In April 2020, as a one-year response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the universal credit standard allowance received a temporary uplift of £20 a week. In his March 2021 budget, the UK Chancellor announced an extension of this temporary uplift for a further six months, alongside other advances to universal credit. The temporary uplift was always time-limited and it is misleading to pretend otherwise.

As the First Minister said yesterday in regard to an NHS pay rise, Government can't just magic money out of the air. The UK Government, which delivered a £407 billion COVID support package, including a £9 billion injection into our welfare system, and an additional £2.14 billion to the Welsh Government for 2021-22, is now focused on investing in jobs and skills as we bounce back from the pandemic. Further, as we heard, the UK Government has also announced a new £500 million household support fund available to help those most in need as we enter, hopefully, the final stages of recovery, which will support millions of households. Devolved Governments will receive £79 million of this, so how will the Welsh Government ensure that its full share of this money ends up helping those most in need in Wales?