Moving to The Channel Islands

[ChannelIsland]

My son is considering moving to Jersey, and is weighing up all the pros and cons. I thought I’d ask here to get some first person advice, not just Google research.

The job comes with accommodation attached, so that’s one problem area resolved.

1. Is public transport decent? If you live in St Helier would you need a car?
2. He currently lives in a UK city served by EasyJet. Are these flights seasonal or all year round?
3. What’s the cost of living like? For example - how much is bread, milk, pasta etc as a guide.
4. Do UK nationals get free healthcare on Jersey or is there a BUPA like service he’d have to buy and if so what would it cost?
5. What’s the social life of the island like?

I’d appreciate any other feedback you have.

Thanks

Hopeful bump.

I lived on Guernsey which is probably quite similar.

1. There you'd definitely want a car unless you're happy to cycle everywhere or take taxis. I don't know what the bus system is like Jersey but it was useless on Guernsey.
2. All year round. Both islands have big financial centres so they need it.
3. On Guernsey healthcare costs money every time you use it, unless you have specialist insurance.
4. Same as any small town in the UK. Clubs/pubs, etc. It's definitely not a small village where everyone knows everyone.

I dont live there but have been several times over the last decade. Public transport is OK but if you miss a bus you have to wait longer for the next one, than you would here. Most people have cars or cycle I think!! We have always hired a car when we go and it's a necessity for us.
I think flight timetables are a bit all over the place at the mo after Covid and also the collapse of Flybe? You can certainly fly out though and he wont get stranded.
Healthcare is not free but I couldnt advise at all on that.
Food is EYE WATERINGLY expensive. A mini shop consisting of 'a few bits' will be at least £20. They only have waitrose and M&S as the main food shops (there are co-ops too but like over here, they arent a cheap option)... A few years ago i remember a pack of grapes was around £4.50 in M&S! I can only imagine it might be even more expensive now as Ive not been since before the pandemic! For milk in particular, I believe most of the milk for sale is locally produced Jersey milk so it may not actually be as bad as what we are currently paying here.
By social life do you mean nightlife, clubbing/bars? Its a much different way of life over there than mainland UK (in my opinion). Surfing rather than clubbing!
There is nightlife in st helier but it's a lot tamer than here. Theres a venue called watersplash (not in st helier) that is a restaurant by day but sometimes becomes a dancing spot at night. But then you have an expensive taxi ride home! Buses all stop out of st helier at around 10/11pm from my memory. Im possibly a bit out of date on some of this advice so please dont take all of this at face value.

Sorry, realised I missed the one about food prices so these numbers are out of order.

No idea what things cost now but most stuff is imported so priced accordingly.

Jersey is lovely, and I think would be a fab place to bring up young children.

I'm from there, although I emmigrated 15 years ago. I still visit and I think these answers are still ok...

1. It's not great but a young person living in St. Helier could quite possibly do without a car (and might have trouble with parking for it anyway.) The buses along the south coast are fine. The ones to the country areas in the north are a bit shit. Cars (buying and running) are cheaper there though! The topography of the island makes cycling many places a fairly intense workout!
2. All year round.
3. It's high! Accomodation is tricky too so great if he doesn't have to worry about that.
4. At least when I was there, if you live there then hospital treatment etc. was free. Doctors were free but you paid a prescription fee. Prescription Medicine itself was very heavily subsidized.
5. Pubs - excellent, clubs - less so. There was actually a not-particularly healthy culture of pubs after work. I say that as a sensible 43 year old parent. I though it was awesome at the time!

Will he be working in the finance sector?

Energy costs are high I understand.

Thanks all - working in hospitality I believe