North Wales MS Mark Isherwood has called on the First Minister to respond to calls for the Welsh Government to establish a single point of access for benefits and support schemes administered in Wales.
Questioning Mark Drakeford during yesterday’s meeting of the Welsh Parliament, Mr Isherwood said that the Bevan Foundation, Citizens Advice Cymru and Community Housing Cymru have all called for this and asked the First Minister to respond to their request. .
He said:
“The UK Government boosted the welfare system by £7.4 billion in 2020-21, including a temporary £20 a week uplift in Universal Credit standard allowance and Working Tax Credit basic element, an increase in Local Housing Allowance rates and relaxation of Universal Credit minimum income floor for self-employed claimants.
“In common with the Welsh Government, the UK Government is keeping all its Coronavirus Measures under review as the pandemic position changes.
“As the Prime Minister reconfirmed last week, extending the Universal Credit uplift beyond April is being kept “under review” – and the Secretary State for Work and Pensions has stated "as the UK Government has done throughout this crisis, it will continue to assess how best to support low-income families, which is why we will look at the economic and health context in the new year."
“However, given your devolved responsibilities, how do you respond to the calls by the Bevan Foundation, Citizens Advice Cymru and Community Housing Cymru for the Welsh Government to establish a single point of access for benefits and support schemes administered in Wales?”
In his response, the First Minister criticised the UK Government’s pledge to keep an extension to the Universal Credit uplift under review, but failed to answer Mr. Isherwood’s question.
Speaking after the meeting, Mr Isherwood added:
“This from the man who continuously tells us that he is keeping his Coronavirus restrictions and support programmes under review! Once again, he chose to score cheap political points against the UK Government rather than answer my questions about matters for which he is responsible.”