Part of 2. 2. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children – in the Senedd at 2:21 pm on 5 April 2017.
I thank the Member for a very serious question. Generally, single 18 to 21-year-olds with no children will not be entitled to help with their housing costs when universal credit, from 1 April—this week—comes into force. There are a number of exemptions, including those who are disabled or unable to live at home with their parents. There are approximately 1,000 people affected in Wales, but this does not take into account the extensive exemptions that may apply. This is a very harsh implementation of the credit reform. We do not support this; this is a UK Government intervention. We are very concerned that the number of young people displaced in our communities will increase through this, and I have asked my team to look at this with some urgency.