Wales to be hit hardest by Personal Independence Payment changes

Wales will be the worst-impacted part of the UK if the Government introduces cuts to Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

Proposed reforms, set out earlier this year, would tighten the eligibility criteria for PIP and see the sickness-related element of universal credit (UC) cut.

They also proposed delaying access to the health element of UC to those aged 22 and over, with the aim of reinvesting savings to support young people into work or training.

The package of measures is aimed at reducing the number of working-age people on sickness benefits and saving up to £5 billion a year by the end of the decade.

Points

Under the UK Government’s plans, from November 2026 people on PIP will be required to score a minimum of four points in at least one daily living activity to receive support with everyday tasks such as washing and cooking. Those scoring less will lose access to the “daily living” component, which for some will result in a full withdrawal of the benefit.

Across Wales, every local authority currently sees at least 80% of those receiving the standard rate of PIP at risk of losing support, with over half of Welsh local authorities seeing 90% at risk.

The constituency with the highest number of those at risk of having support slashed is Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney with 92% of standard-rate PIP claimants not scoring four points on all categories of the Government’s test.

The data, released by the Liberal Democrats, comes from a Written Parliamentary Question and follows a report released last week by the Bevan Foundation showing that the levels of poverty among affected households in Wales could increase dramatically as a result of the proposed welfare reforms.

Wales already has some of the highest poverty rates in Western Europe, and it is thought that poverty costs the Welsh Government billions of pounds a year through increased pressure on other public services.

Damage

Welsh Liberal Democrats Westminster Spokesperson, David Chadwick MP, said: “These figures lay bare the scale of the damage that Labour’s cuts could do to some of society’s most vulnerable.

“Vast swathes of people in Wales could be missing out on vital support, not only adding to their suffering but increasing pressure on local areas where these cuts go the deepest.

“This is support that helps people with daily tasks that many of us would take for granted, such as staying clean or staying safe, and also helps many people stay in work.

“The UK Government must recognise the devastating impact that these cuts could have and change course.”

Plaid Cymru’s DWP spokesperson, Ann Davies MP said: “Labour’s planned £6 billion cuts to welfare will plunge the most vulnerable in our society even deeper into poverty. These proposals are not only cruel, but they are also indefensible. That is why every Plaid Cymru MP will be voting against them.

“We know that Wales will be hit particularly hard, with the second-highest proportion of working-age disabled people in the UK. These cuts will exacerbate hardship and will only place further strain on our already overstretched health services.

“Plaid Cymru has been clear and consistent in standing up for those at risk, in both Westminster and the Senedd. With the devastating impact of these cuts on our communities now plain to see, I urge Welsh Labour MPs to put country before party and vote against them.”

Reforms

A Government 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.

“At the heart of the government’s reforms is a £1 billion scheme to help the long-term sick or disabled out of poverty and into good, secure jobs.

“We have also raised the national living wage, increased benefits and given additional help to the poorest households, as part of our Plan for Change.”