Poverty in Wales costs £3.6bn a year
Almost a quarter of people living in Wales are in poverty, according to a report by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
Over 700,000 people, or 23% of the population, live in poverty and struggle to make ends meet.
Poverty of this scale costs the country more than £3.6 billion every year.
In other words, £1 in every £5 spent on public services in Wales is linked to poverty. This is equivalent to £1,150 per person in Wales.
One reason for the increase in Welsh poverty is the reduced income of pensioners, says Age Cymru.
Rising costs, low interest rates, and plummeting annuity rates have resulted in 84,000 older people living in poverty in Wales.
Lilian's story
Lilian, a retiree who runs a bed and breakfast place in Wales, found herself in financial hardship after the recession.
Struggling to survive on her pension alone she searched for help online and discovered Turn2us.
Lilian used the Benefits Calculator and discovered she was eligible for Housing Benefit and Pension Credit.
She successfully qualified for £257 of Housing Benefit a month and £57 of Pension Credit a week.
Lilian said: “This extra money has made a heck of a difference to my life. Knowing I can pay my bills and my mortgage has left me feeling a lot calmer and more grounded and not so nervous”.
Use Turn2us tools to find help
If you are living in financial difficulty, use our Benefits Calculator and our Grant Search to see if you are eligible for any extra funds.