03/28/2024

Wales News Online

Local & National News for Wales

Plaid Cymru Leader calls for additional £35 per week child benefit to help ease impact of Coronavirus

PLAID Cymru Leader Adam Price has called for a £35 per week uplift to the child benefit to help families struggling financially due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

The Plaid Cymru Leader said many would see a loss of income over the coming months due to the “economic fallout” of the Coronavirus pandemic and would struggle to pay “essential bills” and childcare in light of the closure of schools.

Mr Price said that a temporary additional uplift of £35 per week to all who already receive child benefit payments would give “valuable financial support for families” already facing “financially difficult times”.

Mr Price explained this could be “easily administered” on a weekly basis through the existing framework in the Department of Work and Pensions.

During the 2019 General Election, Plaid Cymru pledged a £35 a week payment for every child in low-income families to lift thousands of children in Wales out of poverty. Mr Price said this policy could be available to all who receive child benefits.

The Plaid Cymru Leader added that the UK Government had a duty to give “a cast-iron guarantee” to “financially vulnerable families” that they wouldn’t lose income or struggle to feed their children because of the economic impact of the pandemic.

Plaid Cymru Leader Adam Price said,

“Many people will see a loss of income over the coming months due to the economic fallout of the Coronavirus pandemic.

“Paying essential bills such as energy, water and rent will soon prove a significant challenge for many households and with schools closing down working parents and guardians unable to send their children to elderly relatives will struggle to find and pay for childcare.

“A temporary additional £35 per week to all who already receive child benefit payments would provide valuable financial support for families who will already be facing financially difficult times. It could be easily administered on a weekly basis through the existing Department of Work and Pensions framework

“During the 2019 General Election we called for a £35 per week for children in low income families to lift thousands out of poverty and support hard pressed families. However, this policy would extend to all who receive child benefits to help them during this difficult time.

“The policy is there – it just needs the political will to make it work and the UK Government has a duty to give a cast-iron guarantee to financially vulnerable families that they won’t lose income, go bankrupt, or struggle to pay bills or feed their children because of the Coronavirus.

%d bloggers like this: