Helier. There is a state-run primary school as well as the fee-paying St George’s Preparatory School. It is the only parish with two coastlines and has the sixth-largest population density.  
• St Saviour is a suburb of St Helier and is quite urbanized, especially in the south around the Georgetown and Five Oaks area where you will find many schools and suburban housing.
• Trinity is 6km from St Helier and is a mainly rural parish. Trinity parish is home to the Jersey Showground (where the largest music festival in the Channel Isles, the Weekender Festival, is held), and Jersey Zoo.

Property prices in Jersey are high and properties are in high demand. In the last quarter of 2022, the average price of a 1-bedroom flat was £370,000 whilst a 3-bedroom house was £904,000.

You can discover the most up-to-date property prices at www.gov.je  which publishes the house price index every quarter.

You may like to visit www.places.je which is a property portal for Jersey.

You may also like to read: Which is more important: Location or House? 31 Things to Consider. Most people would say that location is the number one consideration when moving home. In this guide, we look at all the considerations to take into account when making this really important decision.

Cost of Living in Jersey

The cost of living in Jersey is high, as you would expect, with consumer prices including rent about 45% higher than in the UK.

That said, the average net salary is 6% higher, and mortgage rates are about 11% cheaper.

Additional financial benefits of moving to Jersey include a low rate of only 5% tax on goods and services and a maximum rate of personal tax of only 20% with low-income families paying no income tax or a reduced amount. There is also no capital gains tax in Jersey.

Find out more about money and tax in Jersey at www.gov.je  

At www.numbeo.com you can enter your location and compare it with the cost of living in Jersey for a more accurate comparison. 

You may also like to read: How to Avoid the 5 Things That Will Blow Your Moving Budget. Moving home is never cheap but there are things to be aware of that may cost you even more come moving day. Luckily, these can easily be avoided if you know what to watch for.

Healthcare in Jersey

When you first arrive in Jersey you are not entitled to free healthcare so you will need a private healthcare plan.

However, after 6 months you can apply for a health card which entitles you to cheaper GP visits and free prescriptions.

Emergency hospital treatment is free but you will pay for your stay and treatment.

You will also need to budget for non-emergency treatment, dentists, and ante-natal clinics which are not free.

Some treatments and services are not available in Jersey and you may be required to go to the UK or France for treatment for which you will incur travel and treatment costs.

For more in-depth information about healthcare in Jersey visit www.gov.je.

You may like to read: What are the Health Benefits of Moving Home? As stressful and tiring as moving home can be, moving home can actually be beneficial to your health, especially when moving somewhere as wonderful as Jersey.

Education in Jersey

Free, government-funded education is available if you hold a UK passport.

The Jersey education system consists of:

• Pre-School (3-4-year-olds)
• Primary School (4-11-year-olds)
• Secondary School ( 11-16-year-olds)
• Optional Further Education until 18 years old

There are three types of schools systems in Jersey:

• Non-fee-paying government schools
• Fee-paying (part-funded) government schools
• Private fee-paying schools

You can find a list of all the primary and secondary schools in Jersey with website and contact details at www.gov.je 

The standard of education in Jersey is very high and student exam grades consistently are better than in the UK as these results show:

Grade                    A*          A             B             C             D            E              U

​Jersey 2020         ​12.5%    ​19.8%    ​30.3%    ​22.5%    ​11.5%    ​2.9%      ​0.5%

​England 2020      ​8.9%      ​18.7%    26.2%​    ​24.2%    ​14.3%    ​5.9%      ​1.8%

See more detailed exam results and the comparison with UK results at www.gov.je  

For more detailed information on education in Jersey including school catchment areas visit www.gov.je

You may like to read: Dido The Dragon Moves Home: A Childrens Book About Moving Home for Children. Moving home with young ones can be an upsetting and frightening time for them. In this children’s book about moving home, we tell the story of a young dragon moving far away. It is written to help your children understand the moving process and also offers you ideas on how to make the home move more fun and easier for them.

Travel Around Jersey

Getting around Jersey by car is probably not your best option, Jersey has one of the highest car-to-population ratios in the world so traffic jams and parking can be a problem whilst many roads are green lane and have 15mph speed restrictions.

There is a vast network of green lanes and cycle paths so many people choose cycling as their preferred method of transport.

Public transport is frequent, cheap, and easily accessible for those with mobility problems.

There are nine daily flights from Jersey Airport to the UK which takes just over an hour, and regular departures to other international destinations.

Regular ferries depart Jersey for Poole, Portsmouth, France, and the other channel isles.

Essential Information about Moving to Jersey from the UK

As overseas home moves go, moving from the UK to Jersey is fairly straightforward.

However, there are some things that you need to be aware of and which a good removal company that specialises in home moves to Jersey will be able to offer you assistance with.

#1. There are certain items that are prohibited or restricted to be imported to Jersey.

• Firearms, ammunition, flick knives, gravity knives, and CS gas sprays
• Inflammable goods & substances
• Plants & plant material
• Foodstuffs and perishables including liquid milk
• Narcotics and dangerous goods
• Offensive materials
• Alcohol & Tobacco
• Endangered animals and goods made of or taken from them

#2. You must declare all household goods you are taking to Jersey by submitting an Importers Declaration to Customs & Excise.

#3. Pets require no special vaccinations nor do quarantine restrictions apply for cats, dogs, and ferrets. Dogs must be registered and licensed annually in Jersey which can be done at the local parish offices.

#4 Hire a Specialist UK to Jersey Removal Company

Hiring a good removal company will make the physical process of moving far less stressful and so much easier.

Additionally, they will take care of all the paperwork and know all the Customs & Excise procedures.

Although an additional moving cost, it is worth paying for a professional packing service so that your valuable possessions get the optimum protection.

Some removal companies will use container freight to get your things to Jersey. There is a twice-weekly sailing to the Channel Islands on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

If your things are being transported by container then door-to-door transit usually takes between 8 to 10 days.

Other removal firms will have a dedicated removal lorry rather than a container service, for which the transit time is considerably quicker, so check which mode of transport the removal company is using when making your decision to hire them.

If a dedicated removal lorry is used to move your items then they will be handled less and there is less risk of any damage being caused to them.

There are many specialist removal firms in the UK who regularly ship items between the UK and Jersey and you can read all the latest reviews for these firms at www.removalreviews.co.uk 

Get a free, no-obligation removal quote for your move to Jersey now.

Useful websites if you are thinking of moving to Jersey:

• www.gov.je has useful information on all aspects of moving to and living in Jersey 
• www.locatejersey.com for more practical information about moving to Jersey
• www.jersey.com is a great way to learn all about Jersey and what it has to offer

Good luck relocating to Jersey and come back and tell us in the comments below about your move.