Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2002, published 91st ILC session (2003)

The Committee took note of the detailed report of the Government provided in 2001 and would like it to supply additional information on the following points:

  Part IV (Unemployment benefit), Article 22 (in relation to Articles 66 and 67). The Government indicates that from October 1996 the Isle of Man introduced, as in the United Kingdom, a new scheme entitled Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), which replaced Unemployment Benefit and Supplementary Benefit for the unemployed. In 2000, the standard rate of JSA amounted to £53.05 a week, which represented 24.19% of the average wage of the ordinary adult general labourer determined under Article 66 of the Convention (£219.30 for a 37 hour week from 1 September 2000). The Committee notes that this rate of JSA falls short of the minimum replacement level of unemployment benefit of 45% established by the Convention. It understands however that these data referrers to the contribution-based JSA, while in the United Kingdom the great majority of claimants of unemployment benefit receive the income-based JSA, the level of which is far greater than the replacement level established by the Convention. In order to better appraise the situation, the Committee would like the Government to supply the information on the amount of the income-based JSA and on the proportionate number of persons receiving the income-based JSA and the contribution-based JSA. As regards the income-based JSA, please supply also the information requested under Article 76, Title IV, of the report form for the Convention.

Part V (Old-age benefit). According to the Government’s report, the standard weekly rate of benefit payable to a married couple attains 52.85 per cent of the average wage of an ordinary adult general labourer taken as a reference wage under Article 66 of the Convention. The conditions for the payment of the benefit are the same as in Great Britain. The Committee recalls in this respect that in the United Kingdom a full pension is payable to a beneficiary who has completed 44 (for men) and 39 (for women) qualifying years, and that for the purpose of the Convention the Government calculates in its latest report a pro-rated pension which is achieved after 30 qualifying years. The Committee would be glad if, in its next report, the Government of the Isle of Man will also provide statistics on the amount of the old-age benefit for a standard beneficiary who has completed a qualifying period of 30 years of contribution or employment, as required by Article 29, paragraph 1(a), of the Convention.

Part VII (Family benefit). The Committee would be glad if, in its next report, in addition to up-dated statistics on the total amount of cash benefit provided under the Child Benefit scheme, the Government will not fail to indicate also the total number of children of all persons protected, as required in the report form under Article 44 of the Convention. As regards, the amount of Income Support paid in cash for the needs of children, as well as the total value of child benefits in kind, which cannot be readily computed, the Committee would appreciate receiving the best estimate figures.