Understanding Islanders’ views
Understanding the views and experiences of Islanders is an important part of good decision-making. But how do we find out what Islanders think and understand how experiences differ across the population?
One important tool is the Jersey Opinions and Lifestyle survey (JOLS). The survey covers a wide range of topics. Some questions are repeated each year so that we can track trends over time, whilst others focus on current issues affecting Islanders. This year, for example, the survey includes questions about voting.
The information collected helps Jersey’s Government understand the issues affecting different groups of Islanders, and how services and policies can best meet their needs. Surveys such as JOLS ensure that a representative sample of the population has an opportunity to share their views, rather than relying only on those who are most confident speaking up. Similar surveys are carried out in many other places, including the UK.
How the survey works
Each year, around 4,000 households across Jersey are invited to take part. We aim to ensure that once an address has been selected, it isn’t selected again for the next 3 years, giving that household a break from participating. Occasionally, however, households that have moved address may find themselves selected in consecutive years!
Participation is entirely voluntary, and all responses are treated in strict confidence. Findings are published only in summary form and never identify individual respondents.
We also work hard to ensure that all groups of Islanders are fairly represented in the results. The sampling process is designed to achieve a good geographic spread across the Island, and statistical techniques are used to ensure that the results accurately reflect Jersey’s population, including groups that are typically less likely to respond. For example, response rates tend to be lower among younger adults than older age groups, so weighting is used to ensure their views are properly represented in the final results.
Once the survey data has been analysed, the findings are published on www.stats.je, making them freely available to everyone. The results are usually released in December, so keep an eye out towards the end of the year.
Turning responses into insights
The survey provides valuable insights into how Islanders live, work and think. For example, findings from the 2025 survey showed that although debit and credit cards were the most commonly used payment methods, 66% of adults had used cash during the previous month. The results also highlighted differences between age groups: while only 2% of 16 to 34-year-olds had used a cheque in the previous month, this rose to 37% among those aged 65 and over.
The previous survey also explored views on fireworks. While 78% of respondents opposed a total ban, 86% felt that local residents should be informed about upcoming fireworks events. Findings like these help the government understand public opinion and identify areas where policy changes or further action may be needed.
More broadly, JOLS helps inform policy development, service planning and public debate by providing an accurate and independent picture of Islanders’ views and experiences.
So, if you receive an invitation to take part in JOLS, please consider completing it. There is no obligation to respond, but taking part is a valuable opportunity to help ensure that your experiences and opinions are represented in the statistics that help shape decisions affecting Jersey’s future.
