I’m glad you mentioned the Warm Homes programme, because many of the thousands of people across Wales who provide essential, unpaid care to loved ones, saving the NHS and social services millions of pounds, are going to be amongst the hardest hit by this decision by Labour to cut the winter fuel payment. Those aged 65 plus make up the largest proportion of unpaid carers. A Carers Wales report, published in the last few days, shows an estimated 100,000 unpaid carers live in poverty, and nearly one in 10 unpaid carers live in deep poverty, and the rate of deep poverty amongst unpaid carers is 50 per cent higher than amongst the rest of the population. Carers, of course, face increased costs, such as higher energy bills, which further exacerbate their financial difficulties, with many struggling to afford basic necessities, such as heating and food.

Given the cut to the winter fuel programme, and the stark findings of this Carers Wales report, will the Welsh Government make carers allowance a qualifying benefit for the home-efficiency improvements provided by Welsh Government-funded energy efficiency schemes, and will Government ensure that carer-related benefits are not counted as income when assessing eligibility for the Warm Homes Nest programme?