FEARS are growing that homelessness will spiral on Swansea's streets because of the knock-on effect of the shake-up to the welfare system.
Concerns have been raised by Andrew Davies, chairman of Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board, that the number of homeless will not only increase but will also impact on health services.
Reforms include the implementation of the "bedroom tax", changes to the Social Fund, and the replacement of council tax benefit with the council tax reduction scheme
Mr Davies, who was speaking at its board meeting at Swansea's Civic Centre, said: "I visited Cyrenians Healthy Living Centre and all the indications are that the reform agenda will make a difference to the number of homeless. We need to be aware of that." He was speaking during a discussion on the draft ABMU Carer's Strategy.
The scheme is aimed at lending support to the 68,000 carers living across Swansea, Neath, Port Talbot and Bridgend.
Under the plan, information will be made available in a way which helps them to meet their needs, allowing them to be full partners in the planning of care and support for their loved ones.
Ed Roberts, vice chairman of the organisation, raised concerns that the changes to the welfare system will shape the nature of the paper. He said: "We have a particular difficulty with welfare reforms, I think it will impact largely on this paper.
"It's not about rhetoric it's about action. Caring can be extremely hard on individuals."
A DWP spokesperson said: "The benefits system this Government inherited was broken, trapping people into poverty and creating cycles of worklessness and welfare dependency.
"The Universal Credit will improve the lives of some of the poorest families in our communities and will make three million people better off.
"It will restore to our welfare state the values upon which it was built while providing a safety net for essentials like food and housing."
