Questions Without Notice from Party Spokespeople

Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Social Justice – in the Senedd at 1:47 pm on 9 November 2022.

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Photo of Peredur Owen Griffiths Peredur Owen Griffiths Plaid Cymru 1:47, 9 November 2022

Diolch, Llywydd. Pensioners in the UK are expected to be around £442 per year worse off from April following a reduced pension rate and a cut in help for energy bills. Given that in January this year over 75 per cent of over-65s surveyed by Age UK were worried by the rising cost-of-living crisis, and, since then, the inflation rate and the cost of energy bills have only continued to skyrocket, what is the Deputy Minister doing to further welfare reform by maximising the use of our devolved competencies to ensure that support is targeted towards older people who need help, especially those who will be facing higher than average energy and mobility costs? Could you also shed some light on whether over-60s are getting more help to access the discretionary assistance fund, bearing in mind answers I had to a written question I submitted earlier this year suggesting that less than 1 per cent of over-60s accessed the fund?