North Wales MS Mark Isherwood has asked the Welsh Government to act on the call for Jobcentre Plus offices to serve as a single point of access by incorporating a local authority Welsh Benefits Service.
Questioning the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Trefnydd and Chief Whip, Jane Hutt, in today’s meeting of the Welsh Parliament, Mr Isherwood said the call has been made by witnesses to the 2019 Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee inquiry into ‘Benefits in Wales: Options for Better Delivery’, which he was part of.
Following a question asking what action the Welsh Government is taking to ensure people in Delyn are claiming the benefits they are entitled to, he said:
“November's Citizens Advice Flintshire news focused on energy advice and the deadline to claim the non-devolved Winter Fuel Payment. December's Citizens Advice Flintshire news focused on Council Tax Discounts and Reductions, which, of course, are devolved.
“Questioning you here a year ago on the Welsh Benefits Charter, I noted that the sector had been calling for a coherent and integrated Welsh Benefits System for all the means-tested benefits the Welsh Government is responsible for, as had I, for almost a decade.
“The Welsh Government has now published a ‘Streamlining Welsh Benefits’ route map to ensure ‘that people can seamlessly claim their entitlement to council tax reduction, free school meals and the school essentials grant in each Welsh Local Authority by April 2026’. This includes: 'Consider how Job Centre Plus signpost to Welsh benefits.'
“How will you, therefore, ensure that the call by witnesses to the 2019 Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee inquiry into ‘Benefits in Wales: Options for Better Delivery’, which I was part of, for Jobcentre Plus Offices to act as a single point of access by incorporating a Local Authority Welsh Benefits service, is acted upon?”
In her response, the Cabinet Secretary said:
“I met with Fran Targett, the Chair of the Welsh Benefits Steering Group, and Matthew Evans, Wrexham Council Head of Revenue and Benefits and Chair of the Local Authority Senior Responsible Officer Group. I met with them in Wrexham only a few weeks ago, and we talked about the steps that they are taking. They are driving and enabling local authorities across Wales to deliver that access and entitlement to benefits. It was very encouraging to see the partners, including, of course, jobcentres, in the way that this has been taken up.”
