Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Social Justice – in the Senedd at 2:10 pm on 16 March 2022.
I'm sure the Minister is aware of the work by the Bevan Foundation on the Welsh benefits system. Their analysis of the current situation is that although the Welsh Government has provided unprecedented levels of support, efforts are undermined by the complex way in which support is administered. The foundation suggests that a low-income family with two children would have to present nine different application forms. Creating a reformed system of grants provided by the Welsh Government, which would mean that you could apply for all the support that you're entitled to in one place, would improve families' access to support by making it more accessible. The past few months have shown how important it is now for us to make progress on this issue, so I ask the Minister to accelerate the Government's work in this area. We need a more co-ordinated system in place now that provides support for those that need it most as soon as possible.