Welsh local councils will receive £4.8 million in emergency funding from the Welsh government to support people struggling with the rising cost of living. The money will be distributed among the 22 local authorities, with rural areas receiving extra funding due to the challenges of providing services in less densely populated regions. Deputy First Minister Sioned Williams said the funding aims to help families facing a "tough winter" due to rising fuel and energy costs. While Reform UK Wales welcomed the support, it suggested the government could do more to assist those in need. Recent increases in fuel prices have been driven by ongoing tensions in the Middle East and supply issues in Saudi Arabia. With inflation rising and energy bills set to increase next month, many households are expected to feel the financial pressure more acutely. Local councils can use the emergency funding to support community organizations such as food banks, lunch clubs, and advice centers, helping those most affected by the cost-of-living crisis. In Rhondda Cynon Taf, a local project called Down To Zero has been growing vegetables on allotments and providing free vegetable boxes to low-income families. The initiative, run by the social housing provider Cynon Taf, also offers discounted subscriptions to other households in the area. Gareth Banks, a volunteer with the project, said it offers "really good value" in the form of organic produce to people who might otherwise struggle to afford it. Angharad Rogers, Cynon Taf’s director of housing and communities, said food poverty is increasing, with more families needing assistance from food banks despite having some household income. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), UK inflation reached its highest level in five months in the year to August. Motor fuel prices rose by 23% compared to the same period last year. In Ystradowen, Vale of Glamorgan, drivers expressed concern over rising fuel costs. Ron Jones from Cowbridge said he was driving less, but higher prices were "to be expected." Joy Thomas described prices as "extraordinarily high," while Lewis Wall, 28, called them "ridiculous," noting that people have little control over fuel costs. Sioned Williams emphasized the Welsh government's commitment to supporting families through the winter but acknowledged that more action is needed. She called on the UK government to introduce social tariffs, which would offer lower energy prices for low-income households. The UK government responded that it has already reduced VAT on electricity bills and removed £150 from bills earlier this year, adding that it will continue to look for ways to protect families from unaffordable energy costs. Reform UK Wales welcomed the support but suggested that the Welsh government could be doing more, criticizing funding for projects like a climate resilience program in Uganda as a misuse of public funds.