WIREDGOV

The Welsh Government has moved a step closer to delivering Cynnal, its £10 weekly child payment, as the expert group responsible for shaping the scheme met for the first time yesterday.

• Expert group meet for first time to design a pilot providing £10 a week to up to 15,000 children in Universal Credit households.
• Members will help design and test the scheme to make sure it works well for families and makes a real difference to children's lives.
• Establishing the expert group delivers a key first 100 days commitment.

The Cynnal pilot will provide £10 a week to up to 15,000 children in households claiming Universal Credit, across a limited number of local authority areas.

Co-chaired by the Deputy First Minister, the expert group brings together a wealth of knowledge from academia, research, frontline services and Welsh Government. The group will advise on the design, implementation and evaluation of the pilot, ensuring it is informed by evidence, professional expertise and lived experience of poverty.

At the meeting, members discussed the pilot's objectives and the target age range.

Deputy First Minister Sioned Williams said:

Too many families in Wales are struggling with the pressures of rising costs and insecure work. We are committed to tackling the injustice of child poverty and have made it a core government priority. That's why we are moving to begin developing the Cynnal payment, which is designed to make a real, practical difference to children's lives.

 “I'm proud to have brought together such a strong group of experts, and I look forward to working with them to design a pilot that is effective, deliverable, and genuinely reflects the experiences of the families we're here to support.

Co-chair of the expert panel and CEO of the Bevan Foundation, Steffan Evans said:

A Welsh Child Payment would be a powerful lever to address child poverty. I am therefore delighted that the work of establishing the Cynnal pilot is now underway. I look forward to working with other members of the group to ensure that the pilot works as effectively as possible, something that would be a major step forward in tackling child poverty in Wales.

Ahead of the meeting, the Deputy First Minister visited - Ely and Caerau Children's Centre in Cardiff, a partner of Save the Children Cymru, to hear from staff about the impact of rising costs on the children and families they support.

Expert group member and Senior Policy and Research Manager at Save the Children Cymru Mari Williams, said:

We know from listening to children how deeply poverty affects children’s lives, not only limiting access to essentials but also shaping children’s relationships, opportunities and wellbeing. A weekly child payment would make a very real difference - helping families to meet basic needs, enabling children to take part in childhood activities that would otherwise be out of reach, and supporting children to thrive.