Outrage as Welsh consultation on cuts to disability benefits is cancelled

Emily Price

Disability campaigners have gathered in Cardiff today after the only in-person consultation in Wales on the UK Government’s proposed cuts to disability benefits was cancelled.

Labour is under pressure over the reforms which are expected to impact almost 190,000 people in Wales – 6% of the population.

The UK Government says the changes will be “fairer on the tax payer”.

A 12-week consultation on proposals to pass a law to transform health and disability support launched in April with the publication of the Pathways to Work Green Paper.

There will then be a crunch vote on the changes in the UK Parliament in June.

Events

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has been running a number of face-to-face events on the Green Paper to hear from disabled people and their representative organisations directly.

In Wales, only one in-person consultation was scheduled for June 3rd at the Mercure Cardiff North Hotel.

But the event was cancelled by the venue just a few days before it was set to take place and rearranged as an online-only consultation for the end of June instead.

It is understood that the UK Government did not play any part in the decision to axe the event.

Campaigners say the venue wouldn’t have been accessible for some people with disabilities anyway and that the location was only revealed by DWP “at the last minute”.

This was despite contributors asking several times for information in advance so that they could plan their journeys and access requirements.

The Mercure Hotel in Llanedeyrn is located three miles from Cardiff’s city centre.

Campaigners say wheelchair users would have had to travel 1.6 miles unassisted in order to attend the event.

Pause

The Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) Cymru campaign group have demanded that any house of commons vote on the welfare reforms should now be paused until there has been a full public consultation in Wales.

A spokesperson for the group said: “Given the government’s failure to listen to disabled people, and the DWP’s demonstrated inability to arrange a genuine consultation, any consultation must be run independently by Welsh disabled people’s organisations, also inviting the views of carers. The DWP must attend as observers.”

Disability campaigners, organisations and politicians met outside the Cardiff Central train station on Tuesday (June 3) to hold an “open-air” consultation on the controversial welfare reforms

Cardiff Trades Council helped organise the gathering with trade union stewarding to keep disabled attendees safe and assist with transport.

A spokesperson for DPAC Cymru said: “If the DWP cannot be trusted to organise a simple meeting with disabled people, how the hell can they be trusted to reform the welfare system in a way that supports us?

“Our attempt, at very short notice, to ensure a safe and accessible consultation intervention for disabled protestors and ticket holders must put the DWP to shame.”

‘Cruel’

The event was attended by Plaid Cymru MS Sioned Williams.

She said: “With 190,000 –  a staggering 6% of the people of Wales – set to lose out, Welsh communities will be the hardest hit by Labour’s cruel disability cuts, yet the Labour UK Government refuse to even hold a consultation event in Wales. If anybody needed further proof of Labour’s contempt towards Wales, here it is.

“While the Labour UK Government treats Wales as an unimportant consequence to their decisions, Labour in Wales simply watch on in disinterest, instead of calling out the UK Government’s austerity-driven agenda. Labour have no interest in doing what is right for our communities, only what is deemed suitable in their attempt to reverse their plummeting polling numbers.

“Welsh communities deserve a government that will put them first, they deserve a government that puts Wales and Welsh communities first. Labour have shown that their priorities lie with their party, not with our country. That is why Wales needs a Plaid Cymru Government in 2026 that will always fight for what is fair to Wales.”

A DWP spokesperson said: “We will never compromise on protecting people who need our support, and our reforms will mean the social security system will always be there for those who will never be able to work, and that their income is protected.

“We are working to rearrange the event in Wales as part of a series of face to face and virtual consultations, so the views and voices of sick and disabled people are at the heart of our reforms.”