Report finds benefit reform could increase poverty in Wales
According to research carried out by Policy in Practice in conjunction with the Bevan Foundation, the UK Government's planned changes to disability benefits and Universal Credit could lead to a more than threefold increase in poverty rates among affected Welsh households—from 24.5 per cent up to 78.4 per cent.
In March, the UK Government announced reforms to disability benefits and Universal Credit, leading to widespread concerns about the potential increase in poverty levels.
The Policy in Practice report projected that these changes could affect nearly 190,000 people in Wales, or 6.1 per cent of the population, with a loss to the Welsh economy of around £470 million.
It has now been found that these changes could dramatically increase the levels of poverty among the affected households in Wales.
According to the same report, more disabled people are also set to fall into poverty as a result of these changes.
Even though the government's efforts to get more disabled people into work may lessen the impact of the cuts, the study suggests that affected households will still be more than twice as likely to be living in poverty compared to the current rates.
Commenting on the findings, Dr Steffan Evans, head of policy (poverty) at the Bevan Foundation, said: "These new findings make for incredibly grim reading.
"It is clear that, without a rethink, the UK Government's proposed reforms to the benefits system will have a particularly severe impact on poverty in Wales, making life harder for thousands of disabled people."
Deven Ghelani, director and founder of Policy in Practice, urged local authorities to prepare for the rising levels of poverty.
He said: "This research lays bare the sharp rise in hardship many disabled people in Wales could soon face.
"Local authorities need to prepare for the increase in poverty these reforms will trigger, but the data also shows they are not powerless.
"By using insights like these, councils can target support."
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