Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Finance and Local Government – in the Senedd at 2:00 pm on 27 April 2022.
Thank you, Minister. People in my constituency of Islwyn and across Wales are facing a truly unprecedented cost-of-living crisis. The Office for Budget Responsibility has said that in 2022-23 we will see the biggest fall in living standards since records began. We know that the poorest in society will be impacted the most, particularly those on benefits in constituencies like mine. Minister, I welcome what the Welsh Government has done so far, in partnership with local authorities, to try and address the challenges individuals and their families face, including the £150 payment for all households in tax bands A to D, an extension of the winter fuel support scheme worth £200 for eligible households, and the £25 million for local authorities to provide discretionary support. But we know that the problem is deeper than this. We know that the UK Government have the levers to provide that vital support, but as their inaction at the recent spring statement showed, the Tories simply do not care about the financial challenges that the most vulnerable face. Minister, as individuals and families face this unprecedented squeeze on their household finances, what can be done to get the UK Government to act responsibly and support the most vulnerable in our communities?