Making the case for a Welsh Benefits System – people’s experiences

New Bevan Foundation report demonstrates a clear need for a fully comprehensive Welsh Benefits System to be formed with urgency.

For the past five years the Bevan Foundation has been working to improve access to “Welsh benefits”. We have long called on the Welsh Government to establish a Welsh Benefits System, which would see the various grants and allowances pulled together into one coherent system. Such a system would make it easier for people to access the benefits they are entitled to.

This report uses people’s testimonies to explore the following themes:

• Awareness of Welsh benefits.  
• The process of applying for Welsh benefits.
• Eligibility criteria and value of Welsh benefits.

Based on the findings of this report we believe that there are three actions that should be taken to address community concerns:

• The eligibility criteria of existing grants and allowances should be reviewed, to explore whether Welsh benefits are actually accessible for all people living in poverty

• Mechanisms must be established to ensure that any income-based eligibility criteria and the cash value of Welsh benefits are reviewed annually to take the impact of inflation into account.

• We urge the Welsh Government to make rapid progress in putting a system into place and to ensure all means-tested grants and allowances are included within it. To achieve this, we call on the Welsh Government to set out a clear route map for comprehensive delivery.

Pages: 22

Format: PDF

Language: English

Cost: Free

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