Plaid Cymru Senedd candidates Cllr Mark Hooper and Sarah Rees have warned that the UK Government’s u-turn on Personal Independence Payments is “too little, too late”.
The comments come as the UK Government has revealed changes to welfare reforms, forced on it by rebel Labour MPS and ahead of a crucial vote.
The main changes to the UC and PIP bill include:
• Current PIP claimants will keep their benefits; stricter eligibility requirements will only apply to new claims from November 2026
• A review of the PIP assessment, which will have input from disabled people
• Existing recipients of the health-related element of UC will have their incomes protected in real terms
Plaid Cymru's Senedd candidates have made the claims, after recently holding a listening event at Barry’s Golau Caredig, where people affected by the proposals, including disabled residents, unpaid carers and advocates, could explain the impacts of the changes upon them.
Plaid Cymru Senedd candidate, Sarah Rees, said: “The result of these changes will be rising debt, worsening health outcomes, and deepening despair—particularly here in Wales, where levels of disability and poverty are already among the highest in the UK.
“PIP is not an out-of-work benefit. It is intended to help cover the additional costs of living with a disability—costs that average over £1,000 per month, according to the disability charity Scope.
“As for Universal Credit, nearly 40% of claimants are in work. The idea that these reforms target “workshy” individuals is not just inaccurate—it’s dangerously misleading.
“These are working people, carers, and disabled individuals trying to survive in a system that was already failing them. What Labour is proposing now will only make things worse.”
Plaid Cymru Senedd candidate, Cllr Mark Hooper, who is also on the Vale of Glamorgan Council, added: “At the event in Barry, one participant told us how they lost PIP despite living with multiple chronic conditions. They fell into rent arrears, spiralled into debt, and had to cut back on food. The stress pushed them into a mental health crisis.
“Another spoke of the supposed ‘concessions’ being discussed, proposals which mean that newly disabled people would face tougher conditions than those already in the system.
“These conversations, with people who will be affected by these changes, are why Plaid Cymru stands firm in complete opposition to these reforms.
“We believe in a welfare system based on dignity, equality and compassion—values that are sorely lacking from Labour’s current approach.
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