A Ceredigion-based charity that provides vital support to adults and young people with learning difficulties has been awarded a £1,500 grant to help it continue its services during the pandemic. 

Mencap Ceredigion received the funding after its local MP, Ben Lake, nominated it for a cash award from Western Power Distribution’s (WPD’s) ‘In This Together – Community Matters Fund’.  

The fund was established by the local electricity distributor at the start of lockdown to support grass root organisations in delivering care to vulnerable people and families. It initially supported over 300 organisations with £500,000 funding.  As the lockdown lifted, WPD extended its support by a further £250,000 and offered MPs the opportunity to put forward a community group or charity for a grant to help towards its work during these challenging times. 

Ben Lake MP for Ceredigion has urged local charities and good causes to apply for funding from one of four trusts funded by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.  

Applications are open from Tuesday 4^th August until Wednesday 19^th August. Organisations can apply for grants between £500 and £20,000.  

During his speech in the Finance Bill debate on Thursday 2 July, Ben Lake MP for Ceredigion, urged the UK Government to incentivise and support economic growth in rural areas.

During the second day of the Finance Bill’s report stage, MPs considered amendments and new clauses relating to tax reliefs.

Ben Lake MPs’ probing amendment challenged the UK Government’s commitment to ‘levelling-up’ every nation and region of the UK. 

On Tuesday 30 June, residents from across Ceredigion took part in the UK’s first-ever, and world’s largest, virtual lobby of Parliament

The Time Is Now Virtual Lobby saw MPs from every party meet with constituents on the same day the Prime Minister gave a speech about economic recovery. MPs from every corner of the UK engaged in over 280 digital meetings on video conferencing platform Zoom after more than 13,000 people - covering 99% of constituencies across the UK - signed up to take part.

Ben Lake MP is one of over 150 MPs and peers who have joined the push for government to safeguard the theatre industry throughout the Covid-19 crisis. 

The Arts in Wales face an unprecedented challenge. While theatres remain closed, thousands of performers, designers and other artists find themselves out of work with no certainty over when they can return. And yet, conversely, one of the lifelines that has helped people cope during lockdown is the arts – whether that’s music, a good book, or watching a film or TV drama.

Ben Lake, MP for Ceredigion, has written again to the Chancellor supporting calls for 1950s women to have early access to their pensions and pension credit in advance of the Chancellor’s planned speech on the economy in early July.

In a second letter to Rishi Sunak Mr Lake asks for support for the thousands of WASPI (Women Against State Pension Injustice) women in Ceredigion and the 3.8 million 1950s women UK-wide, who have been severely affected not only by the current COVID-19 crisis but also by the rise in their State Pension Age.

As many retail shops and businesses reopen their doors to customers across Wales this week, for a significant number of Ceredigion’s businesses reopening will not be a viable option, and it is possible that some sectors will remain closed for the foreseeable future.

Ben Lake MP has welcomed the announcement of the Welsh Government’s road map for reopening a broader range of shops from this week onwards. He stated: "Safety is the fundamental concern for all retailers and I am aware that many local shops have worked hard in recent weeks to implement measures that will enable them to operate safely.”

Plaid Cymru’s Treasury Spokesperson Ben Lake MP has said that the Chancellor has "failed to recognise regional and sectoral differences" by announcing cuts to Covid support schemes. 

On Friday, 29 May, the Chancellor announced that the UK's coronavirus furlough scheme will finish at the end of October. From August, employers must pay National Insurance and pension contributions, then 10% of pay from September, rising to 20% in October. Also, workers will be allowed to return to work part-time from July, but with companies paying 100% of wages. 

The Chancellor also confirmed that the self-employed scheme would be extended a final time for a three month period.

Plaid Cymru Shadow Economy Minister Helen Mary Jones MS and Ben Lake MP, Plaid Cymru's Economy Spokesperson in Westminster have called on the Welsh Government to step in to help those who are ineligible for the UK Government’s job retention scheme

On 12 May, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced an extension to the Job Retention Scheme as early as tomorrow – but with the UK Government only paying 60% of an employee’s wages rather than 80%.

Wales’ Economy Minister Ken Skates has stated that 74% of Welsh businesses are participating in the Job Retention Scheme – the highest percentage uptake of any of the four home nations of the UK.

However millions of people are ineligible for the support and are also unable to claim Universal Credit – leaving them without any income. A recent survey undertaken by the New Starter Furlough Campaign showed that 83% of respondents had been unable to receive any support through Universal Credit.