Thursday 01 October 2015
It is not uncommon for Qualified Residents who join HM Forces to have a family during their time in service. If they do, and as long as the family returns to Guernsey within 6 months of the Islander leaving service, the current Housing Control Law allows their children to be treated as though they were living in Guernsey during the period of service. There are many people, born to service parents, who have benefited from these provisions and who are now Qualified Residents themselves. We are trying to track these people down.
When the new Population Management Law commences in 2017, it will introduce the concept of 'birth-right', allowing a child to gain residential qualifications at birth if they are born in Guernsey and at least one of their parents, and that parent's parent, were also born in Guernsey.
This change means that whether or not a person was born in Guernsey potentially has implications for their children and grandchildren that were not foreseen when the provisions relating to the residence of HM Forces families were included in the Housing Control Law.
Deputy Mike Hadley, Deputy Housing Minister explained:
"For those service children who have yet to confirm their residential status, when they apply to do so, the Housing Control team will automatically apply the above policy to them. But, for those who have already had their residential status confirmed, and who hold a Status Declaration document, Housing's records will not show them as being deemed to have been born in Guernsey. Although not an issue for the service child, this could potentially have important implications for their children and grandchildren under the new Population Management Law. We are asking them to contact us now, so that they can have peace of mind that future generations will not miss out on the new birth-right provisions, and also because, over time, it might be harder to access the information needed to demonstrate the military service of their parent."
Depending on the information held on Housing's records, some people will not have to provide any additional information to re-qualify. Others might need to provide a copy of their full birth certificate, or some other documentation confirming that their parent was serving in HM Forces at the time of their birth.
Any person who thinks this policy change might apply to them or their children can contact Thaea Patterson, Housing Control Officer, by email: thaea.patterson@gov.gg, or by phone on 717267, for advice.
The Housing Department would also like to reassure families that children born away from Guernsey for medical reasons are - and will continue to be - treated as though they were born in Guernsey.