Disability activists stage final protest outside Swansea DWP office as welfare bill faces critical vote

The protest, led by Swansea Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC), took place on Monday 8th July, just hours before Parliament was due to debate the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill at committee stage and third reading. Campaigners say they are proud to have helped secure major concessions from the government, but remain deeply concerned about the bill’s long-term impact.

“We gave it everything we had,” said Ben Golightly, Swansea DPAC spokesperson. “We’re proud of what we’ve achieved, but it’s a partial victory. We don’t want to leave behind young disabled people or those who become disabled in future.”

Following the rally, activists attempted to deliver a letter to management at Swansea’s DWP office, supported by members of the PCS trade union, which represents DWP staff. Security refused to engage, prompting police to attend. Officers offered to deliver the letter on behalf of the group, concluding what Golightly described as “quite possibly the politest direct action ever.”

The protest was timed to avoid disruption to claimants and was intended as a peaceful demonstration against what campaigners call an “undemocratic” legislative process. Swansea DPAC has previously criticised the government for rushing the bill through Parliament without proper scrutiny or consultation.

The bill passed its second reading on 1 July by 335 votes to 260, with 49 Labour MPs voting against the government. In response to mounting pressure, ministers reversed proposed cuts to Universal Credit and agreed to delay changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) until after a formal review. Since then, MPs from across parties have tabled more than 30 pages of amendments, which will be debated later today.

Among the most contentious proposals are:

• A government amendment to rename the bill, removing “and Personal Independence Payment” from the title.
• A clause from Labour’s Cat Eccles requiring PIP assessments to be carried out by civil servants, not private providers.
• Amendments from Conservative MPs Helen Whately and Gavin Williamson to exclude foreign nationals from claiming Universal Credit and PIP.
• Proposals to extend eligibility for severe conditions to those with fluctuating illnesses like Parkinson’s and MS.
• A call from Labour’s Stella Creasy to ensure the bill complies with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The Timms Review, led by disability minister Stephen Timms, will now shape future changes to PIP. Labour MPs have called for the review to be co-produced with disabled people and independently overseen.

Despite the stress and uncertainty, Golightly said the campaign had sparked a new wave of disability activism:

“Their attacks have created a whole new generation of disability activists who are compassionate, capable, knowledgeable, spirited, selfless and kind.”

The group says it will continue to push for full protection of disability benefits and urges others to take action:

“When you see injustice and ask, can I make a difference? The answer is yes. Have hope, organise democratically, work as a team, look after each other, and steer yourself by the trade union slogan: an injury to one is an injury to all.”

#benefits #disabilityBenefits #DWP #PersonalIndependencePayment #PIP #SwanseaDPAC #UKGovernment #UniversalCredit

Swansea MP in disability spat now accused of ignoring women’s group

Swansea Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) have claimed that Torsten Bell MP had refused to meet the group as a collective, insisting on only meeting individual members who reside in his constituency.

Now the campaign group Pension Justice for Swansea Women say they too have been ignored. The group says they are “fighting for justice for 3.8 million 1950s born women who were denied their right to their state pension aged 60 as they were promised” .

Torsten Bell is the Minister for Pensions. He is also listed as a founding supporter to the controversial Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill, due to be voted on in parliament next week.

The campaigning group Pension Justice For Swansea Women, jointly coordinated by Janet Fisk since 2018, say they are fighting for justice for 3.8 million 1950s born women who were denied their right to their state pension aged 60 as they were promised.

A House of Commons Backbench Business debate on the Women’s State Pension Age Change has been provisionally arranged for 3rd July.

At the protest outside the disability cuts consultation in Cardiff on Monday, the women’s group said their flags were “being flown high in support of protest against cuts to disability support and against MPs ignoring us!”

The group said they were “grateful to the organisers of the protest against cuts to support for people with disabilities and the continuing ignoring of both of these issues by our local MPs.”

They said, “the group Pension Justice For Swansea Women stand firm in support of those with disabilities who have been equally robbed of their right to financial entitlements.”

“Our local MPs should hang their heads in shame for their continued dismissal of our right for justice and they need to rest assured that both campaigns are #notgoingaway.”

Torsten Bell MP insists he is open to meeting with constituents.

Speaking to Swansea Bay News, Mr Bell said: “This is an important topic, and campaigning is an important part of democracy. But misleading people is not.

“The facts are that I continue to meet with every constituent who asks to meet on this subject, as well as meeting with carers and with Disability Wales (which is part funded by the Welsh Government). I have offered repeatedly to meet with any DPAC members who are constituents, individually or in a group (exactly as the neighbouring MP for Gower did).This offer has not been taken up.

“We have no record of any contact from Pension Justice for Swansea Women.”

#DWP #notgoingaway #PensionJusticeForSwanseaWomen #pensions #politics #Swansea #SwanseaDPAC #TorstenBell #UKGovernment

Disability campaigner speaks out after being ‘refused access’ to disability benefits consultation

Joshua Reeves is a UK-based disability rights advocate and founder of Don’t Call Me Special. He was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) by the late Queen Elizabeth II for services to disability advocacy, and has been leading national and international campaigns for structural reform, equitable access, and independent living for over a decade.

Joshua, who describes himself as “one of the UK’s most outspoken disabled advocates”, says that he was “refused access” to the UK Government’s rescheduled consultation event.

Joshua Reeves BEM said: “On Monday, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) launched its so-called Green Paper Consultation Discussion in Cardiff. I was invited to attend as a plus one — as one of the UK’s most outspoken disabled advocates, with over a decade of national and international experience, including representing disabled communities in Antigua in 2017 with the Commonwealth Youth Council.

“I arrived 10 minutes late to a venue that was only technically accessible, and was left outside in 30-degree heat while the event began without me. Despite four DWP note takers being present, no one came out to include me or others facing access barriers. That wasn’t a mistake — it was a message. And let’s be honest: they knew exactly who I was.

“It felt humiliating. Like being silenced in plain sight. I showed up with lived experience, policy insight, and a platform — and was still treated as an inconvenience. This event wasn’t about listening to disabled people. It was about rubber-stamping pre-written plans to dismantle our support systems.

“Under the guise of “engagement,” the DWP is pushing through brutal cuts to lifelines like PIP and Access to Work — systems that are already crumbling. This is not reform. It’s removal — of autonomy, dignity, and survival.

“I am the disabled voice of the voiceless. I don’t ask polite questions when our lives are on the line. If the DWP wants real engagement, they can start by opening the door — literally and politically. Until then, we’ll stop asking for a seat at the table. We’ll build our own.”

Campaigners have criticised the lack of public consultation with disabled people of the plans, particularly in Wales saying there is a “growing atmosphere of fear and anger” about the proposals.

Swansea Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) have campaigned on the platform that no Parliamentary vote should take place on disability benefit cuts until there has been a “full and genuine public consultation” in Wales.

Disabled People Against Cuts Cymru (DPAC Cymru), whose individual members had several tickets to the event, said: “Only 15 disabled people were allowed in, under heavy security, conscious of the weight on our shoulders of representing 190,000 people in Wales set to be impacted by the government proposals, at the (only) in-person consultation event. We repeatedly said this was not enough.

“We also made the point that we would have had no in-person consultation at all in Wales, if our protests had not forced them to do better. And this was not much better.”

The spokesperson for Swansea DPAC added: “If our ticket-holding members in wheelchairs had been able to attend the rescheduled consultation, or if Joshua had been allowed in, we seriously doubt their chairs would have even fit in the shoebox of a lift.

“The DWP have repeatedly refused to fund attendee’s personal assistants, leaving them with fewer support hours for the rest of their week. They made it as difficult as possible for personal assistants to attend, not understanding that disabled people do not necessarily know who their PA will be in advance.

“Disabled people attending straight after work, without time for lunch, were promised “light refreshments” by the DWP but were not given a single crumb. We wouldn’t have even had coffee if we hadn’t pushed for it.

“Despite the DWP having four notetakers, they refused to send just one of them to meet the disabled people waiting outside, wanting to be heard. We literally begged them, and they repeatedly refused”.

The campaign group described the consultation event as “chaotic” with those giving evidence leaving the room “in distress”.

“It was left to disabled people, not the DWP, to bring order to a chaotic meeting that showed no sign of starting half an hour after it meant to start” the DPAC spokesperson continued.

“By insisting on taking it to a vote, we decided that we would not be split up, we would not limit ourselves to only the permitted questions, and we would take turns to speak and have our say.

“In the meeting, people would give their spoken testimony, then leave the room in distress. Some could barely hold down their nausea, literally sick to their stomachs at the injustice. We also handed in 50 pages of collected written testimony from our own “open air” consultation that we held in place of the previous, cancelled, consultation.

“Not a single disabled person in the room had any faith that the DWP would listen, with the first bill moving through parliament before the consultation has even finished, and MPs not even understanding the full impact. There were obvious gaps in the DWP note taking, and only one of their notetakers looked like they put any effort in. What we said in that room was more for each other.

“Not a single disabled person in attendance had anything other than the most damning condemnations of the government’s proposals, and at the contempt with which we had been treated. Using the government’s own data sources, we tore apart the government’s cherry-picked statistics and talking points, which were so misleading that a schoolchild would know better.

“Disabled people in the room raised, in detail, the impacts on carers, of ESA changes, of means-testing & capital limits, the existing and increasing inequalities for disabled people in relationships and of young people, and many more topics.

“When DPAC Cymru first started engaging with this consultation process, we said that welfare reform should be carried out in a process of co-production with disabled people and carers. At the sham consultation on Monday, we said that we had now gone beyond that. We said that our experience to date has shown that disabled people should be running the process, and disabled people should be running the DWP. We’re the experts on our lives. The government has no clue, and it should listen. This demand got the biggest cheer of all.

“We concluded by pointing out the government’s attacks on everyone – disabled people, carers, trans people, migrants, funding for wars, attacks on public sector workers, including DWP workers. We talked about the recent letter signed, almost overnight, by 300+ trade unionists against benefit cuts. The PCS union, which represents many DWP workers, supported and spoke at our protest outside. We all said we would not let the government away with these attacks.”

There was a protest outside the consultation, attended by disabled people, trade unionists, socialists and others, in support of the attendees.

The increasingly controversial reforms have seen 108 Labour MPs recently signed an amendment to the Government’s welfare reform bill declining to give the welfare reform Bill a second reading when it returns to the Commons on 1 July.

It was recently claimed that Wales is set to be the worst hit by Labour’s welfare cuts, with at least 90% of people in Swansea and Neath Port Talbot claiming the standard rate of Personal Independence Payment for daily living activities at risk of losing at least some of the payment.

#benefits #DWP #SwanseaDPAC #UKGovernment

Disabled people react with ‘growing atmosphere of fear and anger’ to disability cuts bill first reading

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) recently announced a new date for Wales’ only face-to-face consultation on disability benefit changes that was previously cancelled at the last minute.

The Invitation-only event will take place on 23 June – 5 days after the first reading of the bill in Parliament, which campaigners say shows the Government isn’t prepared to listen to disabled people on the impacts of the proposals.

90% of people in Wales claiming the standard rate of Personal Independence Payment for daily living activities could lose at least some of the benefit following the Government’s cuts, a recent written parliamentary question revealed – with Wales the worst-impacted part of the UK.

A spokesperson for Disability Wales said: “There is a growing atmosphere of fear and anger among disabled people across Wales in response to recent government proposals. The publication of the Pathways to Work Green Paper and the Chancellor’s Spring Statement have combined to threaten a £5 billion crackdown on disability benefits. These measures could see disabled individuals in Wales losing up to £4,500 annually—an amount that translates into missed heating bills, skipped meals, and unaffordable care for many. Such losses are not just numbers on paper; they represent the tangible, devastating impact on everyday life, dignity, and independence.

“Disabled people already face numerous barriers to employment and independent living, and these proposals risk deepening those challenges rather than addressing them. The fear is that instead of creating supportive pathways, these policies will further marginalize and impoverish disabled people. Policymakers must recognise the profound human cost of these measures and work to build a more inclusive, supportive system that genuinely enables disabled people to live with dignity and independence.”

Disabled People Against Cuts Cymru (DPAC Cymru) reacted to the first reading of the bill today, calling it “outrageous” that it was being presented to parliament before the public consultation process has finished. 

A spokesperson for Disabled People Against Cuts Cymru said: “This timetable means that MPs will be voting when the ink on the consultation responses is barely dry – before anyone has had a chance to read them.

“The government never intended to listen. We warned from day one that half the issues – the most important issues – were off limits for consultation. Their actions today demonstrate their arrogance in not even maintaining the pretence of listening. We have always insisted that we have to consider the impact of the combined changes in full.

“It is an insult that this is happening before we have even had the consultation events for Wales. The changes will affect 190,000 people in Wales – 6% of the population – taking £466 million/year from our pockets.

“The Wales consultation event is only happening at all now because Disabled People Against Cuts forced the DWP to do better, following the cancellation of the first blatantly discriminatory and inadequate in-person consultation.

At every stage, disabled people and carers have had to fight tooth and nail, against deliberate barriers and insults, for a place at the table.

“Labour MPs and ministers have been free to put across their dodgy talking points and hateful rhetoric (“children’s pocket money”, “scrapheap”, etc.) on the news. They have been challenged, sometimes quite well, by journalists. But disabled people have not been listened to, and not given a chance to have our say, or an equal “right of reply”.

“There is no economic or moral argument, no matter how convincing, that will sway the government on this matter. They aren’t interested in evidence, because they are cynically treating us as a political football for votes.

“Disabled people, carers, medical professionals, economists, and health and care workers have hit a brick wall urging the government to listen. We can only now have this debate in public.

“The proposals are utterly flawed, by every measure. They must be withdrawn, and the government must start again on welfare reform, in a process led by disabled people, carers, and the workers who deliver the health, care, and welfare system. That’s the future Disabled People Against Cuts and our allies are fighting for.”

Joshua Reeves BEM founder of Don’t Call Me Special added: “The government wants to talk about saving money? These welfare cuts aren’t about efficiency — they’re about erasing disabled lives from the budget. While billions go to private contracts, we’re forced deeper into poverty. This is not reform, it’s abandonment — and we will not stay silent.”

Swansea Bay News has asked the Department for Work and Pensions for comment on the campaign group’s claims.

#benefits #DisabilityWales #DWP #SwanseaDPAC #UKGovernment

New date announced for Wales disability cuts consultation

The Invitation-only event will now take place on 23 June at the Welsh Government’s Ty William Morgan office building in Cardiff.

This will be the only face-to-face consultation in Wales on the proposed benefit changes for disabled people.

In a letter to attendees, the DWP said that the previous meeting arranged for 3 June was cancelled “following an unexpected last minute cancellation by the venue.”

A spokesperson for campaign group, Swansea Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) said: “We are glad that the disability cuts consultation event for Wales has now been rearranged in a central location with sufficient notice. But let there be no doubt: like everywhere else, disabled people in Wales would have had to settle for a blatantly discriminatory and inaccessible consultation if we had not, through campaigning, forced the DWP to do better. It should not have taken protests, media scrutiny, and a member of the Senedd (literally) raising our letter in the Welsh Parliament for the DWP to properly arrange a simple meeting.

“But we are alarmed at reports that the welfare cuts bill will be presented to parliament as early as Wednesday 18 June, before the Wales consultation even takes place, and that a vote in the house of commons may be held as early as the 3rd of July, before anyone has had time to consider the consultation responses.

“Disabled people have continuously been told not to worry, and to have our say by taking part in the consultation. The government is not even pretending to listen. It never intended to.

“Disabled People Against Cuts have consistently warned that a consultation that doesn’t consult on half the issues – the most important issues – is not a genuine consultation. Liz Kendall, in a letter released yesterday, admitted as much herself. The one thing we would agree with her on, is that she has “consistently been clear” about this.

“This is an unaccountable government running riot. We urge everyone to support the disabled people and carers fighting to be heard, and join DPAC protests across the country on the 30 June, when the consultation officially ends, and the 3 July.”

#benefits #DWP #SwanseaDPAC #UKGovernment

Disability groups say no vote on disability cuts until Wales has full consultation

The open letter has been signed by dozens of politicians, campaign groups and individuals after Wales’ only face-to-face consultation event due to take place in Cardiff on 3 June was cancelled at the last minute.

The letter from campaign group Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) Cymru is addressed to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Welsh Government First Minister Eluned Morgan, Rachel Reeves, Liz Kendall, Stephen Timms, Alison McGovern and Jo Stevens and says: “The government are running a consultation on disability cuts called the “Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper”.

“The DWP have cancelled the only in-person consultation event for the whole of Wales, and do not plan to run another.

“They did this after announcing an inaccessible venue at the last minute, in what we believe to be a clear example of disability discrimination.

“The consultation was always going to be unfair, given half the proposals – the most important half – were off the table for discussion on day one.

“There must be no vote in the House of Commons on disability cuts until a full and genuine public consultation has been carried out in Wales.

“Given the government’s complete 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.”

Senedd Member, Sioned Williams MS joined DPAC Cymru at a protest in Cardiff on 3 June – the date of the cancelled consultation.

Ms Williams, who is Plaid Cymru’s spokesperson on Social Justice and Equalities, 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 has 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.”

Swansea Bay News asked the Department for Work and Pensions for their response to DPAC Cymru’s letter and to confirm if a consultation will be held in Wales.

UK Government Minister for Social Security and Disability, Sir Stephen Timms responded: “It is crucial that the views and voices of sick or disabled people across Wales are at the heart of our reforms, which is why we’ve rescheduled a consultation event in Cardiff after it was cancelled by the venue.

“Having listened to people’s calls for more consultation opportunities in Wales we have also arranged an additional virtual event, so even more people can take part.

“We will continue to look at the specific impacts for those living in Wales as we seek to support people back into work if they are able, while also protecting those who rely on our social security system.”

Swansea Bay News has asked the DWP for the details of the rescheduled Cardiff consultation, but the department has yet to confirm the date.

#benefits #DWP #SionedWilliamsMS #SirStephenTimms #SwanseaDPAC #UKGovernment

90% of standard-rate PIP claimants at risk of losing support in Wales as it is set to be worst-impacted region

According to the data, Wales is the worst-impacted part of the UK.

Under the 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 of PIP claimants not scoring four points on all categories of the Government’s test.

The data from the Liberal Democrats 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.

The Liberal Democrats said that it “lays bare the scale of the damage” the cuts could do, adding to people’s worry and “increasing pressure on local areas where these cuts go the deepest”. The party called on the Government to recognise the cuts’ “devastating impact” and “change course”.

Commenting, 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.”

Campaign group Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) are planning a protest against the cuts on Tuesday 3rd June in Cardiff at what is Wales’ only consultation event on the benefits changes.

The Swansea branch of DPAC say they have written to their MPs, demanding a public debate, and have asked Labour-affiliated trade unions to instruct the three Swansea Labour MPs to attend.

TSSA, a national Labour-affiliated trade union for workers in travel and transport, has supported Swansea DPAC’s demand for a fair debate with MPs.

Maryam Eslamdoust, General Secretary TSSA said: “The Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) strongly opposes the government’s proposed changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP), which will negatively affect millions of people across the UK, including many of our own working members.

“PIP is not an “out of work benefit” and frankly, that distinction shouldn’t matter. It is a vital form of support that helps disabled people and those with long-term health conditions live with dignity and independence. Many of our members claim PIP while continuing to work in demanding roles across the transport industry, relying on this support to manage the additional costs that come with their conditions and to carry out their duties safely and effectively.

“This government is deliberately misrepresenting PIP in an attempt to pit the public against disabled people and deflect from its own economic. Let us be clear: ordinary people should not be made to pay for the failures and mismanagement of those in power.

“TSSA stands firmly with all those affected by these proposals, and we will continue to fight for a fair and compassionate welfare system that supports people, not punishes them.”

Speaking on BBC’s Newsnight in March, Swansea West Labour MP and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Pensions,  Torsten Bell said that despite the reforms “people with significant disabilities will be protected. They will. Not only will they be protected within the universal credit system, which is the one you’re mentioning, but they’ll also be able to apply for PIP.

“So people with significant disabilities, if they are young, if they’re currently receiving UC health, they will continue to receive it. And if they have significant disabilities, they will still be allowed to apply for PIP.”

#benefitCuts #benefits #disabled #SwanseaDPAC #UKGovernment #WelshLiberalDemocrats