What progress has the Welsh Government made on establishing the Welsh benefits system as recommended by the Bevan Foundation in 2020?
The Bevan Foundation refers to a “Welsh Benefits system” meaning the range of grants and allowances such as Council Tax Reduction Scheme, Free School Meals and Discretionary Assistance Fund that Welsh Government provide to low-income households in Wales to alleviate the growing issue of poverty. These schemes have been set up to complement the UK social security system which is a devolved matter.
I am pleased that the Bevan Foundation is represented on a stakeholder group that is helping us to draft a Benefit Charter that will underpin the design and delivery of a coherent, integrated and compassionate Welsh benefits system. It is important however that the Charter is jointly owned and our next step is to liaise with local authorities to ensure that the Charter meets expectations from both stakeholders and delivery partners.
As part of our ongoing commitment to maximising household income we developed a Best Practice Toolkit in partnership with local authorities. In May last year, the Minister for Social Justice and Minister for Finance and Local Government wrote to all local authorities to highlight how the toolkit will help streamline and simplify the application process for claiming Welsh benefits. We continue to work with local authorities to monitor progress with regards to the impact of the toolkit and to explore further how to streamlining services.
The Bevan Foundation stresses the importance of the Welsh Government’s financial support being targeted at households with the lowest incomes and having a well-defined eligibility criteria that removes the need for discretionary decision making. We have adhered to this approach in the design of the Winter Fuel Support Scheme, which is available to low income households receiving a working-age means-tested benefit, such as Universal Credit.
The Bevan Foundation report focuses upon the welfare benefits that the Welsh Government already has within its control and how we can deliver these more effectively. However, the pandemic has changed the type and amount of support that people in Wales require and I welcome the commitment in the Co-operation Agreement that supports the devolution of the administration of welfare benefits under the control of the UK Government and exploration of the necessary infrastructure to prepare for this. I look forward to discussing this with the designated member.