Helping our communities through the cost of living crisis

In the face of the growing cost of living, Carmarthenshire County Council has hosted a collaboration event with its stakeholders and partners to share information, understanding and best practice to ensure that all agencies can work together, towards providing a truly multi-agency support package for vulnerable households.

Hosted in Llanelli, delegates contributed to a range of discussions, that focused on specific population groups, in order to better understand people’s current needs and the support available to each group.

Discussions were held on the support that is available for people who are in work but are on low income, or are looking for work, or are unemployed or losing their jobs.

Another key focus of the event was how to best support mothers or couples that are expecting a child, along with families, students and young people during the drastic increase in the cost of living.

Helping older people and pensioners was also at the forefront of the event and agencies were encouraged to share information on their efforts to support people who have been bereaved, carers, people with disabilities, ill-health or injured or have served in the armed forces.

The collaboration event sought to identify areas for possible cross-sector collaboration in the effort to prevent poverty, improve the lives of people living in poverty, help people into work and to better understand the challenges facing the residents of Carmarthenshire.

Deputy Leader and Cabinet lead Cllr. Linda Evans said:

“This is a very serious situation, and we are all worried about rising food, energy and fuel bills. It is vitally important that we get around a table with our stakeholders and partners to ensure that no stone is left unturned, in our efforts to support the people of Carmarthenshire during this cost of living crisis.

“So far, we as a council have distributed the Welsh Government’s Cost of Living Support Scheme to households and are currently issuing further support through the Welsh Government’s Discretionary Fund and Winter Support Scheme.

“We have created warm spaces at our libraries in Carmarthen, Llanelli and Ammanford and we are encouraging individuals and local groups to apply for funding from our Poverty Fund, to help finance new and pre-existing events and initiatives that could also serve as a means to provide a Warm Welcome Space for residents to attend, even if it is for a few hours a week.”

The Warm Welcome Spaces scheme is funded through the Council’s Poverty Fund.

A total of £180,000 is being made available through Carmarthenshire County Council’s Poverty Fund which is funded by the Welsh Government’s Discretionary Fund and other Welsh Government funding schemes.

To apply for funding please visit the Poverty Fund page.

Council Leader, Cllr Darren Price said:

“The poverty figures for Carmarthenshire, Wales and the UK are startling. 35.6% of households in Carmarthenshire are living in poverty. In Wales, 17% of children in poverty live in households where all adults are in work, an increase of 5% over the last ten years, and almost 1 in 5 pensioners in Wales are living in poverty.

“These are the people that are most vulnerable to the rising costs of living, and it is a worsening issue that one organisation alone cannot solve.

“The purpose of gathering our partners and stakeholders, here in one place, is to work together and coordinate our efforts to support those most in need in our county. There are many factors that contribute to the risk of someone being in poverty, therefore the approach to supporting somebody who is living in poverty is multi-layered and requires cooperation across different agencies and stakeholders.”

Carmarthenshire County Council has a dedicated team of advisers who are here to listen and help you apply for the support, services and money that you may be entitled to.

There are 2 ways of accessing this support.

Online – by visiting the council’s Claim What’s Yours Page where you can access information on a wide range of support schemes or arrange to speak with an adviser

Visit one of our HWB Centres – located at Carmarthen, Llanelli and Ammanford and speak with one of our friendly HWB Advisers.

Helpu ein cymunedau trwy’r argyfwng costau byw

Yn wyneb costau byw cynyddol, mae Cyngor Sir Caerfyrddin wedi cynnal digwyddiad cydweithredu gyda’i randdeiliaid a’i bartneriaid i rannu gwybodaeth, dealltwriaeth ac arferion gorau er mwyn sicrhau y gall yr holl asiantaethau gydweithio, tuag at ddarparu pecyn cymorth aml-asiantaeth ar gyfer aelwydydd sydd mewn sefyllfa fregus.

Cynhaliwyd y digwyddiad yn Llanelli, lle cyfrannwyd at amrywiaeth o drafodaethau, a oedd yn canolbwyntio ar grwpiau poblogaeth penodol, er mwyn deall yn well anghenion presennol pobl a’r gefnogaeth sydd ar gael i bob grŵp.

Cafodd trafodaethau eu cynnal am y gefnogaeth sydd ar gael ar gyfer pobl sydd mewn gwaith ond sydd ar incwm isel, neu sy’n chwilio am waith, neu sy’n ddi-waith neu’n colli eu swyddi.

Un o brif ganolbwyntiau’r digwyddiad oedd sut orau i gefnogi mamau neu gyplau sy’n disgwyl plentyn, ynghyd â theuluoedd, myfyrwyr a phobl ifanc yn ystod cyfnod lle mae costau byw yn cynyddu’n sylweddol.

Roedd helpu pobl hŷn a phensiynwyr hefyd yn flaenllaw yn y digwyddiad, a chafodd asiantaethau eu hannog i rannu gwybodaeth am eu hymdrechion i gefnogi pobl sydd wedi cael profedigaeth, gofalwyr, pobl ag anableddau, pobl ag afiechyd neu bobl sydd wedi’u hanafu neu sydd wedi gwasanaethu yn y lluoedd arfog.

Nod y digwyddiad cydweithio oedd ceisio nodi meysydd ar gyfer cydweithio posibl ar draws y sector yn yr ymdrech i atal tlodi, gwella bywydau pobl sy’n byw mewn tlodi, helpu pobl i gael gwaith a deall yn well yr heriau sy’n wynebu preswylwyr Sir Gaerfyrddin.

Dywedodd y Dirprwy Arweinydd a’r Arweinydd Cabinet, y Cynghorydd Linda Evans:

“Mae hon yn sefyllfa ddifrifol iawn, ac mae pob yn ohonom yn poeni am filiau bwyd, ynni a thanwydd cynyddol. Mae’n hanfodol bwysig ein bod yn mynd o gwmpas bwrdd gyda’n rhanddeiliaid a’n partneriaid i sicrhau y gwneir popeth posibl, yn ein hymdrechion i gefnogi pobl Sir Gaerfyrddin yn ystod yr argyfwng costau byw hwn.

“Hyd yn hyn, rydym ni fel cyngor wedi dosbarthu Cynllun Cymorth Costau Byw Llywodraeth Cymru i gartrefi ac ar hyn o bryd rydym yn darparu cefnogaeth bellach drwy Gronfa Ddewisol a Chynllun Cymorth Gaeaf Llywodraeth Cymru.

“Rydym wedi creu mannau cynnes yn ein llyfrgelloedd yng Nghaerfyrddin, Llanelli a Rhydaman ac rydym yn annog unigolion a grwpiau lleol i wneud cais am arian o’n Cronfa Tlodi, i helpu i ariannu digwyddiadau a mentrau newydd a phresennol a allai hefyd ddarparu Man Croeso Cynnes i breswylwyr fynd iddo, hyd yn oed os yw am ychydig oriau’r wythnos.”

Mae’r cynllun Mannau Croeso Cynnes yn cael ei gyllido drwy Gronfa Tlodi’r Cyngor.

Mae cyfanswm o £180,000 ar gael trwy Gronfa Tlodi Cyngor Sir Caerfyrddin a gyllidir gan Gronfa Ddewisol Llywodraeth Cymru a chynlluniau cyllid eraill Llywodraeth Cymru.

I wneud cais am arian ewch i dudalen y Gronfa Tlodi.

Dywedodd Arweinydd y Cyngor, y Cynghorydd Darren Price:

“Mae’r ffigurau tlodi ar gyfer Sir Gaerfyrddin, Cymru a’r DU yn syfrdanol. Mae 35.6% o aelwydydd yn Sir Gaerfyrddin yn byw mewn tlodi. Yng Nghymru, mae 17% o blant mewn tlodi yn byw mewn aelwydydd lle mae pob oedolyn yn gweithio, sy’n gynnydd o 5% dros y deng mlynedd diwethaf, ac mae bron i 1 o bob 5 pensiynwr yng Nghymru yn byw mewn tlodi.

“Dyma’r bobl sydd fwyaf agored i niwed i gostau byw cynyddol, ac mae’n fater sy’n gwaethygu na all un sefydliad yn unig ei ddatrys.

“Pwrpas casglu ein partneriaid a’n rhanddeiliaid, yma mewn un lle, yw cydweithio a chydlynu ein hymdrechion i gefnogi’r rhai mwyaf agored i niwed yn ein sir. Mae yna lawer o ffactorau sy’n cyfrannu at y risg y bydd rhywun mewn tlodi, felly mae’r dull o gefnogi rhywun sy’n byw mewn tlodi yn aml-haenog ac yn gofyn am gydweithrediad ar draws gwahanol asiantaethau a rhanddeiliaid.”

Mae gan Gyngor Sir Caerfyrddin dîm penodol o ymgynghorwyr sydd yma i wrando a’ch helpu i wneud cais am y cymorth, y gwasanaethau a’r arian y gallech fod â hawl i’w cael.

Mae 2 ffordd o gael mynediad at y cymorth hwn.

Ar-lein – drwy fynd i dudalen Hawliwch yr hyn sy’n ddyledus i chi y Cyngor, lle gallwch gael gwybodaeth am amrywiaeth eang o gynlluniau cymorth neu drefnu i siarad ag ymgynghorydd

Ewch i un o’n Canolfannau HWB – yng Nghaerfyrddin, Llanelli a Rhydaman a siaradwch ag un o’n hymgynghorwyr HWB cyfeillgar.