1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at on 8 October 2024.
7. What assessment has the Welsh Government made of the impact on pensioners in South Wales East of UK Government cuts to the winter fuel allowance? OQ61672
We are aware that many pensioners in Wales are concerned about cuts to the winter fuel allowance. We continue to support people to alleviate financial pressures across Wales, including in South Wales East. Our fuel voucher and discretionary assistance schemes are available to help people in crisis with fuel costs, while our Warm Homes programme is delivering measures to improve energy efficiency and reduce energy bills for the long term.
Diolch, Gweinidog. This does concern me greatly. In the coming weeks, thousands of pensioners in Wales will suffer the cold bite of winter because their winter fuel allowance has been cut. Now, this is the grim result of Labour's lack of will because, yes, the Tories started this—their cruelty was catastrophic—but so is the choice Labour is making to stick with their savagery. Because forcing people to endure the cold under this merciless private system, which monetises the heat we need to stay alive, cutting off their means of comfort, that is savagery. It is condemning people to the cold. So, please, Prif Weinidog, will your Government make a last-minute plea to Keir Starmer's Government to rethink this cruel cut? Surely, you don't want your Government to be associated with it.
Well, thanks very much. I'm aware that there will be lots of pensioners across Wales who'll be very concerned about this situation, and that's why we are very keen as a Government, as is the Government of the United Kingdom, to make sure that all of those who are eligible for the winter fuel payments will actually take up that opportunity. We can do what we can in the Welsh Government in order to support people, and it's really great to see that councils like Neath Port Talbot Council have already helped 2,100 people to apply for that pension credit, which means that they will then be eligible. So, I'd encourage all councils across Wales to really drive that information project forward in order to make sure that all those eligible, which will support the poorest—. I think that is important, that they're aware of that.
We are as a Government doing what we can to support people with their winter fuel situation. We are investing £30 million a year in our Warm Homes Nest scheme, and we've also provided more than £5.6 million of funding for a national fuel voucher and heat fund, and that's been in place since 2022. So, we're doing what we can in this space, but I think it's also important for pensioners to note—. I speak to a lot of people and I was speaking to one of them who raised this issue with me on the weekend, and he didn't have any idea that, actually, his pension this year would be going up by 8.5 per cent, and would be going up by 4 per cent next year. So, altogether he'll be better off but, obviously, there is a lot of sensitivity around this, and a lot of people who are concerned about the situation.
Finally, question 8. Buffy Williams.