Response to draft Welsh Government Budget

Responding to the Welsh Government’s Draft Budget, Older People’s Commissioner for Wales, Rhian Bowen-Davies, said:

“I welcome the announcements in today’s draft budget outlining increased funding across a number of key areas, reflecting many of the calls I made in my response to the recent budget consultation.

“This includes greater investment in the NHS, social care services and housing, which all play a crucial role in older people’s health and well-being, as well as additional funding for other important areas such as culture, heritage and sport that support older people to participate in their communities and do the things that matter to them, vital to support people to age well.

“I also welcome additional funding to tackle digital exclusion, an issue that affects a significant number of older people in Wales and increasingly leaves individuals at risk of wider social exclusion as digital technology continues to play a greater role in our day-to-day lives.

“However, it is disappointing that there is no dedicated funding to mitigate the impact of the loss of the Winter Fuel Payment, which provided crucial financial support to thousands of older people in Wales.

“Likewise, while significant funding is provided for transport as a whole, relatively little of that funding is specifically for bus services which I know are a lifeline for many older people across Wales.

“Serious questions remain about the impact today’s funding allocations will have on improving and maintaining frontline services used and highly valued by older people.  This includes community-based services and those provided by the third sector.

“This is something I will be closely monitoring as further details emerge in the weeks and months ahead, given the potential impact on older people’s health, independence and well-being if these kinds of services see further reductions or are lost due to funding issues.”