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Nation of Sanctuary

Communities

Claim: £55m has been spent on Nation of Sanctuary

This post has been updated following a review of the final income and expenditure for the Nation of Sanctuary budget for 2024-25 to reflect the final end-of-year figures. The budget expenditure for the full financial years from 2019-2025 has been updated from around £54.88m to a total of £63.87m, with £58.22m (91% of total) related to supporting Ukrainian arrivals to Wales, compared to the previously stated £45.5m (83%).

More information can be found here: Written Statement: Nation of Sanctuary expenditure update – 2019-2025 (6 November 2025) | GOV.WALES

Free Period Products

Communities, Equality

Claim: The Welsh government is restricting supply of free period products to priority groups

This is incorrect. The Welsh Government is not restricting free provision of menstrual products to priority groups.

Every local authority receives funding through our Period Dignity Grant to ensure free and dignified access to menstrual products in their communities, including schools and colleges.

Period Proud Wales Action Plan | GOV.WALES

Refugees in Wales

Across government, Communities

Claim: Schoolchildren are being used to encourage refugees to come to Wales

This claim is untrue.

The video in question was produced by a group of young children to show their school as a welcoming place.

The video was withdrawn in 2023 following extensive online abuse received by the school.

Anti-Racist Wales Action Plan

Communities

Claim: ‘Racist’ dogs banned from the Welsh countryside

There are no plans to ban dogs from the countryside and any suggestion otherwise is inaccurate and a complete misrepresentation of this report which sought to understand what information was already available on the relationship between ethnic minority people and environmental matters and where there were evidence gaps.

It gathered information directly from ethnic minority people in Wales. Comments highlighted by the media are feedback from people asked their views and not Welsh Government proposals. 

The Welsh Government is committed to creating an anti-racist nation by 2030. Our Anti-racist Wales Action Plan is built on the values of anti-racism and calls for zero tolerance of all racial inequality.

An anti-racist Wales | GOV.WALES

Basic Income Pilot

Communities

Claim: ‘Wales is giving £1,600 a month to illegal migrants‘

The Welsh Government’s Basic Income for Care Leavers pilot was designed to support children in Wales when leaving care at 18 years old. The aim of the pilot was to provide this group with the best possible start in life. The programme had very specific eligibility criteria. 

The pilot was open from July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023, for those turning 18 during this period and having been in local authority care for at least 13 weeks between ages 14 and 18. This includes young people living outside Wales who are supported by local authorities in Wales.

Participants receive £1280 per month (£1600, pre-tax) for a duration of 24 months from the month after their 18th birthday.

As of July 31, 2024, 644 individuals benefited from the basic income payment, including 74 current or former unaccompanied asylum-seeking and refugee children. They are not ‘illegal migrants’ but children who arrived in Wales without parents or guardians and were looked after in the care system.

More information can be found at: Basic income pilot for care leavers | GOV.WALES