Has the Cabinet Secretary held discussions with relevant individuals and organisations on the risks posed to elderly people of not being able to heat their home to safe temperatures this winter?
Responsibility for the revised policy relating to eligibility for the winter fuel payment sits with the UK Government, however Welsh Government is working closely with the DWP . on the UK Government’s Pension Credit campaign and have re-shared our own resources which signpost people to our Claim What’s Yours Helpline. We are also investing £30 million this year into our Warm Homes Nest Scheme to tackle fuel poverty for homeowners and households renting from private landlords.
The Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Trefnydd and Chief Whip will be chairing the next meeting of an Inter-Ministerial Group on Work and Pensions and intends to discuss with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how both governments can work together to protect older people this winter.
I recently met with the CEO of Age Cymru to discuss concerns relating to the impact of the new eligibility criteria Later this month, I will join a meeting between the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Trefnydd and the Older People’s Commissioner to discuss this issue further.
We continue to work closely with Age Cymru to deliver our ‘Spread the Warmth’ campaign, which encourages people to plan ahead for winter. This year the campaign is focusing on the importance of checking for unclaimed benefits and entitlements; the link between nutrition and warmth and highlighting the benefits of taking up vaccines.
I take advice on a range of issues relating to ageing from my Ministerial Advisory Forum on Ageing. Membership of the forum includes representation from national older people’s organisations, local authorities, the third sector, the Older People’s Commissioner and academia.