FIRST minister Mark Drakeford has pledged financial support for workers in Wales over the fire break lockdown.

Mr Drakeford wrote to chancellor Rishi Sunak last week following the announcement of a two week national lockdown in Wales, asking for Welsh businesses to be given early access to the Job Support Scheme, however this request was refused.

The first minister then again wrote to Mr Sunak with an alternative proposal, but speaking at the Welsh Government's daily press conference, Mr Drakeford said he had not yet heard a response.

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However, Mr Drakeford did say that the Welsh Government would announce a support package for those affected by the lockdown later today (Friday).

"I'm yet to see a reply to my second letter to the chancellor, in which I set out an alternative set of proposals to smooth the path of people in Wales who will have to rely on one form of government support between October 23 and 30 October which will then switch to a different system from November 1," said Mr Drakeford. "I regret the fact the chancellor was unable to create a single system to help people through that.

"In the meantime, we are going to announce today a further set of measures which we will take ourselves to assist people who will be defined out of help by the rules that the UK scheme has in place in that first period of the fire break here in Wales.

"I hope the UK government will do more; I hope it will help us to help those people who will need that support, but as we haven't had a reply and as we are already on the Friday before the system comes into place, we will put Welsh Government money in place to assist those people who would otherwise not be assisted."