Devolved governments demand urgent action from UK Government on 'cost of living crisis'
Ministers from the three devolved governments have united to call on the UK Government to tackle the "cost of living crisis".
Finance Ministers from Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have demanded action from the UK Government and has challenged it to "urgently intervene" and help households struggling with rising bills.
Their plea comes following a meeting with Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Simon Clarke.
Wales' Finance Minister, Rebecca Evans said households "need to see urgent action from the Treasury to help people with rising bills and living costs".
She said rising energy bills are a "particular concern at the moment, with more and more people living in fuel poverty".
Inflation has risen to 5.1% across the UK, with households also facing higher bills for food and transport.
The boss of the UK's biggest energy supplier has warned that rising energy prices affecting millions of households in the cost of living crisis could last for up to two years.
Chris O'Shea, chief executive of British Gas owner Centrica, said “the market suggests” high gas prices will continue “for the next 18 months to two years”.
His comments come amid an energy crisis which has seen more than 26 energy suppliers go bust while wholesale prices climb steeply.
Ms Evans said the Welsh Government has invested more than £50 million trying to help but insisted that "most of the powers and the fiscal resources needed to address the cost of living crisis are in the UK Government's hands".
She demanded: "The Treasury must step up. Additional support through targeted UK-wide schemes such as the Warm Home Discount and other winter fuel payments would lessen the burden on hard pressed households."
Ministers from the three devolved nations have also called on the UK Treasury for extra funding to respond to the Covid pandemic to be provided when needed and not just when additional assistance is provided in England.
Rebecca Evans added: "The Treasury must recognise the importance of fully supporting devolved nations to help protect our businesses and protect our populations."
A spokesperson for HM Treasury said: "The UK Government has worked closely with the devolved administrations throughout the pandemic and continues to do so, including via the meeting of the Finance Ministers Quadrilateral today.
"The UK Government's £400 billion Covid support package has supported people, businesses and public services in all parts of the UK, and in December we have just made £860 million of additional funding available to the devolved administrations to help them respond to the challenges presented by Omicron.
"We would encourage the devolved administrations to use this funding to provide the urgent support needed across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
"We also recognise that people are facing cost of living pressures, which is why we're taking £4.2 billion of decisive action to help."
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