A report said that low-income households in Wales faced extra costs for fuel, financial services, and the costs of education. It examined what should be done to help households who were penalized simply because they did not have buying power.
Source: Paying the Price of Being Poor, Bevan Foundation (01495 725214)
Links: Report | Bevan Foundation press release
Date: 2009-Nov
The Welsh Assembly Government began consultation on a new fuel poverty plan. A central 'hub' would be created to co-ordinate all the help available for householders struggling to pay their energy bills; funding would be targeted at those most at risk from fuel poverty; and there would be early identification of those most vulnerable to fuel poverty so that help could be provided as soon as possible.
Source: Fuel Poverty Strategy: Consultation, Welsh Assembly Government (029 2082 5111)
Links: Consultation document
Date: 2009-Nov
The government responded to a report by a committee of MPs on digital inclusion in Wales.
Source: Digital Inclusion in Wales: Government Response to the Committee's Thirteenth Report, Eighth Special Report (Session 2008-09), HC 1050, House of Commons Welsh Affairs Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Response | MPs report
Date: 2009-Oct
A report highlighted a number of ways in which children and young people who lived in low-income households in rural Wales were being excluded from services that were available to their contemporaries living in urban areas.
Source: Child Poverty and Social Exclusion in Rural Wales, End Child Poverty Network Cymru
Links: Report
Date: 2009-Oct
A report by a committee of MPs examined issues relating to digital inclusion in Wales, and the actions being taken to promote greater digital and social inclusion. There was no evidence that digital exclusion was significantly greater or different in nature in Wales compared with the rest of the United Kingdom: but some of the challenges involved were particularly acute in Wales, and there was a need for a 'Digital Wales' plan alongside the plan for the UK as a whole.
Source: Digital Inclusion in Wales, Thirteenth Report (Session 2008-09), HC 305, House of Commons Welsh Affairs Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report | WAG press release
Date: 2009-Aug
An audit report said that the Welsh Assembly Government's flagship 'Communities First' programme to tackle poverty and deprivation had delivered local benefits, but still had some 'fundamental risks and challenges' that needed addressing.
Source: Communities First, Wales Audit Office (029 2026 0260)
Links: Report | WAO press release | NAW press release | BBC report
Date: 2009-Jul
A report said that the Welsh Assembly Government needed to radically revise its child poverty strategy, in the light of evidence that the number of children living in poverty in Wales had increased since 2005.
Source: Victoria Winckler, What Is Needed to End Child Poverty in Wales?, Joseph Rowntree Foundation (01904 629241)
Links: Report | Findings | JRF press release | Community Care report
Date: 2009-Jun
A report examined trends in poverty statistics in Wales over the previous 10 years. The unemployment rate for 2008 among people aged 16-24 stood at 16 per cent, compared with 6 per cent for all working-age adults. 45 per cent of unemployed people in Wales were under 25.
Source: Peter Kenway, Guy Palmer and Tom MacInnes, Monitoring Poverty and Social Exclusion in Wales 2009, Joseph Rowntree Foundation (01904 629241) and New Policy Institute
Links: Report | JRF press release | WAG press release | BBC report | Guardian report | New Start report | Community Care report
Date: 2009-Jun
The Welsh Assembly Government announced legislation that would place a duty on it to develop a new child poverty strategy for Wales, which would have to be reviewed every three years. A duty would also be placed on specific Welsh public bodies to identify and take action to assist in the goal of eradicating child poverty by 2020.
Source: Proposed Children and Families (Wales) Measure, Welsh Assembly Government (029 2082 5111)
Links: Proposed Measure | Explanatory memorandum | WAG press release | BBC report
Date: 2009-Mar
The Welsh Assembly Government began consultation on an energy efficiency and savings plan. The three key objectives were to: help reduce Wales's greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to the reduction of its wider ecological footprint; contribute to the reduction of fuel poverty; and support economic development by helping businesses become more energy efficient and providing new opportunities for business.
Source: National Energy Efficiency and Savings Plan: Consultation, Welsh Assembly Government (029 2082 5111)
Links: Consultation document | WAG press release | NEA press release | EST press release | BBC report
Date: 2009-Mar
The consumer rights watchdog in Wales said that some of the most vulnerable people in Wales were at risk of falling into debt because energy companies were not doing enough to support their needs.
Source: Lindsey Kearton and Huw James, Double Trouble: Debt and disconnection in Wales, Consumer Focus Wales (02920 787100)
Links: Report | Consumer Focus press release
Date: 2009-Feb
The Welsh Assembly Government began consultation on a strategy to improve access to mainstream financial services, affordable credit and savings, and free and impartial money and debt advice.
Source: Taking Everyone Into Account: Financial Inclusion Strategy for Wales, Welsh Assembly Government (029 2082 5111)
Links: Consultation document | WAG press release | CAP press release | BBC report | New Start report
Date: 2009-Feb
The Welsh Assembly Government responded to a report by an Assembly committee on child poverty in Wales. It said that many of the recommendations could be accepted as they directly reflected existing or proposed Welsh Assembly Government policy activity.
Source: Written Response to the Children and Young People's Committee Report: Child Poverty in Wales – Eradication through Education?, Welsh Assembly Government (029 2082 5111)
Links: Response | AM report | WAG press release
Date: 2009-Jan
