Nine out of 10 employers may be breaking the law by discriminating against blind and partially sighted job-seekers, according to a new report published by the Royal National Institute of the Blind and Action for Blind People.

Forum Response: Royal National Institute for the Blind

Dr Philippa Simkiss, RNIB assistant director employment, said: "Ignorance and outdated attitudes are preventing blind and partially sighted people getting into work. It doesn't have to be this way. Blind and partially sighted people can excel in a range of jobs - we know of a chef, journalist, futures trader, solicitor, PR consultant, IT manager and business adviser to name but a few.

"Employers' attitudes need to undergo a sea-change to end this vicious circle of exclusion. We need employers to find out about the support available to them from government schemes such as Access to Work and from organisations like RNIB."

Forum Response: Guide Dogs for the Blind Association

Tom Pey, director of policy at Guide Dogs', said: "We very much welcome this important report which highlights the discrimination blind and partially sighted people face at the hands of employers.

"We have been contacted by a number of guide dog owners with dreadful stories about their experiences. Whilst we provide guide dogs and other mobility services to provide greater independence for visually impaired people they are still facing discrimination which stops them from fully exercising this freedom.
 
"Currently 75 per cent of visually impaired people are unemployed and this is on a downward spiral so we very much welcome the efforts of RNIB and Action for Blind People to reverse this trend.

"Furthermore we are delighted with their efforts to further educate employers about blind and partially sighted people, which will go along way to helping improve the situation in the long term."

Forum Response: Disability Rights Commission

A spokesman for the DRC said: "The Disability Rights Commission welcomes the RNIB’s campaign to tackle the stereotypes and barriers that are holding blind and partially sighted people back from equal participation in employment and depriving business of a vast range of talent.