More couples eligible for IVF

Wednesday, 17 September 2025 07:51

More couples in Jersey will be able to get funded IVF from October.

Subsidised fertility treatment will be extended to couples with children from previous relationships, same-sex female couples and long-term residents returning to the island.

Couples will be eligible for funded IVF even if one partner has children from a previous relationship, provided the the couple do not have a child together.

The requirement for same-sex female couples to prove infertility through artificial insemination will be removed.

Eligibility will be based on access to funded healthcare, so that long-term residents returning home to Jersey are not disadvantaged.

Assistant Health Minister Deputy Andy Howell says the government recognises how deeply many couples long to have a child:

"When the first round of changes to IVF funding were announced last year, I committed to keeping these under review, in a hope that we would be able to extend the offer and support more couples with IVF funding within the available budget.

"I’m delighted that we are now in that position, and that more couples will be able to access Government funded IVF treatment.

"As we did previously, we will monitor the impact of these changes carefully. Our focus is on giving as many couples as possible the chance to build the family they dream of."

It follows changes that took effect in January, offering one funded cycle to all eligible couples, regardless of their household income.

Those with an income of less than £200,000 can get two cycled funded, and those earning less than £82,300 can get three cycles paid for.