Given the acute financial pressures many families are likely to be experiencing as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic the Welsh Government published its Child Poverty Income Maximisation plan in November 2020. The plan sets out a set of practical actions that ministers will work on over the a six month period to help maximise the incomes of families living in poverty in Wales, help reduce essential living costs and provide support to families to build financial resilience.  

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Whilst take-up statistics are not readily available at a lower geographic level than Great Britain; we do know that welfare benefits are significantly under-claimed in Wales.  For example, recent analysis estimated that in Wales during 2018-19 

• up to 55 thousand families who were entitled to receive Pension Credit did not claim the benefit 
• up to 52 thousand families who were entitled to receive Housing Benefit did not claim the benefit 
• up to 13 thousand families who were entitled to receive Income Support or Income-related Employment and Support Allowance did not claim the benefit 

It is estimated that across the Great Britain around £16 billion a year of means-tested benefits provided by the Department for Work and Pensions and HM Revenue and Customs is not claimed. Proportionally, that is £752 million a year not being claimed by people in Wales who are entitled to this money. Whilst it is difficult to make reliable estimates of the under claims of disability benefits, probably half of the people in Wales, who are entitled to a disability benefit, are not making a claim.

The primary objective of the campaign is to raise awareness of the benefits available to families in Wales and encourage them to check what they could be entitled to.

We need your help to raise awareness of the campaign across your channels and networks, reaching out to people who are not yet claiming for benefits they may be entitled to.