A RHYL politician has welcomed plans to reward more care home staff - but is calling on parliament to go further.

Vale of Clwyd MS Ann Jones hailed the Welsh Government scheme which will now see Kitchen and domestic staff working in care homes will receive the £500 payment.

The payments - which were confirmed by First Minister Mark Drakeford on Friday, June 5 - will also be extended to agency staff and nursing staff employed in care homes, as well as personal assistants and domiciliary care workers providing care to people in their own homes.

Mrs Jones said: "“I am pleased that the First Minister has listened to my calls for more staff in this key front line role to receive a thank you in the way of the £500 payment.

"This is much deserved and is an expression of our gratitude."

The Welsh Government is continuing to work with the UK Government and HMRC to try to ensure the payment full payment is received by the tens of thousands of eligible staff, with Mrs Jones adding to calls to the Treasury to waive tax.

Mrs Jones added: "I am saddened that the UK government has ignored my plea to waive any tax on this.

"As this is a decision of the UK Government I recently wrote to the Prime Minister Boris Johnson asking that the Treasury do not tax this payment, but unfortunately they have said they will tax Welsh care workers on this.

"I would urge the UK Treasury to rethink this decision.”