New analysis reveals that Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) planned cuts to disability benefits will hit some of the poorest parts of England and Wales hardest, deepening economic hardships in these areas. Predictably, it is London and the South East which will fare better – but even then, the cuts will have dire consequences for chronically ill, disabled, and non-working people.
The DWP: hammering the North and Wales
According to research by the charity Policy in Practice, people living in the North East, North West, and Wales will suffer twice the impact of those in London and the South East. This striking regional disparity threatens to widen the already stark economic divide between the wealthier south and the struggling north.
Policy in Practice’s data highlights that the 10 local authorities most affected by these DWP cuts—including Blaenau Gwent in Wales, Hartlepool, and Blackpool in the north of England—face economic costs roughly five times the national average.
These areas are home to significant numbers of people reliant on DWP disability benefits – particularly women – and a large proportion of their local economies are tied closely to this support.
Deven Ghelani, director of Policy in Practice, warned that these cuts risk “entrenching deprivation” in regions with weaker economies. As Birmingham Live reported, he explained:
These reforms will have an uneven impact on different parts of the country. Some parts of the country will get a double whammy because they have a smaller economy and will lose a larger share of it. One of the reasons they have a smaller economy is that they have more people impacted so the proposals have a serious risk of entrenching existing patterns of deprivation.
He added:
Together this means that deprived areas that have more people on disability benefits who risk losing out also see a greater proportionate impact – impact that hits an already struggling economy.
Counter intuitive
Essentially, the cuts threaten not only individual claimants but the wider economic health of these communities, where every pound matters.
Policy in Practice further commented that these reforms will directly counter initiatives aimed at “levelling up” local economies. Without targeted investment to replace withdrawals from the benefit system, the cuts will leave these regions even further behind.
Yet, despite these serious concerns, the DWP defended its stance. A spokesperson said that, as part of their “Plan for Change”, the government seeks:
a sustainable welfare system that delivers proper support to help sick and disabled people into work, break down barriers, unlock work, boost living standards, and grow the economy.
However, behind this vapid rhetoric, many disabled and non-working people across the north and Wales may soon face sharp reductions in their financial lifelines. The areas worst affected are already grappling with higher unemployment, lower wages, and fewer job opportunities.
Removing vital support from over 1.3 million people risks pushing individuals deeper into poverty at a time when the cost-of-living crisis remains severe.
DWP cuts will make bad situations even worse
The analysis reinforces fears that the government’s welfare reforms are failing to protect vulnerable groups and instead are disproportionately penalising regions long neglected by economic growth.
This “double whammy” of cuts and economic weakness threatens to widen the gap between different parts of the country, leaving disabled people and jobseekers in some of the poorest communities struggling even more.
Policy in Practice’s report starkly exposes the real-world consequences of the DWP’s policies. It shows that disabled people—and the places where they live—are bearing the brunt of a system that seems more focused on reducing welfare spending to appease the rich and powerful than on supporting those who need help the most.
As these reforms loom, communities in the North and Wales face an increasingly uncertain future, with disabled and non-working people confronting the harsh reality of cuts that not only undermine their individual security but threaten the social and economic fabric of entire regions.
Featured image via the Canary
