Translate the text from Welsh to English.



 
Mae'r Gronfa Cymorth Dewisol (y Gronfa) wedi newid yn ystod y blynyddoedd diwethaf, gyda lefelau digynsail o alw mewn ymateb i’r pandemig Covid\-19, ac yna wrth ddarparu cymorth ychwanegol i'r rhai a effeithiwyd pan gollwyd y codiad o £20 i’r Credyd Cynhwysol.


Ymatebodd Llywodraeth Cymru yn gyflym ac mewn ffordd hyblyg i sicrhau bod y rhai a gollodd eu swyddi neu a gafodd eu heffeithio yn ariannol mewn ffyrdd eraill gan y pandemig yn gallu cael y cymorth roedden nhw ei angen. Arweiniodd y newidiadau hyn at ddwy set wahanol o drefniadau yn ymwneud â mynediad at daliadau brys y mae angen eu symleiddio bellach wrth i ni geisio dygymod â’r argyfwng costau byw a'r pwysau ariannol pellach y mae unigolion a theuluoedd ledled Cymru yn ei wynebu.


Ar sail y dystiolaeth o’r angen a’r galw, llwyddais i sicrhau £18\.8m yn ychwanegol yn y gyllideb ddrafft, gan gynyddu cyfanswm cyllideb y Gronfa ar gyfer 23/24 i £38\.5m. Bydd y cynnydd hwn yn dod â'r gyllideb ar gyfer 23/24 yn unol â'r lefelau presennol o alw ar y gronfa, gan ganiatáu i ni barhau i gefnogi pobl sy'n agored i niwed yn ariannol yng Nghymru ar adeg pan fo rhai unigolion yn ei chael hi'n anodd cwrdd â'r costau byw mwyaf sylfaenol fel bwyd a thanwydd.


Ers mis Medi 2022 mae natur esblygol yr argyfwng costau byw ac effaith gadarnhaol ymgyrchoedd codi ymwybyddiaeth Llywodraeth Cymru wedi arwain at alw pellach ar y Gronfa, gyda mwy a mwy o unigolion yn troi ati am gymorth ariannol bob mis. Ym mis Ionawr 2023 yn unig, daeth dros 60,000 o geisiadau i'r Gronfa, gan arwain at £4 miliwn mewn grantiau, y gwariant misol uchaf ers i Lywodraeth Cymru sefydlu’r Gronfa yn 2013\.


Rwyf wedi bod yn ystyried y ffordd orau o helpu cynifer â phosibl o unigolion agored i niwed yn ariannol sy’n wynebu argyfwng wrth i ni symud i flwyddyn ariannol newydd, yn ystod cyfnod pan fo'r galw'n parhau i gynyddu.


Mae adborth gan randdeiliaid allweddol yn awgrymu bod cael dwy set o reolau ar gyfer taliadau brys drwy'r Gronfa yn broblemus ar gyfer unigolion a sefydliadau sy’n eu cefnogi, felly'r flaenoriaeth wrth symud ymlaen yw symleiddio'r rheolau. Mae rhanddeiliaid hefyd wedi galw am gynyddu gwerth taliadau’r Gronfa yn unol â chwyddiant.


Rwy'n falch o gyhoeddi y byddwn, o 1 Ebrill 2023 ymlaen, yn symud i un set o reolau ar gyfer yr holl Daliadau Cymorth mewn Argyfwng, a fydd yn sicrhau tegwch o ran mynediad at y Gronfa. Byddwn hefyd yn codi pob dyfarniad o’r Taliad hwnnw 11%. Bydd hyn yn golygu y gall pob unigolyn wneud cais am Daliad Cymorth mewn Argyfwng hyd at dair gwaith mewn cyfnod treigl o ddeuddeg mis, gyda bwlch o ddim ond saith diwrnod rhwng ceisiadau. Bydd hyn yn ein galluogi i ddarparu taliadau gwerth uwch i unigolion dros gyfnod byrrach o amser er mwyn eu cefnogi yn ystod cyfnod o argyfwng, er enghraifft os bydd rhywun wedi colli ei swydd ac yn aros i'r taliad Credyd Cynhwysol cyntaf gyrraedd. I deuluoedd, gallai hyn olygu uchafswm o £111 hyd at dair gwaith y flwyddyn. Gall unrhyw un dros 16 oed sydd mewn sefyllfa argyfyngus gael ei ystyried ar gyfer y taliadau hyn.


Mae elfen y Taliadau Cymorth i Unigolion o’r Gronfa yn parhau i fod ar gael er mwyn helpu dinasyddion agored i niwed i ddechrau byw'n annibynnol am y tro cyntaf, neu barhau i fyw'n annibynnol yn y gymuned. Er mwyn bod yn gymwys, rhaid i’r ymgeisydd  fod yn derbyn budd\-daliadau lles sy'n gysylltiedig ag incwm. Darperir y grant hwn ar ffurf nwyddau gwyn a/neu gelfi sy'n cael eu danfon yn uniongyrchol i'r ymgeisydd. Rhaid i bob cais am Daliad Cymorth i Unigolion gael ei gefnogi gan bartner cofrestredig y Gronfa Cymorth Dewisol. Ni fydd trefniadau ar gyfer grantiau Taliadau Cymorth i Unigolion yn newid.


Dros y dyddiau nesaf, bydd swyddogion yn sicrhau bod unigolion yn ymwybodol bod y Gronfa Cymorth Dewisol yn symud i dri thaliad i bawb, ac yn sicrhau bod y rhai sydd eisoes wedi cael tri thaliad ond sy’n gymwys i gael pump o dan y rheolau presennol oherwydd y categorïau cymhwyso penodol, yn cael digon o amser i wneud cais am eu pedwerydd a'u pumed taliad cyn 31 Mawrth, os oes angen iddyn nhw wneud hynny.


Bydd swyddogion yn trafod gyda phartneriaid a rhanddeiliaid allweddol i egluro’r newidiadau hyn a helpu sefydliadau i hysbysu eu cleientiaid, yn ogystal â sicrhau bod y newidiadau wedi’u gosod yn glir ar dudalennau’r Gronfa Cymorth Dewisol ar y we cyn gynted â phosibl. Hoffwn ddiolch i Sefydliad Bevan am drefnu digwyddiad i randdeiliaid ym mis Mawrth ar y newidiadau hyn.


Er mwyn cynorthwyo i nodi unrhyw fylchau neu broblemau wrth gyrraedd at ddarpariaeth y Gronfa Cymorth Dewisol, bydd Llywodraeth Cymru hefyd yn dechrau cyhoeddi nifer y ceisiadau a’r dyfarniadau fesul Awdurdod Lleol bob chwarter o 1 Ebrill 2023 ymlaen. Bydd unrhyw fylchau a nodir yn cael sylw drwy ein rhwydwaith partneriaid helaeth o fwy na 600 o bartneriaid cofrestredig y Gronfa.


Gwyddom, dros y blynyddoedd anodd diwethaf, fod y Gronfa wedi bod yn achubiaeth lwyr i nifer, gan achub bywydau yn llythrennol mewn cyfnodau o argyfwng. Wrth symud ymlaen, credaf y bydd darparu lefel well o gefnogaeth dros gyfnod byrrach o amser yn helpu unigolion a theuluoedd i roi bwyd ar y bwrdd a chynhesu eu cartrefi ar yr adeg pan fyddant fwyaf agored i niwed.







Translation:


 
The Discretionary Assistance Fund (DAF) has changed over recent years, with unprecedented levels of demand in response to the Covid\-19 pandemic and subsequently providing additional support to those impacted by the loss of the £20 Universal Credit uplift.


The Welsh Government acted quickly and flexibly to ensure those who lost their jobs or were impacted in other ways financially by the pandemic were able to access the support they needed. These changes resulted in two different sets of arrangements relating to access to emergency cash payments which now need simplifying as we navigate the cost\-of\-living crisis and the further financial pressure being faced by individuals and families across Wales.


Based on the evidence of need and demand I was able to secure an extra £18\.8m in the draft budget, increasing the total DAF budget for 23/24 to £38\.5m. This increase will bring the budget for 23/24 in line with the existing levels of demand on the fund, allowing us to continue to support financially vulnerable people in Wales at a time when some individuals are struggling to meet the most basic of living costs such as food and fuel.


Since September 2022 the evolving nature of the cost\-of\-living crisis and the positive impact of the Welsh Government’s awareness raising campaigns has filtered through to demand on the fund, with more and more individuals turning to the DAF for financial support each month. In January 2023 alone, more than 60,000 applications were received into the fund, resulting in £4 million in grants, the highest monthly spend since the fund was established by Welsh Government in 2013\.


I have been considering how we can best support as many financially vulnerable individuals in crisis as possible as we move into a new financial year, during a time when demand is continuing to increase.


Feedback from key stakeholders is that having two sets of rules for emergency cash payments through the DAF is unhelpful for individuals and supporting organisations, therefore the priority moving forward is to simplify the rules. Stakeholders have also called for an increase to the value of DAF payments in line with inflation.


I am pleased that from 1st April 2023, I can announce a move to one set of rules for all Emergency Assistance Payments (EAP), allowing equity of access to the DAF. We will also be uplifting each EAP award by 11%. This will mean that all individuals can apply for an EAP up to three times in a rolling twelve\-month period, with just a seven day gap between applications. This will enable us to provide higher value payments to individuals over a shorter period of time in order to support them during a time of crisis if, for example, someone has lost their job and is waiting for the first UC payment to come through. For families, this could mean a maximum payment of £111 up to three times a year. Anyone over the age of 16, in a crisis situation, can be considered for these payments.


The Individual Assistance Payment (IAP) element of the fund remains available to support vulnerable citizens to establish themselves or remain living independently in the community. To be eligible applicants must be in receipt of income related welfare benefits. This grant is provided in the form of white goods and/or furniture which are delivered directly to the applicant. All applications for an IAP must be supported by a DAF registered partner. Arrangements for IAP grants will remain unchanged.


Over the coming days, officials will ensure that individuals are aware that the DAF will be moving to three payments for all and ensure that those who have already reached three payments and are eligible for five under the current rules due to the specific qualifying categories, have sufficient time to apply for their fourth and fifth payment before 31st March, should they need to.


Officials will engage with partners and key stakeholders to explain these changes and enable support organisations to inform their clients, as well as ensuring the changes are clearly set out on the DAF webpages as soon as possible. I’d like to thank the Bevan Foundation for organising a stakeholder event in March on these changes.


To assist with the identification of any gaps or accessibility issues to DAF provision, WG will also begin to publish application and award numbers by Local Authority on a quarterly basis from 1st April 2023\. Any gaps identified will be addressed through our extensive DAF partner network of more than 600 registered partners.


We know that over the last few difficult years, the DAF has proved to be an absolute lifeline, and at times literally a life\-saver, for people in a time of crisis. Moving forward, I believe that providing an enhanced level of support over a shorter period of time, will help individuals and families to put food on the table and heat their homes at a time when they are most vulnerable.