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I am issuing this statement to update Members on our continued support for Advice Services.


**Single Advice Fund**


In the written statement, which I issued on 2 October 2019, I confirmed I had introduced the Single Advice Fund to ensure that the Welsh Government could be confident that it is grant funding strategically planned, quality assured advice services that are delivered by collaborating providers.


The Single Advice Fund services went live in January 2020 and during the period up to the middle of March; services were being delivered from the heart of communities and reaching many people before their problems begin to spiral out of control.  However, the onset of the Covid\-19 pandemic forced the closure of the community based face\-to\-face services, with providers transferring their advice services to be delivered through remote access channels, e.g., telephone, email, and webchat, etc.  


I recently met with some of the providers who are delivering the Single Advice Fund services and was pleased to hear how their collaborative delivery model of Advice Partners and Access Partners\[1] has proven invaluable in ensuring some of our most vulnerable citizens\[2] have been able to remote access advice services.


During the period, January 2020 to September 2020 over82,000 people received help through the Single Advice Fund services, tackling often multiple problems with, debts, discrimination, employment housing, and welfare benefits. It is especially pleasing to report that the benefit advice services have helped people to claim over £20 million of additional welfare benefit income.


I am proud of the Welsh Government’s longstanding commitment to financially supporting advice services and I can confirm that I have agreed to extend the current grant funding for the Single Advice Fund to the end of March 2021 and, subject to budget confirmation, I have approved to extend the grant funding for a further 12 months until March 2022\. 


**National Advice Network**


The National Advice Network Wales (NAN) was established in 2015 in response to a recommendation in the Welsh Government’s Advice Service Review. The recommendation called upon the Welsh Ministers to create an impartial and expert advisory group to support the strategic development of the advice sector in Wales. In the fulfilment of its advisory role, the NAN helped to draft the Information and Advice Action Plan for Wales, published by the Welsh Government in December 2016\.


The NAN has played a key role in overseeing the excellent progress we have made with implementing the commitments within the Information and Advice Action Plan, including the introduction of the Single Advice Fund that fulfils the commitment for the Welsh Government to have a more strategic approach to the grant funding of advice services.


Over the last six months, the NAN has worked with officials to identify and understand the short, medium and long\-term impacts of the Covid\-19 pandemic upon the advice sector in Wales.  To continue with this important work it is important for the NAN to have a period of stability. I therefore met with Mrs Fran Targett, the Chair of the NAN, and offered to extend her period as the Chair until the 31 March 2022\. I am pleased that Mrs Targett accepted my offer. I have also invited the individual members of the NAN to remain in their role until the 31 March 2022\.


**Conclusion**


The services being delivered through the Single Advice Fund are excellent examples of how we ensure that the people, who need it most, access the advice and support they require to improve their lives.  However, the economic impact of the Covid\-19 pandemic will continue to increase the demand for access to advice services and we must maintain our collaborative work with key stakeholders to ensure the policies are in place that will meet the challenges that lie ahead.


\[1] Access partners are a range of third sector organisations who do not deliver advice, but help and support people to engage effectively with the advice process.


\[2] 82% of people accessing Single Advice Fund services are from our key priority groups, e.g., older people, BAME communities, people with disabilities, or living with specific health conditions, etc.







Translation:


 
Rwy’n cyhoeddi’r datganiad hwn i roi diweddariad i Aelodau am ein cefnogaeth barhaus ar gyfer Gwasanaethau Cynghori.


**Y Gronfa Gynghori Sengl**


Yn fy natganiad ysgrifenedig ar 2 Hydref 2019, cyhoeddais fy mod wedi cyflwyno'r Gronfa Cynghori Sengl i sicrhau y gall Llywodraeth Cymru fod yn hyderus ei bod yn rhoi cyllid grant i wasanaethau cynghori â sicrwydd ansawdd sydd wedi’u cynllunio’n strategol ac yn cael eu darparu gan ddarparwyr sy'n cydweithredu.


Aeth gwasanaethau'r Gronfa Cynghori Sengl yn fyw ym mis Ionawr 2020 ac yn ystod y cyfnod hyd at ganol mis Mawrth roedd gwasanaethau'n cael eu darparu o galon cymunedau ac yn cyrraedd llawer o bobl cyn i'w problemau ddechrau mynd tu hwnt i reolaeth. Fodd bynnag, roedd pandemig Covid\-19 wedi golygu bod y gwasanaethau wyneb yn wyneb yn y gymuned wedi gorfod cau, a bu’n rhaid i ddarparwyr drosglwyddo eu gwasanaethau cynghori i sianeli mynediad o bell, e.e., ffôn, e\-bost a gwe\-sgwrsio etc. 


Cyfarfûm yn ddiweddar â rhai o'r darparwyr sy'n darparu gwasanaethau'r Gronfa Cynghori  Sengl ac roeddwn yn falch o glywed bod eu model darparu cydweithredol o Bartneriaid Cynghori a Phartneriaid Mynediad\[1] wedi profi'n amhrisiadwy o ran sicrhau bod rhai o'n dinasyddion mwyaf agored i niwed\[2] wedi gallu cael gafael ar wasanaethau cynghori o bell.


Yn ystod y cyfnod rhwng Ionawr 2020 a Medi 2020 cafodd dros 82,000 o bobl gymorth drwy wasanaethau'r Gronfa Cynghori Sengl, gan fynd i'r afael yn aml â phroblemau amrywiol mewn perthynas â dyledion, gwahaniaethu, tai cyflogaeth a budd\-daliadau lles. Rwy'n arbennig o falch o adrodd bod y gwasanaethau cynghori ar fudd\-daliadau wedi helpu pobl i hawlio dros £20 miliwn o incwm budd\-dal lles ychwanegol.


Rwy'n falch iawn o ymrwymiad hirdymor Llywodraeth Cymru i gefnogi gwasanaethau cynghori'n ariannol a gallaf gadarnhau fy mod wedi cytuno i ymestyn y cyllid grant presennol ar gyfer y Gronfa Cynghori Sengl hyd at ddiwedd mis Mawrth 2021 ac, yn amodol ar gadarnhad o'r gyllideb, rwyf wedi cymeradwyo ymestyn y cyllid grant am 12 mis arall tan fis Mawrth 2022\. 


**Y Rhwydwaith Cynghori Cenedlaethol** 


Sefydlwyd Rhwydwaith Cynghori Cenedlaethol Cymru (NAN) yn 2015 mewn ymateb i argymhelliad yn Adolygiad Llywodraeth Cymru o Wasanaethau Cynghori. Roedd yr argymhelliad yn galw ar Weinidogion Cymru i greu grŵp cynghori arbenigol diduedd i gefnogi datblygiad strategol y sector cynghori yng Nghymru. Wrth gyflawni ei rôl gynghori, helpodd NAN i ddrafftio’r Cynllun Gweithredu Gwybodaeth a Chyngor Cymru a gyhoeddwyd gan Lywodraeth Cymru ym mis Rhagfyr 2016\.


Mae NAN wedi bod yn rhan allweddol o’r gwaith o oruchwylio'r cynnydd rhagorol rydym wedi'i wneud o ran gweithredu'r ymrwymiadau yn y Cynllun Gweithredu Gwybodaeth a Chyngor, gan gynnwys cyflwyno'r Gronfa Cynghori Sengl sy'n cyflawni'r ymrwymiad i Lywodraeth Cymru gael dull mwy strategol o ariannu gwasanaethau cynghori.


Dros y chwe mis diwethaf, mae NAN wedi gweithio gyda swyddogion i nodi a deall effeithiau tymor byr, canolig a hirdymor pandemig Covid\-19 ar y sector cynghori yng Nghymru. I barhau â'r gwaith pwysig hwn mae'n bwysig i'r NAN gael cyfnod o sefydlogrwydd. Cyfarfûm felly â Mrs Fran Targett, Cadeirydd NAN, a chynigiais ymestyn ei chyfnod fel Cadeirydd tan 31 Mawrth 2022\. Rwy'n falch bod Mrs Targett wedi derbyn fy nghynnig. Rwyf hefyd wedi gwahodd aelodau unigol NAN i aros yn eu rôl tan 31 Mawrth 2022\.


**Casgliad**


Mae'r gwasanaethau sy'n cael eu darparu drwy'r Gronfa Cynghori Sengl yn enghreifftiau gwych o sut rydym yn sicrhau bod y bobl sydd ei angen fwyaf yn cael y cyngor a'r cymorth sydd eu hangen arnynt i wella eu bywydau. Fodd bynnag, bydd effaith economaidd pandemig Covid\-19 yn parhau i gynyddu'r galw am fynediad at wasanaethau cynghori a rhaid inni gynnal ein gwaith cydweithredol â rhanddeiliaid allweddol i sicrhau bod polisïau ar waith a fydd yn ateb yr heriau sydd o'n blaenau.


\[1] Sefydliadau trydydd sector nad ydynt yn darparu cyngor yw partneriaid mynediad, ond sy'n helpu ac yn cefnogi pobl i ddefnyddio’r broses gynghori’n effeithiol.


\[2] Mae 82% o’r bobl sy'n defnyddio gwasanaethau'r Gronfa Cynghori Sengl yn dod o'n grwpiau blaenoriaeth allweddol, e.e. pobl hŷn, cymunedau BAME, pobl ag anableddau, neu'n byw gyda chyflyrau iechyd penodol, etc.