English: Analysis - . Well, we've got our own responsibilities here that are devolved to us in the Welsh Government. Analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies also shows that households in Wales will lose 1.6 per cent of their net income on average, or around £460 a year, from the UK Government's tax and benefit reforms introduced between 2015-16 and 2019-20. This is equivalent to around £600 million a year to Wales as a whole. We know that lower income households and particularly those with children will lose considerably more on average - around 12 per cent of net income. Large families are particularly hard hit, losing around £7,750 a year or 20 per cent of their net income on average. So, I'm deeply concerned about the devastating impact that universal credit is having on our most vulnerable people. The analysis by the IFS shows that, whilst one-earner couples with children may gain, working lone parents and two-earner couples are likely to lose. So, the UK Government claim that universal credit will encourage people into work and make work pay just doesn't stack up, because it weakens the incentive for both parents to work and it weakens the incentive for single parents to be in work. Unfortunately, though, the UK Government seems determined to ignore these facts and maintains the line that universal credit ensures that work always pays. Immediately after coming to post, I wrote to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, setting out our concerns and the views of this National Assembly for Wales, which were expressed during the previous debate that we had on this subject. I called on him to reverse the UK Government's damaging cuts to welfare, to halt the roll-out of universal credit and to address the fundamental concerns being raised with regard to it. As part of his response to me last week, the Secretary of State said that around 80 per cent of new universal credit claimants are being paid in full and on time, but, even if that's the case, I have to ask: what about the other 20 per cent? Failure on this scale is leading to claimants seeking urgent help from food banks, with many struggling to cope with the complexities of this new benefit. What's extremely worrying to me is that, of those new universal credit claimants who are seeking vital support with their housing costs, many will not be able to pay their first rent to their landlord until their first payment is received. And local authorities, where universal credit full service is already in operation, are telling us that they're seeing increases in rent arrears for many tenants. This is causing or exacerbating debt problems for those who are most in need of support, and it has serious consequences for people who may face eviction as a result of not having the money to pay their rent. I spoke to the Minister of State for Employment on the day of the autumn statement. He told me that the DWP has put in place advance payments for new universal credit claimants waiting for their first payment. The DWP says this payment will be made within five working days of application and on the same day to anyone in urgent need. I say, as I've said to the Minister, that they need to go much further in addressing the issues. I do not consider that the DWP's solution of offering a loan is sustainable as a permanent solution for claimants who will often already be in debt. No-one is claiming that benefit rates are generous, so tell me: how is a claimant expected to live on eleven twelfths of that benefit for a whole year while the original advance is being paid off? I wrote to the Minister for Employment last week, seeking his assurances that universal credit claimants would be able to receive payments over the Christmas period. DWP officials have indicated to my officials that there are robust procedures in place to ensure that all payments to claimants due by 21 and 22 December will be paid, and I sincerely hope that these reassurances will be borne out in practice, but I have to say that our experience to date of the UK Government's delivery of universal credit and other welfare benefits doesn't fill me with confidence. The national advice network for Wales is working closely with us and with other key partners to ensure that the advice services can help claimants through the complexities of universal credit. The DWP must recognise that many claimants want and need to choose the frequency of their payments. I'll be impressing on the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions that the choice should be universally available to all claimants of universal credit through the DWP's alternative payment arrangements. I do not believe that we would need the same administrative arrangements as in Scotland to achieve this. Evidence recently presented to the work and pensions committee indicates that there are real disadvantages to the flexibilities offered to claimants in Scotland, with payments being deferred as a result. The flexible arrangements in Scotland only start after the first universal credit payment is received. So, some Scottish claimants have been waiting six weeks or more for their first payment.
Welsh: Dadansoddiad - . Wel, mae gennym ein cyfrifoldebau ein hunain yma sydd wedi'u datganoli i ni yn Llywodraeth Cymru. Hefyd dengys dadansoddiad gan y Sefydliad Astudiaethau Cyllid y bydd aelwydydd yng Nghymru yn colli 1.6 y cant o'u hincwm net ar gyfartaledd, neu oddeutu £460 y flwyddyn, o ganlyniad i ddiwygiadau treth a budd-daliadau Llywodraeth y DU a gyflwynir rhwng 2015-16 a 2019-20. Mae hyn yn cyfateb i tua £600 miliwn y flwyddyn i Gymru gyfan. Gwyddom y bydd aelwydydd incwm is ac yn arbennig y rhai â phlant yn colli cryn dipyn yn fwy ar gyfartaledd - tua 12 y cant o incwm net. Caiff teuluoedd mawr eu taro'n arbennig o galed, gan golli oddeutu £7,750 flwyddyn neu 20 y cant o'u hincwm net ar gyfartaledd. Felly, rwy'n pryderu'n fawr am yr effaith ddinistriol y mae credyd cynhwysol yn ei chael ar ein pobl fwyaf agored i niwed. Er y gallai cyplau â phlant lle mae un o'r ddau'n ennill cyflog fod ar eu hennill, dengys y dadansoddiad gan y Sefydliad Astudiaethau Cyllid fod rhieni sengl a chyplau lle mae'r ddau'n ennill cyflog yn debygol o fod ar eu colled. Felly, nid yw honiad Llywodraeth y DU y bydd credyd cynhwysol yn annog pobl i gael gwaith ac yn gwneud i waith dalu yn gwneud synnwyr, oherwydd mae'n gwanhau'r cymhelliad i'r ddau riant weithio ac mae'n gwanhau'r cymhelliad i rieni sengl gael gwaith. Yn anffodus, fodd bynnag, mae Llywodraeth y DU i'w gweld yn benderfynol o anwybyddu'r ffeithiau hyn ac yn parhau i ddadlau bod credyd cynhwysol yn sicrhau bod gwaith yn talu bob amser. Yn syth ar ôl dod i'r swydd hon, ysgrifennais at yr Ysgrifennydd Gwladol dros Waith a Phensiynau, i nodi ein pryderon a barn Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru, a gafodd ei mynegi yn ystod y ddadl flaenorol a gawsom ar y pwnc hwn. Gelwais arno i wrthdroi toriadau niweidiol Llywodraeth y DU i'r system les, i roi terfyn ar gyflwyno credyd cynhwysol a mynd i'r afael â'r pryderon sylfaenol sy'n cael eu gwyntyllu mewn perthynas ag ef. Fel rhan o'i ymateb i mi yr wythnos diwethaf, dywedodd yr Ysgrifennydd Gwladol fod tua 80 y cant o hawlwyr y credyd cynhwysol newydd yn cael eu talu'n llawn ac ar amser, ond hyd yn oed os yw hynny'n wir, rhaid i mi ofyn: beth am yr 20 y cant arall? Mae methiant ar y raddfa hon yn golygu bod hawlwyr yn gorfod chwilio am gymorth brys o fanciau bwyd, gyda llawer yn ei chael hi'n anodd ymdopi gyda chymhlethdodau'r budd-dal newydd hwn. O blith yr hawlwyr credyd cynhwysol newydd sy'n chwilio am gymorth hanfodol gyda'u costau tai, yr hyn sy'n peri pryder enfawr i mi yw na fydd llawer ohonynt yn gallu talu eu rhent cyntaf i'w landlord hyd nes y byddant yn derbyn eu taliad cyntaf. Ac mae awdurdodau lleol lle mae gwasanaeth llawn y credyd cynhwysol eisoes ar waith yn dweud wrthym eu bod yn gweld cynnydd mewn ôl-ddyledion rhent i nifer o denantiaid. Mae hyn yn achosi neu'n gwaethygu problemau dyled i'r rhai sydd fwyaf o angen cymorth, ac mae iddo ganlyniadau difrifol i'r bobl a allai wynebu cael eu troi allan o ganlyniad i beidio â bod ag arian i dalu eu rhent. Siaradais â'r Gweinidog Gwladol dros Gyflogaeth ar ddiwrnod datganiad yr hydref. Dywedodd wrthyf fod yr Adran Gwaith a Phensiynau wedi cyflwyno rhagdaliadau ar gyfer hawlwyr newydd y credyd cynhwysol sy'n aros am eu taliad cyntaf. Dywed yr Adran Gwaith a Phensiynau y gwneir y taliad hwn o fewn pum diwrnod gwaith i wneud y cais ac ar yr un diwrnod i unrhyw un sydd mewn angen brys. Fel y dywedais wrth y Gweinidog, rwy'n dweud bod angen iddynt fynd ymhellach o lawer i fynd i'r afael â'r problemau. Nid wyf yn ystyried bod ateb yr Adran Gwaith a Phensiynau o gynnig benthyciad yn gynaliadwy fel ateb parhaol i hawlwyr a fydd yn aml mewn dyled eisoes. Nid oes neb yn honni bod cyfraddau budd-daliadau yn hael, felly dywedwch wrthyf: sut y disgwylir i hawliwr fyw ar un rhan ar ddeg o ddeuddeg o'r budd-dal hwnnw am flwyddyn gyfan tra bo'r rhagdal gwreiddiol yn cael ei ad-dalu? Ysgrifennais at y Gweinidog Cyflogaeth yr wythnos diwethaf i ofyn am sicrwydd y byddai hawlwyr y credyd cynhwysol yn gallu derbyn taliadau dros gyfnod y Nadolig. Mae swyddogion yr Adran Gwaith a Phensiynau wedi dweud wrth fy swyddogion fod gweithdrefnau cadarn ar waith i sicrhau bod pob taliad i hawlwyr sy'n ddyledus erbyn 21 a 22 Rhagfyr yn cael ei dalu, ac rwy'n mawr obeithio y caiff y sicrwydd hwn ei wireddu'n ymarferol, ond rhaid i mi ddweud nad yw ein profiad hyd yn hyn o'r modd y mae Llywodraeth y DU yn darparu credyd cynhwysol a budd-daliadau lles eraill yn rhoi llawer iawn o hyder i mi. Mae'r rhwydwaith cyngor cenedlaethol ar gyfer Cymru'n gweithio'n agos gyda ni a phartneriaid allweddol eraill i sicrhau y gall gwasanaethau cynghori helpu hawlwyr drwy gymhlethdodau'r credyd cynhwysol. Rhaid i'r Adran Gwaith a Phensiynau gydnabod bod llawer o'r hawlwyr eisiau ac angen dewis pa mor aml y cânt eu taliadau. Byddaf yn pwysleisio wrth yr Ysgrifennydd Gwladol dros Waith a Phensiynau y dylai'r dewis fod ar gael yn gyffredinol i holl hawlwyr y credyd cynhwysol drwy drefniadau talu amgen yr Adran Gwaith a Phensiynau. Nid wyf yn credu y byddai angen yr un trefniadau gweinyddol â'r Alban er mwyn cyflawni hyn. Mae tystiolaeth a gyflwynwyd yn ddiweddar i'r pwyllgor gwaith a phensiynau'n dynodi bod anfanteision gwirioneddol o ran yr hyblygrwydd a gynigir i hawlwyr yn yr Alban, gyda thaliadau'n cael eu gohirio o ganlyniad i hynny. Nid yw'r trefniadau hyblyg yn yr Alban ond yn dechrau ar ôl derbyn y taliad credyd cynhwysol cyntaf. Felly, mae rhai hawlwyr yn yr Alban wedi bod yn aros chwe wythnos neu fwy am eu taliad cyntaf.