The Welsh Government is calling on the UK Government to devolve more power over welfare.

The Welsh Government believes that families could get help designed around their needs if the Welsh Government secured powers over welfare.

They plan to bring forward a clear plan on how this should be done.

In an oral statement to the Senedd, Deputy First Minister Sioned Williams set out the plan for a fairer and more compassionate Welsh Welfare System, so that decisions affecting people in Wales are made in Wales.

The Welsh Government is arguing that in other areas, where Wales already makes the decisions, families are seeing the benefit. For example, the Welsh Government has now rolled out the first phase of its universal childcare offer, with 12.5 hours of funded childcare on offer for all 2-year-olds in 19 out of 22 local authorities. This is helping to reduce costs for families, addressing poverty and supporting people into work.

Williams said: "Poverty rates in Wales are among the highest in the UK and this level of hardship needs meaningful action, but too often the key levers rest with the UK Government.

"Welfare decisions for Wales should be made in Wales. To be able to build a fairer and more compassionate welfare system – one that better reflects our needs and values – requires Wales to have greater control over the welfare decisions that affect the lives of our citizens.

"The Scottish Child Payment has made a tangible difference to child poverty in Scotland and this is something we want to do here in Wales through our Cynnal Child Payment pilot, but this requires assurances from the UK Government that they would not penalise those who receive the payment – low-income families, with young children, who need it most.

"Having the ability to design solutions such as Cynnal that meet the needs of communities in Wales is why we must keep making the case for devolving welfare powers."