Jeremy Miles MS, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care
Dawn Bowden MS, Minister for Children and Social Care
We are pleased to announce that our Sustainable Social Services Third Sector and Key Third Sector Organisation Grants have been extended into 2025-26, maintaining this annual investment of over £10 million into the social care sector.
This funding enables an extensive and diverse range of social care delivery across Wales, like the Women Connect “Lets Age Well” project which empowers ethnic women who may be vulnerable, disadvantaged or isolated to access a wide range of activities from healthy ageing exercise classes to learning English as a second language – benefiting their mental and physical wellbeing.
It helps organisations such as Wales Council of the Blind and the Royal National Institute of Blind People Cymru provide advice, confidence and skills to people with sight loss, helping them access support services and make vital practical changes to their lives and environment. This funding, as well as assisting other key organisations to support families and people across Wales, also helps people with autism gain sustainable peer support by accessing the experience and expertise of the National Autistic Society, while Whizz Kidz ‘Moving On,’ enhances life satisfaction for young wheelchair users through sports and movement programs.
The one-year extension into 2025-26, at current funding levels, will allow for a managed exit from current grant arrangements towards a new, simplified more responsive process in 2026-27. We will consider and identify priorities for innovation and delivery and liaise with third sector partners to develop a range of new projects leading to implementation of replacement arrangements taking effect from 1 April 2026
We are pleased to secure this vital funding for another year and look forward to the development of new, forward facing delivery proposals fit for the future social care needs of Wales.