Today (April 23, 2024) in the Senedd, the Welsh Liberal Democrats have called on the Welsh Government to safeguard the rights of disabled workers.

Last week, the UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced his plans to crack down on disability benefits by cutting payments for 42,000 people.

As part of the plans, The £100m Work and Health Programme (WHP) aimed at helping disabled people into work in England and Wales is also being scrapped in Autumn 2024.

The PM and his cabinet have been condemned by charities who have described their plans as an “assault on disabled people”.

Commenting, the Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats Jane Dodds MS said:

“Just when you thought that the UK Conservative government couldn’t sink any lower, they are now planning an outright war against some of the most vulnerable people in our society.

“Rishi Sunak’s horrific comments last week about a mythical “Sicknote culture” offer nothing more than a lazy stereotype that risks demonizing disabled individuals.

“Those relying on the welfare system to get by are not lazy and nor are they there by choice, they are people who have been forced to survive on scraps thrown to them by an uncaring government.

“I invite both the Prime Minister and his cabinet to forgo their personal fortunes and spend a week living on benefits, maybe then they will finally get a sense of reality.

“These plans will cause irreparable damage to the rights and opportunities of disabled workers, which is why we are calling on the Welsh Government to step in and safeguard the rights and opportunities of disabled individuals in the labour force.”