Poverty and the cost of living
Child poverty, free school meals, the Cynnal child payment, benefits and the Welsh benefits system, food banks and fuel poverty.
In the Programme for Government this sits under the well-being objective Tackling child poverty and securing the best future for every child in Wales.
Showing the theme Benefits. The Programme commitments are the brief's as a whole.
- Statements and debates
- 2
- Contributions
- 724
- Written questions
- 0
724 contributions in the Sixth Senedd touched on this. The busiest month was Sept 2024, with 79.
- Labour62%
- Plaid21%
- Conservative16%
- Lib Dem2%
- Independent0%
On this page
The debate so far
Since May 2026, the Plaid Cymru Government has named child poverty a priority, with Sioned Williams as Deputy First Minister leading on it. Debate has centred on the Cynnal child payment pilot, the childcare offer, free school meals and fuel costs. Opposition parties have pressed for dates, targets and costings.
The main arguments
- Sioned Williams (Plaid Cymru) said child poverty is at the core of the Government's work and promised a new strategy with clear targets and milestones. Peter Fox (Welsh Conservatives) and Shav Taj (Welsh Labour) asked how progress will be measured and published.
- Ms Williams described Cynnal as a £10 a week payment for low-income families with young children, to be piloted. Lynne Neagle and Jayne Bryant (Welsh Labour) asked about timing and effects on other support. Cristiana Emsley (Reform UK) called it a 'plan to plan'.
