Streamlining Welsh Benefits Steering Group meeting: 15 July 2025

Steering Group members    

• Fran Targett, Chair
• Amanda Main, Caerphilly County Borough Council
• Harriet Green, CDPS
• Sean O’Neill, Children in Wales
• Simon Hatch, Citizens Advice Cymru
• Claire Flint, Flintshire County Borough Council
• Rachel Bowen, Older People’s Commissioner
• Matthew Evans, SRO Group Chair
• Steffan Evans, The Bevan Foundation
• Katie Till, The Trussell Trust

Also in attendance

• Adam Hardy, CDPS
• James Graham, CDPS
• Jo Goodwin, CDPS
• Leah Whitty, Welsh Government
• Ben Gibbs, Welsh Government
• Janine Pepworth, 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
• Paul Owens, Welsh Local Government Association

Apologies

Nigel Griffiths (Bridgend), Sarah Price (Merthyr), Victoria Lloyd (Age Cymru), Rhian Davies (Disability Wales), Miranda Evans (Disability Wales), Helal Uddin (EYST), Rachel Thomas (Childrens Commissioner), Micheal Viney (Welsh Government), Lisa Hayward (WLGA), Emma Willis (WLGA), Lindsay Phillips (WLGA), Claire Germain (Welsh Government), Glyn Jones (Welsh Government), Adrian Devereux (Welsh Government)

The Chair thanked everyone for the ongoing progress since the last meeting and expressed appreciation for the work of the SRO Group and CDPS’s work on the Pathfinder project. 

Members were reminded about the importance of attending the upcoming workshop on the Theory of Change on 21 July and encouraged all steering group members to take part. 

The need to maintain the current rate of progress to deliver Phase One outcomes, focusing on access, communication, and process clarity for Welsh benefits was stressed. The shared goal of ensuring all eligible people in Wales can easily access their entitlements, referencing commitments by local authorities (LAs) and the Welsh Government was re-iterated. 

It was noted that achieving the goals set out is complex, but the progress made so far was acknowledged. 

The Chair shared her plan to update the Cabinet Secretary on progress to date in writing following the meeting which will also include next steps and any issues that have been identified that are in need of assistance (this will include recommendations from the SRO report to be discussed later in the agenda)

The Chair invited Welsh Government policy leads to give an update on the Welsh Government position on Free School Meal eligibility following on from the recent announcement from UK Government regarding FSM and whether there will be any implications on this work. 

UK Gov Announcement on FSM in England 

Members were informed of UK Government announcement of an expansion of FSM eligibility in England to all learners whose families receive Universal Credit, removing the earnings threshold, effective from September 2026. 

In addition, the UK Government will decouple the pupil premium from FSM, maintaining the eligibility checker for the premium only. Transitional protections in England for legacy benefits will naturally end with the new policy as they will not be needed. 

Wales currently maintains its existing threshold and has not announced a similar expansion. Wales is committed to reviewing eligibility criteria but has not allocated a budget for any changes. The current Welsh government is not expected to make major developments before the next election, and any future expansion would depend on the next administration. 

There will be a one-year budget announcement, with increases in line with inflation and a pool of unallocated funding for the next government to set priorities. 

Wales will continue with its universal primary school meal offer and will monitor developments in England, but no immediate changes are planned.  

Following the update the steering group agreed that there were no immediate implications for the SWB programme other than to keep abreast of the situation in Wales for any developments and that we should proceed with the work based on the current eligibility thresholds. 

The Chair of the SRO Group provided an update on the SRO Group's activities and confirmed a written report has been provided to the Steering Group. A summary of the update is below. 

The Chair of the SRO reported that 20 of 22 Welsh LAs now use Universal Credit data share for Council Tax Reduction Scheme (CTRS), with 1 LA using it only for changes and 1 not using it at all. The Chair is engaging with these LAs to encourage full adoption. 

The Chair noted a trade-off between efficiency from automation and the loss of single, all-encompassing manual forms, highlighting the need to balance both approaches. 

The potential implications of recent FSM policy changes in England was addressed, emphasising the need to monitor for future impacts in Wales. 

A mixed approach to process mapping across LAs was described and the added value of further mapping where automation is already in place was questioned. 

The Chair shared that some LAs have moved to digital-only forms, with staff assisting those who struggle, and that process redesign often follows identification of bottlenecks or failures. 

It was raised that some LAs with unified teams for benefits and FSM find data sharing easier, while split teams face more data protection hurdles. 

Differences in LA risk appetite and data protection officer attitudes were highlighted as creating inconsistencies in adopting new processes, and that regulatory changes may be needed for full uniformity. 

Conflicts between CTRS and FSM regulations were pointed out, which are making joint system administration challenging. 

The LIFT tool and upcoming DWP data projects were mentioned as opportunities for improvement, and a local welfare provision file was described which can help identify eligible families. 

Results from matching education and welfare data were shared, identifying gaps due to factors like transitional protection, incomplete applications, and children not yet in school. 

The SRO Chair called for clarity on review frequency for FSM, the application process, and whether auto-enrolment will be supported by Welsh Government, noting that auto-enrolment could have the biggest short-term impact. 

Questions were raised about the definition and use of the local welfare provision file for FSM, noting that risk appetite and interpretation by LAs are key factors. This was agreed by the SRO Chair who discussed the broad approach to data sharing and its challenges. 

Clarification was sought on which regulations affect data sharing and system integration, which was confirmed as mainly concerns around DWP data and internal sharing within LAs. 

Technical barriers in systems handling for both CTRS and FSM was also discussed, suggesting possible software changes which the SRO Chair agreed to investigate with suppliers. 

The importance of process improvements focusing on user experience was emphasised by the Steering Group Chair who proposed to liaise with the SRO Chair for accurate feedback to the Cabinet Secretary, especially regarding financial implications. 

Members were also updated by Welsh Government officials on progress with the Digital Economy Act to create a legal gateway for data sharing, noting a consultation is expected soon. 

The UK Government's internal review of Universal Credit was raised where it was suggested that explicit claimant consent for data sharing could help address LA reluctance. 

Action point 1: Steering Group Chair to send a letter to the Cabinet Secretary summarising progress, raising issues from the SRO report, and requesting a meeting (Chair). 

Action point 2: Update the group when the UK Government consultation on the Digital Economy Act objective for data sharing is released. (WG Core Team)

Action point 3: Investigate technical barriers in systems handling for both CTRS and FSM with suppliers. (SRO Chair)

User research with marginalised groups

Members were updated on the user research work which focusses on understanding how vulnerable and marginalised groups (including disabled people, carers, single parents, people from minority ethnic backgrounds, and those with no recourse to public funds) experience the Welsh benefits system, particularly regarding access to FSM, School Essentials Grants (SEG), and CTRS. It was highlighted that these groups face significant barriers and the research as aiming to identify key challenges and user experiences was described.

Over 35 third sector and public sector bodies were engaged for this research, with user researchers working hard to gather broad perspectives. The importance of putting users first and shared direct feedback from participants was emphasised, such as the system being a "minefield" and the need for a single, accessible application process.

There is an upcoming public "show and tell" session where more detailed findings and updates would be shared and interested participants were invited to attend for further information. 

Action point 4: Host a public show and tell session on 17 July to share ongoing work and research findings. (CDPS)

Pathfinder update

It was explained that the modular concept for streamlining benefits applications was tested with 4 LAs, with a fifth scheduled. The concept allows LAs to adopt individual core ideas to improve processes, with extensions for further streamlining. 

The main ideas tested were outlined, these included: using Universal Credit data for CTRS claims, notifying applicants about assessments, identifying eligibility for FSM and SEG, simplifying application forms, and using smart/intelligent forms to minimise applicant questions. 

Two user journeys were described,1 for those in the Universal Credit data share and 1 for those who must apply directly, showing how the modular ideas fit into each. 

LAs involved generally supported the core ideas, especially steps involving data sharing and proactive claim adjustments. However, there were concerns about the value and efficiency of sending notifications (especially if manual), and technical barriers to using partial forms for specific information. 

The legacy systems and limited control over application forms constraining LAs was noted. Automated notification systems exist but are not widely used in benefits teams. LAs undergoing digital transformation are more open to adopting the full concept. 

A recommendation was made to clarify the legal gateway for data use, analysing what data is available for CTRS calculations, and working with LAs on proof-of-concept projects, both with those updating their tech and those modifying existing systems. 

Complexity of modelling data needs for CTRS applications, the risk of missing information in simplified forms, and the trade-off between reducing fraud/error and making applications easier for genuine claimants were raised. The need to balance simplicity with accuracy and suggested analysing applicant cohorts to optimise data collection were acknowledged. 

Only one LA (out of ten spoken to) is planning major digital reform, following a query about the number of LAs undergoing digital transformation and the potential for legislative or budgetary changes post-election. Members will be updated on any legal and technical barriers. 

The need to clarify whether differences in LA approaches to data stem from technical limitations or conservative data requirements was highlighted, and further analysis was suggested as part of the route map work. 

There was an inquiry about the types of LA staff involved in the Pathfinder testing. Participation varies, with some LAs involving both digital and benefits teams, but most input came from Revs and Bens teams due to workload constraints. 

A query around the new Data (Use and Access) Act was asked and if this could help with data sharing; this was noted as a point for future exploration.

Thanks were noted from the Chair for the work on the Pathfinder and emphasised that the progress being made is real and significant, and highlighted the value of the concept being developed to move things forward. 

Action point 5: Explore the legal gateway for using Universal Credit Data Share (UCDS) for FSM and SEG, including working with LAs interested in proof of concept. (WG Core Team and SRO Group)

Action point 6: Conduct detailed analysis of what CTRS calculation requires and what is available in Searchlight and VEP (the DWP ‘Verify Earnings and Pensions’ system which contains real time earnings and non-state pension information from HMRC) to inform application form simplification. (CDPS - Adam Hardy)

Action point 7: Consider how to involve more LAs in digital transformation and Pathfinder work, especially those ready to adopt streamlined processes. (WG Core Team)

Action point 8: Consider if the new Data (Use and Access) Act will help with data sharing; group to monitor developments. (WG Core Team)

An update on the highlight report was provided, covering progress against Q1 outcomes, achievements, issues, and a forward look for the next quarter. It was noted that the only remaining Amber status in Q1 was due to team resourcing re-directed to other pressures, which diverted team resources. 

A stakeholder mapping exercise has now been completed by the core team and will be shared with the Steering Group for input via written procedure. 

On-going achievements were referenced, including the work of the CDPS, the SRO report, and legislative/policy intent mapping. Work is on track for the current quarter and progress is being made. 

The next quarter will focus on data workstreams, considering issues from the SRO report and the Pathfinder work, especially around data use and sharing. Some Q2 outcomes have already started, and invitations for Theory of Change workshops have been sent. 

The risks from potential further UK Government welfare changes, which could strain both Welsh Government and LAs due to overlapping consultations and limited capacity were highlighted. The team’s commitment to maintaining progress despite these challenges was emphasised. 

Action point 9: Share the stakeholder mapping exercise with the Steering Group for input via written procedure. (WG Core Team)

The risk register has been updated, with changes to 3 specific risks: risk 1, risk 7, and risk 11. 

• The impact of FSM changes at UK level and referencing the SRO report will need to be considered for risk 1 and that the Chair will be writing to the Cabinet Secretary about related recommendations.
• For risk 7, the offer of a grant was included in the further actions needed, highlighting ongoing discussions with the WLGA about using some funding centrally to support coordination, especially given efforts in LA SRO work.
• For risk 11, control and mitigation measures were added, referencing the Pathfinder project and user research, including work with marginalised communities through CDPS.

It was stated that these updates did not alter the overall risk levels and that no new risks were identified.

It was suggested to add a risk about LA take-up of the digital service, noting only 1 verbal agreement so far, and questioned if this should be a workstream or Steering Group risk. Agreement was reached, and it was decided to work with the Core Team to frame this risk appropriately. 

The need to balance doing the work and achieving impact was highlighted, emphasising the importance of resources being used effectively and not just creating unused assets. 

The Chair acknowledged the progress being made, even if slower than some would like, and the importance of steady advancement was stressed. 

The need for balance between steady progress and realising benefits for applicants was agreed upon, with a desire for more impact being expressed.

Action point 10: Add a risk regarding LA take-up of the digital service offer, working with the Core Team to frame it appropriately. (WG Core Team)

The minutes were reviewed for accuracy (28/04/2025) and agreed.  

The next meeting will be set for October, and it was suggested this would be an in-person event which the Cabinet Secretary will be invited to attend. The Chair encouraged members to attend in person where possible the last face to face meeting was not well attended. Core Team will issue a diary marker.

Action point 11: Core Team to propose date of next meeting and issue diary marker.