00:00 "The support both the UK and Welsh Government are providing isn't effective at keeping people
00:07 from falling into and being trapped in poverty."
00:10 Jane Hutt says despite limited financial flexibility, they are keeping specific funds in place to
00:15 help the poorest and most in need across Wales, particularly helping with food and fuel poverty
00:20 where possible.
00:21 "It was very important that we did protect in the budget our discretionary assistance
00:25 fund which is worth £38.5 million a year because that is money that's emergency money
00:32 in many respects for people in terms of the emergency payments but also those important
00:39 goods that people need to access, particularly those who are in particular pressure.
00:44 Now I'm also very clear that we have to do everything we can to tackle fuel poverty and
00:51 food poverty as well."
00:53 Sean Ed Williams of Plaid Cymru says it's all well and good having help in place but
00:57 not nearly enough is being done and offers some stark statistics of the state of poverty
01:01 across Wales, particularly for children all over the country.
01:05 "23% saying they're recently worried about being cold, 21% saying their mental health
01:11 has been negatively affected, 10% say their physical health is being affected by their
01:17 family's financial position.
01:18 More than one in five parents and guardians of children under 18 reported their child
01:24 had been unable to get the birthday party they wanted due to their family's financial
01:29 position.
01:30 It's just heartbreaking isn't it?
01:31 And in the recent report the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health have highlighted
01:36 that in Wales paediatric waiting lists have soared by a staggering 62% since 2016 and
01:43 poverty of course massively impacts child health."
01:47 The Welsh Government say they are making sure they can help people in need while dealing
01:50 with a strict budget.
01:51 The Minister for Social Justice says that partnerships are an incredibly important part
01:55 of helping those in need and wants to make sure there are avenues in place to help those
01:59 suffering with poverty.
02:00 "As a result of the budget we're going to be able to protect our food partnerships,
02:06 the coordinators that are working across Wales to provide services to individuals and households
02:12 and also our partnership with the fuel bank foundation getting vouchers for people's
02:22 prepayment meters but also the heat fund for people off grid and you will note yesterday
02:28 Monday I was able to issue a statement about funding that's gone to local authorities
02:33 to help particularly Gypsy, Roma Traveller people in sites, in permanent sites but also
02:42 for the heat fund for those who are off grid in those sites to access funding."
02:47 People across the country are feeling the force of the cost of living crisis and the
02:51 Welsh Government say they are doing what they can with limited funding but opposition say
02:54 there is still far more that can be done to help those in poverty and even more to help
02:59 them out of poverty.
03:00 James B. Watkins reporting from Wales.
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