Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:07 pm on 23 January 2018.
Thank you for that answer, First Minister. Disabled people and single parents and women have been amongst the biggest losers under seven years of austerity, according to the Equality and Human Rights Commission, standing to lose around 10 per cent of their income by 2022 due to tax and benefit changes since 2010. The roll-out of the flawed universal credit, with its unacceptable payment delays, as you've said, has pushed many people into debt, rent arrears and eviction. Of course, the Member for Torfaen, Lynne Neagle, has fed back on the Torfaen experience. Also, young people aged 18 to 21 have also lost out under universal credit, with housing benefit withdrawn. I don't know if Members are aware that the Children's Society has highlighted the UK Government's proposals to introduce an earnings threshold for eligibility to free school meals under universal credit, restricting free school meals to families with net earnings under £7,400 per year. With universal credit expected to be fully rolled out this year in the Vale of Glamorgan and other parts of Wales, what support is the Welsh Government giving to our advice services, such as Cardiff and Vale Citizens Advice, which will be bearing the brunt of supporting people adversely affected by universal credit?