The Welsh Government has taken a step closer to introducing its planned £10-a-week child payment scheme, after an expert group tasked with designing the pilot met for the first time.

The Cynnal pilot aims to provide £10 a week to up to 15,000 children living in households receiving Universal Credit, across a limited number of local authority areas in Wales.

The newly formed expert group will help shape how the scheme works, including how it is delivered and evaluated, to ensure it provides meaningful support for families experiencing poverty.

The group is co-chaired by Wales’ Deputy First Minister Sioned Williams and Steffan Evans, Chief Executive of the Bevan Foundation, and includes representatives from academia, research organisations, frontline services and Welsh Government.

At its first meeting, members discussed the aims of the pilot and considered issues including the age range of children who could benefit.

Deputy First Minister Sioned Williams said tackling child poverty was a key priority for the Welsh Government.

She said: “Too many families in Wales are struggling with the pressures of rising costs and insecure work.

“We are committed to tackling the injustice of child poverty and have made it a core government priority.

“That’s why we are moving to begin developing the Cynnal payment, which is designed to make a real, practical difference to children’s lives.”

The creation of the expert group was one of the Welsh Government’s first 100-day commitments.

Steffan Evans said a Welsh Child Payment could be a “powerful lever” in tackling child poverty.

He added: “I look forward to working with other members of the group to ensure that the pilot works as effectively as possible, something that would be a major step forward in tackling child poverty in Wales.”

Before the meeting, the Deputy First Minister visited Ely and Caerau Children’s Centre in Cardiff, which works with Save the Children Cymru, to hear about the pressures facing families as household costs continue to rise.

Mari Williams, Senior Policy and Research Manager at Save the Children Cymru and a member of the expert group, said poverty affects children’s lives in many ways.

She said a weekly child payment could help families afford essentials, allow children to take part in activities that might otherwise be unavailable, and support their wellbeing and development.

The Welsh Government says the pilot will help test how the payment can best support families before any decisions are made on a wider rollout.