8. What policies is the Welsh Government following to support the most vulnerable through the cost-of-living crisis? OQ57801

We're supporting the most vulnerable people to maximise their income and build their financial resilience, and we recently announced a £330 million package of measures to help vulnerable people affected by the cost-of-living crisis.

Minister, as we know, the crisis is already with us, but, sadly, it's set to get considerably worse in terms of the cost of food, fuel, energy and much else besides. We know that specific steps have been taken by the Welsh Government to put schemes in place to help, and that's very welcome indeed, but, obviously, a lot of the responsibility lies with the UK Government and, for example, the benefits system. Sadly, Minister, a lot of those benefits remain unclaimed in Wales and we have a host of organisations, such as Citizens Advice, housing associations, various charities and local authorities providing help and support so that people are aware of their entitlement and claim it. But, sadly, that doesn't appear to be enough. I wonder, Minister, whether Welsh Government might take a fresh overview of the sources of information and advice available, and whether there are any gaps?

I well remember when local authorities all had welfare benefit advisors and, obviously, that isn't the case today after the years of austerity. So, I just wonder—

The Member needs to conclude now.

—if Welsh Government could take a fresh overview of these matters.

Thank you very much, John Griffiths. Well, income maximisation and benefit take-up is crucially important to this, and it is worth us looking at who is helping us with our campaign, our national benefits take-up campaign, which we delivered last year. We're running another campaign—we announced this as part of our response to the cost-of-living crisis—called 'Claim what's yours' campaign, launched this year. It's also very important that we link this to our support for the single advice fund. We know, with Citizens Advice, we've approved over £11 million grant funding to be available to those single advice fund givers. And we need to have stability for that, so we've ensured that they can reach out. But it is very important that we respond to this, because this is the way in which we can get money into people's pockets, not just through the £200 fuel support scheme, the £150 in terms of those on the council tax bands, but also the discretionary assistance fund. But they should be taking up UK Government welfare benefits and crucially important, I'd say, pensioner credit, which still has a low take-up level. So, thank you for those comments.

And lastly, question 9, Delyth Jewell.