Spending on consultants, agency staff and temporary workers in Jersey has been cut by almost £45m in three years, the Government of Jersey has said.
A report found external workforce costs had fallen from £82.8m in 2023 to £38m in 2025.
The biggest reductions include a drop in consultancy spending by £13.3m and a fall in health and social care agency staff spending by £18m.
The reported figures regarding the reduction in spending on external workers in Jersey are accurate according to recent government reports. The Government of Jersey has confirmed a significant drive to curb "excessive growth" in public sector spending by reducing reliance on consultants and agency staff. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Verified Spending Reductions
A report on the cost of consultants and agency staff detailed the following changes between 2023 and 2025:
- Total Savings: Spending on the external workforce was cut by nearly £45 million over a three-year period.
- Total Costs: Costs fell from £82.8 million in 2023 to a projected £38 million by the end of 2025.
- Consultancy Spending: Dropped by £13.3 million, reflecting a 24% reduction as part of a shift toward developing "local talent" rather than hiring off-island project managers.
- Health and Social Care: Agency staff spending in this sector fell by £18 million. This was achieved primarily by moving agency workers onto permanent contracts to provide better job security and reduce "premium cost" reliance. [2, 6, 7, 8, 9]
Contextual Factors
- Recruitment Freeze: In August 2024, the government implemented a recruitment freeze for non-essential and back-office roles, which was extended through March 2026 to further control expenditure.
- Headcount Trends: While the central administrative headcount decreased (falling by 288 between 2024 and 2025), the government continues to prioritise and recruit for frontline services like nursing and teaching.
- Efficiency Targets: The government exceeded its 2024 efficiency target, delivering £18 million in savings, and has set a further target of £20 million for 2025. [7, 10, 11, 12, 13]
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