Wales’s Labour government pledged to support severely disabled people yesterday when Con-Dem ministers cut off funds for their care.

More than 1,600 people in Wales are set to lose an average of £355-a-week of independent living fund payments from July 2015.

The money helps people pay for help with cooking, cleaning, dressing and other domestic duties to ensure they can live a full life.

Tory Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith has refused to repeal his cruelest cut in the face of protests from people desperate to maintain their independence.

But Cardiff Bay Health Minister Mark Drakeford moved to end “anxiety” by promising to provide support.

He said: “I want to reassure them that we are committed to ensuring appropriate arrangements will be in place in good time to meet their support needs.”

The government is considering establishing a Welsh independent living fund or passing responsibility and funding to councils.