Blind Anger At Unfair Benefit

10 AUGUST 2006

Blind people are being "cheated" by not being allowed to claim the same level of benefit as wheelchair users, according to a new report - Taken for a Ride - published today (10 August 2006) by The Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB).

Taken for a Ride exposes how blind people (who can't drive and in many cases find it impossible to use public transport) are missing vital hospital appointments and job opportunities  - because the benefit they receive doesn't cover the cost of taxis.

RNIB is calling for a change to Disability Living Allowance (DLA) - a state benefit that allows people with other disabilities who can drive to claim its higher 'mobility rate' worth £43.45 per week. People with serious sight loss are only eligible to claim the lower rate of just £16.50 per week.

Ruth Marks, Director of RNIB Cymru, said: "Missing hospital appointments or job interviews because of the cost of a taxi is of grave concern to us. It's no wonder blind people feel cheated when they are being treated so differently from other people who have difficulty getting around.                     

"The cost of the change is minuscule when set against the total social security budget and access to the higher rate (an extra £26.95 per week) would have a huge positive impact on the quality of life of blind people."

Jenny Burgess, 52, from Powys, is visually impaired and was a volunteer worker for a disability support group made up of people with physical disabilities. She couldn't get to work without a lift from a colleague with physical disabilities who drove his own car.

Jenny Burgess said: "None of my colleagues at the disability support group were visually impaired. They all had physical disabilities. Most of them drove cars. I was the only person with a serious mobility problem.

"I depended on a colleague with physical disabilities, who drove a car to give me a lift to work - otherwise I wouldn't have been able to get there. I considered myself then, and still consider myself now as having far greater mobility problems than most people with physical disabilities who can drive a car - but I receive less benefit.  It's unfair and it's unjust."

This cash shortfall leaves blind people, who rely on, but often can't afford taxis, virtual prisoners in their own homes. Many are missing out on job and learning opportunities, hospital appointments, visits to family, friends, shopping and even voting at elections.

"What about walking?" - a Government survey of 300 visually impaired people found all had had an accident walking, over half sustaining injuries.                                                                 

Injury and the fear of being injured when walking has prompted many blind people to call city pavements "minefields". Equally in rural areas, a lack of any sort of pavement is a frightening deterrent to blind and even sighted people.

Ruth Marks added: "We want the Government to end this unfairness now and allow people with serious sight loss eligibility to claim the higher rate of DLA mobility component, in exactly the same way as other disabled people who can't get about independently."

The Government estimates the cost to change the eligibility criteria would be just £61 million per year - RNIB estimates this as less than 0.05 per cent of the Government's social security budget. Following the launch of Taken for a Ride today, RNIB plans a major campaign that will include a parliamentary reception at the House of Commons on 4 December.