Streamlining Welsh Benefits Steering Group meeting: 28 January 2026

• Fran Targett, Chair
• Steffan Evans, Bevan Foundation
• Nigel Griffiths, Bridgend County Borough Council 
• Amanda Main, Caerphilly County Borough Council 
• Harriet Green, CDPS 
• Simon Hatch, Citizens Advice Cymru 
• Claire Flint, Flintshire County Council 
• Sarah Price, Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council 
• Rachel Bowen, Older People’s Commissioner for Wales 
• Matthew Evans, SRO Group Chair
• Katie Till, The Trussell Trust 
• Claire Germain, Welsh Government 
• Lindsey Phillips, Welsh Local Government Association

Also in attendance

• Mabli Jones, Bevan Foundation 
• Adam Hardy, CDPS 
• Sarah Floyd, CDPS 
• James Graham, CDPS 
• Jo Goodwin, CDPS 
• Lauren Grech, CDPS
• Ben Gibbs, Welsh Government 
• Glyn Jones, Welsh Government 
• Launa Anderson, Welsh Government
• Nerys Owens, Welsh Government 
• David Willis, Welsh Government 
• Mel James, Welsh Government
• Paul Neave, Welsh Government 
• Joanna Leek, Welsh Government 
• Danny Owen, Welsh Government 
• Alex Perry, Welsh Government 
• Lisa Hayward, Welsh Local Government Association
• Emma Willis, Welsh Local Government Association
• Aled Evans, Welsh Local Government Association 
• Michelle Schutte, Welsh Local Government Association

Apologies

Victoria Lloyd (Age Cymru), Sean O’Neill (Children in Wales), Rhian Davies (Disability Wales), Miranda Evans (Disability Wales), Helal Uddin (EYST), Jonathan Cox (Childrens Commissioner), Claire Griffiths (Welsh Government)

The chair opened the meeting and welcomed Mabli Jones as the new Head of Policy for Poverty at the Bevan Foundation.

The chair highlighted the importance of the agenda items being discussed at the meeting, noting significant progress. The chair emphasised the need to consider how to report on achievements as we come towards the end of the phase one period. In addition, members need to consider what is still left to do to achieve the original aim of delivering the three phase one benefits coherently across all 22 local authorities (LAs), especially with an upcoming election. The necessity for transparency in reporting progress towards the phase one route map was stressed, acknowledging that although not all goals may be fully achieved by April the final report will show clearly the progress made in phase one towards improving access to benefits in Wales.

There is a risk of ongoing work being overlooked post-election and the chair urged the group to ensure the work continues and progresses beyond phase one. 

The headline findings were presented from the workforce user survey relating to the administration of Council Tax Reduction Scheme (CTRS), Free School Meals (FSM), and the School Essentials Grant (SEG). 

The survey received 138 responses from all 22 LAs, with a strong emphasis on qualitative feedback about staff experiences and operational challenges. The analysis involved reading every comment, identifying recurring themes, and mapping these to provide a comprehensive overview.

The presentation covered eight key themes out of eighteen, including staffing shortages, difficulties obtaining information from claimants, high seasonal demand, manual processing, customer confusion, integrated processing, and issues with Universal Credit (UC) data sharing.

It was clarified that the survey is one part of a larger programme, with ongoing process mapping workshops and a contacts/complaints survey to inform final recommendations.

A member expressed frustration, noting most findings were already well-known except for details about UC, and questioned why longstanding issues persist and solutions are not being implemented more quickly. The response acknowledged the frustration, explaining that the survey provides a deeper insight into variations between LAs, and emphasised that process mapping would identify good practices and areas for improvement.

Regulatory barriers were highlighted, especially the mismatch between CTRS and UC and it was suggested that automation and auto-pay for educational benefits could offer short-term improvements. The response noted some LAs have already modernised and that ongoing work aims to identify and share best practices.

A further question asked about the timeline for recommendations and when the Steering Group would see actionable outcomes. The answer indicated that process mapping is ongoing, with a report targeted for March, and that actions are being taken as findings emerge rather than waiting for a final report.

Members called for a focus on actionable recommendations and understanding barriers to progress. It was emphasised the work really needs to focus on the experiences of the individual claiming the three benefits and driving improvements to make sure people in Wales can claim their entitlements as per the Welsh Benefits Charter.

Action point 1: continue process mapping workshops across all LAs, assimilating findings into an overall report with recommendations by end of March 2026 (noting that draft findings will need to inform the Steering Group report proposed for the March meeting). (WLGA).

The update focused on the on-going development and testing of a single, simplified application form for Housing Benefit (HB), CTRS, FSM, and SEG.

The transition from design to practical testing was described, including "check our thinking" sessions with 6 LAs to validate 28 key assumptions about the new process.

Data analysis showed the simplified form would support the vast majority of claimants, with 87% of CTRS cases involving UC or Pension Credit (PC) recipients.

Testing is underway with a LA, comparing the new form against the existing process using real cases to assess efficiency, completeness of information, risk, and feasibility for caseworkers.

Technical feasibility is being checked by building the form within the LAs existing technology, with the LA expressing strong interest in deploying the form for live use.

Quantitative user testing is being conducted to compare completion times between the current and new processes, using consistent user scenarios and dummy data. Usability testing with real users is planned once the new form is built.

The project aims to deliver a process map, documented form content, and a tested prototype for LAs to adopt. Recommendations for next steps, likely including a beta phase, will be provided after testing concludes.  

A member asked to what extent the pathfinder pilot in the LA addresses the problems outlined in the previous workforce and user survey. The answer indicated that the new form is expected to make things easier for users and more efficient for LAs, but a detailed comparison with the workforce survey findings would be provided after further review.

It was noted that while the pathfinder improves user experience and has the potential to increase efficiency in relation to delivery, it does not fully resolve staffing shortages or the lack of automation in some LAs. The need to understand LA perspectives was highlighted and the limits of technical solutions given regulatory and resource constraints.

Another member asked about the extent to which the new process resolves barriers to automation and what obstacles remain. The response suggested that the new process offers a shortcut to automation for some LAs, but further feedback from LAs is needed to identify remaining barriers.

A further question raised the issue of technical onboarding and data protection for LAs adopting the new form. The response acknowledged the importance of technical design documentation and offered to follow up with a separate more detailed conversation.

The importance of getting at least one LA to implement the single simplified application form was emphasised, as a live example would be persuasive for wider adoption. 

Action point 2: complete ongoing usability, timed, and back office testing and deliver a process map, documented form content, and a tested prototype, with recommendations for a beta phase and further rollout by March 2026. (CDPS).

Action Point 3: follow up on technical design documentation and onboarding support for LAs. (CDPS and WG).

Action Point 4: collaborate on producing a one-page summary of the challenges the new process addresses and which it does not. (CDPS and WLGA).

Action point 5: process mapping should identify which LAs can benefit most quickly from the outputs produced so far. (WLGA).

Action point 6: address the barrier relating to loss of institutional memory as skilled staff retire outlined in the Workforce Survey WLGA / SRO team to consider this.

The WLGA spoke about the financial implications of increasing benefit take-up, particularly for CTRS.

It was reported the caseload for CTRS has dropped from around 310,000 to approximately 255,000 over the past decade, with a 14% reduction across Wales but significant variation between authorities (6% to 24%).

The largest reduction was observed in the pension-age cohort, attributed to factors like enhanced state pension and the triple lock, though further analysis is ongoing.

The scheme is funded at £244 million annually by Welsh Government, but the actual cost for the current year is £344 million, leaving a £100 million shortfall for LAs.

Increasing caseloads by 5% would add an estimated £117 million to costs; a 10% increase would add about £135 million, with the impact varying by authority size.

The importance of understanding the reasons for caseload reduction and the need for more detailed analysis was emphasised, with a commitment to provide a more comprehensive report at the next meeting. 

Action point 7: provide a more comprehensive report on the financial implications of increasing benefit take-up, particularly for CTRS at the next meeting (25 March 2026). (WLGA).

The SRO chair reiterated the value of process mapping workshops in identifying inefficiencies and opportunities for improvement, highlighting at least one LA is already acting on insights to integrate benefit administration teams.

A key achievement mentioned was the establishment of a data sharing agreement with DWP to use CTRS data for FSM and SEG, which will be showcased in an upcoming show and tell session (5 February). This is expected to provide a Data Reuse Request template which all LAs are able to use. 

The importance of ensuring technical and data sharing documents are produced and made accessible for LAs was emphasised, to support the legacy and adoption of the project’s outputs.

Highlight report and risk register

An update on the highlight report and risk register was provided. It was noted progress on individual items has not been as rapid or structured as initially planned, due to the interdependent nature of many tasks and the need for certain actions to precede others. The highlight report shows fewer completed items than hoped, with some areas marked as amber or red, reflecting these dependencies and challenges. 

The risk register was reviewed, with the main risk identified as the potential lack of adoption by LAs, either due to resource constraints or other barriers, which could undermine the impact of the project’s work.

Proposals for the preparation of a final report on phase one of the Welsh benefits streamlining project were discussed. The report aims to celebrate achievements, but include remaining challenges, respond to the route map, and leave a legacy for future work, especially with the upcoming election and Cabinet Secretary transition.

A proposed structure for the report was presented, based on the main themes of the route map, rather than a detailed breakdown of individual actions, to better reflect progress and challenges.

Members agreed the Core Team would draft the report, drawing on expertise from Steering Group members as needed, with a strict timeline for written feedback and the aim for all members to contribute as a collaborative process. The format of the report was agreed as a short and concise report focusing on main themes and recommendations. A separate annex will contain the substantial technical outputs. 

The timeline for report completion is short (end of February 2026), with the goal to submit it before the end of the current Senedd term. 

Members made recommendations on the format of the report and agreed that it should:

• Recognise the autonomy of the 22 LAs and the need to engage with each as a separate entity to contextualise challenges and progress. 
• Be structured so that the summary and recommendations are presented first, with technical details separated into an annex to ensure conciseness and accessibility for the intended audience. 
• Highlight achievements, ongoing challenges, and clear recommendations for future work, targeting both policymakers and the incoming government.
• Address the need for ongoing resources and sector engagement to ensure adoption and further progress.
• Include the evaluation of auto enrolment and the LIFT tool as part of a whole system approach with a short, simple summary of which challenges the pilot addresses
• Include the risk of non-adoption by LAs
• Be honest, acknowledging that the goal of having people provide information only once for multiple benefits across Wales is unlikely to be fully achieved by April, but significant progress has been made and ensuring the next government understands the remaining work and prioritises the area.
• Reflect the reality, reasons for incomplete delivery, and to be clear for future continuation post-election. 

Action 8: prepare a draft report on progress by the end of February, drawing in individuals with relevant expertise as needed, and circulate it to the Steering Group for input and sign-off via written procedure with a strict timeline for responses. (Core Team)

The minutes were reviewed for accuracy (22 October 2025) and agreed.

The next meeting is 25 March 2026.