Latest news with #BBCPoliticsWales
Yahoo
30-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
People 'terrified' by benefit reforms
A Labour politician has said people in his constituency are "terrified" about the chancellor's decision to tighten the criteria for claiming sickness and disability benefits. Alun Davies, Member of the Senedd for Blaenau Gwent, said residents affected by disability and poverty were already struggling "in making ends meet". In Wednesday's Spring Statement, Rachel Reeves announced a number of benefit changes, including tightening qualification rules for Personal Independence Payments (Pips) - the main disability benefit - claimed by more than 250,000 people in Wales. "It scares the most vulnerable people in our society, and that's deeply distressing to see," said Davies. First minister refuses to back welfare cuts Reeves criticised by Labour MP on benefits cuts Spring Statement 2025: Key points at a glance "What we need to do as a Labour Party is to address the fundamentals in the economy," he told BBC Radio Wales' Sunday Supplement. "We're seeing at the moment taxation increasing because the economy is failing. "People want to work and people want to live decent lives and it's the role of government, surely, to help people do that," said Davies whose Blaenau Gwent constituency has the joint highest proportion of disabled people in Wales, according to census data. Labour MP Kanishka Narayan, who represents constituents in the Vale of Glamorgan, told TV programme BBC Politics Wales that "change needs to happen" even though he had received emails from people "feeling uncertainty and anxiety". He said the welfare system is "not getting enough people the support they need to get into work". "A quarter of people in Wales are working age, not in work or not looking for work – surely that is not a context that anyone can accept," he said. Speaking on the same programme, Sam Rowlands, Conservative MS for North Wales, said the Spring Statement had been "rushed through". "We're going to see those people impacted by it not being treated fairly, and we're not going to see the efficiencies that reform in this area would deliver." Ben Lake, Plaid Cymru MP for Ceredigion Preseli, said it was alarming that "the most vulnerable in society" were being asked to "shoulder the burden" of economic difficulties. In her address to MPs on Wednesday, Reeves said "it can't be right" to "write off" an entire generation who are out of work and improperly using Pips. There are two elements to Pips – a daily living and a mobility component – and under the government's proposals, assessments for the daily living part will be tightened, a move the official forecaster – the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) – says will affect around 800,000 people. The chancellor also confirmed health-related universal credit for new claimants - which was already due to be halved from April 2026 under a package announced last week - would be frozen at its new lower level of £50 per week until 2030. A Department for Work and Pensions assessment found 3.2 million families across England and Wales would be worse off as a result of the changes, with 250,000 more people pushed into relative poverty. The UK government has said the reforms are aimed at modernising the welfare system, and getting many of those reliant on assistance back into work. On Friday, Wales' First Minister Eluned Morgan refused to back the chancellor's welfare cuts, telling the Senedd she wanted to "reserve my position" until she knew what the impact would be on Wales. Morgan also confirmed she was waiting for a response from Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall to her request for a Wales-specific impact assessment and said she was now seeking a meeting with her.
BBC News
16-03-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Welfare state is not helping people, says Lord Hain
A former cabinet minister and Welsh MP who carried out reform of disability benefits under the last Labour government has spoken of the need to create an "opportunity" rather than a "punitive" welfare Hain was speaking as the UK government prepares to outline a shake-up in the benefits system this there has been speculation that ministers may now row back on plans to freeze a major part of its benefits bill amid strong Sunday, UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting said he had not seen the plans but Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said she wanted "to support people who need help the most". Lord Hain, who was secretary of state for work and pensions under Gordon Brown, said: "We do not want a punitive welfare state, we do not want to punish people who need support, and life in that situation can be pretty tough."We want an opportunity welfare state that helps people to get the opportunities that are out there for them, especially young people."Speaking on BBC Politics Wales, he said people were "much healthier generally speaking in work and that is the objective, not to punish people"."It reminds me of when we came into power in 1997 as a Labour government," he said."It was a complete mess with millions of people on incapacity benefit and other forms of benefit who were never going to stand a chance to work."But we brought in the New Deal which virtually eliminated long-term youth unemployment."He added: "I think we can do it again because we have inherited a similar mess."The welfare state is not helping people and it's not helping people to build a new future."The former Neath MP also said one of the reasons the UK economy had not recovered in the same way others had since the Covid pandemic was because of the number of people on benefits, but he warned it was expensive to get people "job ready". Luke Young, head of policy at Citizens Advice, has warned about 150,000 people in Wales risked losing up to £400 a month if the eligibility for some benefits were he has welcomed reports suggesting a freeze on Personal Independence Payments (PIP) would not go ahead."This is support that is essential for people to get by. "These payments in particular are for the most disabled people to allow them to live their lives every day."Mr Young said he favoured changes such as bringing in more face-to-face regular assessments for those on benefits, as well as changing the relationship between job centre work coaches and claimants."No-one sensible looks at the situation and says it's working in the way it should be," he said."But we have to make sure the jobs are there."When the government talks about getting people back into work, for those who have a disability or a long-term health condition, the reasonable work has to be there." On the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Shadow Education Secretary Laura Trott accused the UK government of being "all over the place and divided" over welfare Department for Work and Pensions said: "We have been clear that the current welfare system is broken and needs reform, so that it helps long-term sick and disabled people who can work to find employment, ensuring people receive the support they need, while being fair to the taxpayer."Without reform more people will be locked out of jobs, despite many wanting to work. That is not just bad for the economy, it's bad for people too."
BBC News
16-03-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Social care reforms in Wales stuck over funding, expert says
Reform of social care in Wales is stuck because ministers "don't want to make decisions about money", according to an Gerry Holtham wrote a report seven years ago which said social care for older people could be funded by raising income tax in home owners have said a national care service would erase inequalities in funding between Welsh government said it was already working on creating a national scheme, but that a funding solution had yet to be found. Costs for social care are currently met either by a resident or their local have said they want to get rid of this system, and set up another like the NHS which would be free at the point of need - but how would it be financed? Mr Holtham's report in 2018 put forward a plan which would see people in Wales pay between 1-3% extra in income tax, depending on age, to fund social care he said not much had happened since because politicians were too afraid to grasp the nettle."They don't want to make the decisions about money," he told BBC Politics Wales on Sunday."At the moment, there's a sort of phobia that democratic politicians have about raising taxes."If you tell the public 'look, we're going to have to pay this tax or this present situation will continue or deteriorate', I'm not so sure the public wouldn't agree to that."But I think you've got to have the nerve to have that conversation." Timeline June 2018: Holtham report becomes the latest in a long line of inquiries and commissions designed to prompt action on the issueFebruary 2020: Welsh ministers say they are looking at increasing income tax to pay for careApril 2021: Just before the last Senedd election, that plan was ruled out by LabourSeptember 2022: The Welsh government says it wants to set up a national care service, but that it would take about 10 years Scotland and England have had similar issues with getting a national care service off the Scottish government dumped its plans in January because of a lack of support and questions about how it would be paid UK government has set up a commission to start looking into funding for a national care service in England but it will not report back before councillor Jane Gebbie, who also represents Wales' 22 councils on social care via the Welsh Local Government Association, said change could not come soon also said Wales could get a national care service much sooner if funding was resolved."Government know that the demand on our services is increasing," she said."There's pay disparities between health boards and local government."That's another wicked issue that they are going to have to resolve before we can have any sort of national care service." Mario Kreft, chairman of Care Forum Wales, the umbrella group which speaks for the sector, wants to see different care charges levied across Welsh councils equalised so that everyone would pay the same, getting rid of a so-called "postcode lottery" in has welcomed the plan for a national service, but questioned how long it should take."We've seen so many of these initiatives, royal commissions and so forth about social care, but it always seems to get to the point of being 'knock it into the long grass, too expensive', it's a problem that's too hard to handle."The Welsh government said it had already launched its National Office for Care and Support to help deliver the first stage of its 10-year plan to create a national care service for Wales."Our vision for a national care service in Wales would see a system that provides excellent quality care, supports attractive and rewarding work, and is closely integrated with the NHS and the broader public sector," a spokesperson said."Ambitious plans such as these need to sit within the context of a sustainable funding solution which supports our social care sector and enables it to thrive."
Yahoo
16-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Welsh Tory leadership change now 'completely nuts'
Restructuring the Welsh Conservatives before next year's Senedd elections would be "completely nuts", according to the shadow secretary of state for Wales. Mims Davies said she was the leader, but worked with Senedd group leader Darren Millar as "a team". An internal party report recommended the Welsh Conservatives be led by the Senedd group leader. Currently the group is led by three people: the Senedd group leader, the shadow Welsh secretary and the party's chairman. Millar and the former secretary of state for Wales, David TC Davies, have been asked to comment. Tory leader defends missing vote for Trump trip Who is Darren Millar, new Senedd Tory leader? Badenoch appoints new shadow Welsh secretary Mims Davies, who is MP for East Grinstead and Uckfield but studied at Swansea University, was asked on BBC Politics Wales whether now was the time to reconsider the leadership question, considering there were now no Welsh MPs in the House of Commons. "If you're asking me ahead of the biggest set of elections [2026 Senedd elections], where the Labour Party has put £120m into more politicians in the Senedd, that we should be going down a procedure and process about our own party, that would be completely nuts," she replied. "Ultimately, I am the leader, working with Darren and David TC Davies, and working with our MSs [but] it's not like that, it's a team working together. "Darren is setting a very clear agenda about fixing Wales in the Senedd alongside our shadow cabinet members there. We want to fix Wales and offer a very strong Conservative offer." A report in November, accepted by the Welsh Conservatives board, recommended having one leader to represent the Welsh wing of the Tory party, as is the case in Scotland. It followed calls from Conservative Senedd members for the leader in the Senedd to be the official figurehead of the party. Although approved by the board in Wales, the final decision is in the hands of the UK Tory leader Kemi Badenoch. Mims Davies said: "Where things have fallen down before is where you haven't really felt you've known what the team looks like. "It's Darren [Millar] in the Senedd of course, with the MSs and his cabinet around him. Kemi [Badenoch] and I in Westminster, and Lord Byron Davies and Olivia Bloomfield in the Lords. "The structure and the processes don't matter. We work together." Conservatives rejected sexual harassment training Gareth Lewis: Welsh Conservatives unite behind new leader 'I'm Christian - get over it', says Welsh Tory leader
BBC News
16-02-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Mims Davies: Welsh Conservatives leadership change would be 'nuts'
Restructuring the Welsh Conservatives before next year's Senedd elections would be "completely nuts", according to the shadow secretary of state for Davies said she was the leader, but worked with Senedd group leader Darren Millar as "a team".An internal party report recommended the Welsh Conservatives be led by the Senedd group the group is led by three people: the Senedd group leader, the shadow Welsh secretary and the party's and the former secretary of state for Wales, David TC Davies, have been asked to comment. Mims Davies, who is MP for East Grinstead and Uckfield but studied at Swansea University, was asked on BBC Politics Wales whether now was the time to reconsider the leadership question, considering there were now no Welsh MPs in the House of Commons."If you're asking me ahead of the biggest set of elections [2026 Senedd elections], where the Labour Party has put £120m into more politicians in the Senedd, that we should be going down a procedure and process about our own party, that would be completely nuts," she replied."Ultimately, I am the leader, working with Darren and David TC Davies, and working with our MSs [but] it's not like that, it's a team working together."Darren is setting a very clear agenda about fixing Wales in the Senedd alongside our shadow cabinet members there. We want to fix Wales and offer a very strong Conservative offer." 'Structure doesn't matter' A report in November, accepted by the Welsh Conservatives board, recommended having one leader to represent the Welsh wing of the Tory party, as is the case in followed calls from Conservative Senedd members for the leader in the Senedd to be the official figurehead of the approved by the board in Wales, the final decision is in the hands of the UK Tory leader Kemi Davies said: "Where things have fallen down before is where you haven't really felt you've known what the team looks like."It's Darren [Millar] in the Senedd of course, with the MSs and his cabinet around him. Kemi [Badenoch] and I in Westminster, and Lord Byron Davies and Olivia Bloomfield in the Lords."The structure and the processes don't matter. We work together."
