Shadow Social Justice Minister Mark Isherwood MS yesterday challenged the Welsh Government over its plans to scrap the £200 winter fuel payment.
Responding in the Chamber to the Social Justice Minister’s Statement on the Cost-of-Living, Mr Isherwood also called for assurances that disabled people will not miss out on grants for home energy efficiency improvements under grant eligibility requirements, and questioned the Minister over action being taken by the Welsh Government to help promote the availability of energy efficiency schemes to people in Wales.
He also emphasised the “extraordinary steps” taken by the UK Government to support people with the cost-of-living following Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine, with its massive impacts on global food and fuel prices, and the pressures on the economy caused by the pandemic (see NOTE below).
Speaking in Tuesday meeting of the Welsh Parliament, he said:
“Speaking here last February, I welcomed the doubling of the Winter Fuel Support Scheme payment to £200 and, speaking as Chair of the Cross-Party Group on Fuel Poverty and Energy Efficiency, I called for the Scheme’s eligibility criteria to be extended and was grateful when you subsequently did this. In this context, how do you now justify the Welsh Government’s plan to scrap the £200 Winter Fuel Payment, despite the £1.2 billion extra funding coming to Wales over two years following the UK Chancellor’s Autumn Statement? And more specifically, will this be scrapped entirely, will it be replaced by the original £100 payment, or will it be replaced by something else?”
He added:
“After I wrote to you on behalf of a disabled paraplegic constituent, unable to access grants for home energy efficiency improvements under grant eligibility requirements to help him with his cost of living, you responded stating that you would ask your officials to investigate. I subsequently shared with you the good news that his County Council had approved his grant. However, what measures have you taken or will you take to ensure that other disabled people do not miss out in similar circumstances?
“In your Written Statement last week following your meetings with Energy Suppliers, you noted that although Ofgem findings identified some good practice amongst energy suppliers, helping customers through this period of high energy crisis, severe weaknesses were found in five suppliers, and all suppliers needed to make improvements. In terms of good practice, I note, for example, that British Gas is donating 10 per cent of profits to the independent charity British Gas Energy Trust to help customers struggling with bills. However, I learned at this lunchtime's 'Warm this Winter' Senedd event with the British Gas Energy Trust that take-up in Wales has been particularly low. So, what action can you therefore take to help promote the availability of such schemes to people in Wales, alongside your other promotion work?”
He added:
“This is an international cost-of-living crisis, with current inflation rates higher in 23 European countries and 15 out of 27 EU member states than in the UK, and the International Monetary Fund forecasting that half of the eurozone countries at least are heading for recession. However, people in Wales are particularly hard hit because Wales has had the lowest growth in prosperity per head out of UK Nations since 1999, pay packets in Wales are the lowest in the UK and Wales has the lowest employment rate in Great Britain, and all despite having received billions in supposedly temporary funding designed to support economic development and reduce inequality between nations and regions.
“Finally, therefore, what, if any, action will the Welsh Government take to future-proof by changing tack, seeking and adopting guidance from both large and small business sectors, and third sector bodies supporting bottom-up community action and social enterprise?”
ENDS
NOTE: Additional to the pre-existing Warm Home Discount Scheme, Winter Fuel Payments and Cold Weather Payments, steps taken by the UK Government to support people with the cost-of-living include a £400 discount for all Energy Bill payers; £650 for 8 million lowest income households in 2022, rising to £900 in 2023; £300 for 8 Million pensioner households in both 2022 and 2023; £150 for 6 Million receiving non-means tested disability benefits in both 2022 and 2023; a time-limited cap on the unit price of energy for households; and extra consequential funding for the Welsh Government budget.