People turning to emergency help due to welfare changes Minister warns London

The Welsh Government’s deep concerns about the impact of welfare changes such as the ‘bedroom tax’ on Wales will be raised in Whitehall today when Communities & Tackling Poverty Minister Huw Lewis meets one of the architects of the reforms (Mon 17th June).

He will meet the UK Government’s Welfare reform Minister Lord Freud in London to express his worries about how the changes to benefits will hit the most vulnerable in society and affect the Welsh economy.

Figures show that the number of families turning to emergency financial help to pay for their housing has rocketed in some Welsh local authorities.

Families struggling to pay their rent can approach their local council to apply for discretionary housing payments. The demands on the fund have seen a significant increase, including:

• Anglesey – claims have increased by 804%.
• Conwy – claims have increased by 316%.
• Newport – claims have increased by 266%.
• Wrexham – claims have increased by 371%.
• The Vale of Glamorgan – claims have increased by 65%.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, Huw Lewis said:

“I welcome the opportunity to speak to Lord Freud directly about how the changes to welfare are having a very real impact on the lives of people across Wales.

“The ‘bedroom tax’ alone will see 40,000 families worse off and councils are telling us more people than ever before are applying for emergency help to pay the rent.

“By some estimates the wider welfare changes will take £1 billion out of the Welsh economy and it is the most vulnerable in our society who will feel the squeeze.

“The Welsh Government is committed to doing all we can to help people through these traumatic changes. However, we are under no illusion that people will suffer hardship and this will put even more pressure on public services in a climate where our budgets are being squeezed like never before.”

Housing & Regeneration Minister Carl Sargeant said:

“I share Huw Lewis’ concerns about the impact of welfare reform on people and communities across Wales. I am also concerned about the impact on the financial viability of organisations, in particular housing associations, which are key partners of the Welsh Government in delivering much needed new affordable housing.”