Action for Blind People
'Getting on'
Services for people with a visual impairment
Second edition June 2000
Over a million people in the United Kingdom have a sight problem which cannot be corrected by spectacles or surgery. Perhaps you have a problem with your sight, or are concerned about a relative or friend.
This booklet explains:
· what to do if
your sight problem cannot be corrected;
Contents
Assessing and meeting your needs
Children’s services
Employment and training
Equipment
Money
Accommodation
Consumer services
Transport
Leisure
More information
Assessing and meeting your needs
Eye tests Our eyes rarely let us know if something is wrong, so it is very important to have regular examinations about once a year. It is easy and quick to get an eye test from your local optician or optometrist. They offer a full eye examination service, not just a test for new glasses. If you cannot get to the optician, one may be able to visit you at home. There is a charge for eye tests, but see ’Welfare rights - Health benefits’ later on in this booklet for details of free tests.
If your optician cannot improve your sight with glasses, they may refer you to your GP, who can arrange for you to see a specialist at the hospital.
Registration If your eyesight cannot be improved medically, your consultant may tell you about registering as blind or as partially sighted. This means that your name will be put on a list held by your local council's Social Services Department. This will usually entitle you to claim services and benefits specially for visually impaired people. Being registered as blind does not necessarily mean that you will lose all your sight. Nine out of ten people registered as blind have some sight.
If you want to be registered, your specialist will fill in the necessary form (BD8 in England and Wales, BP1 in Scotland, and A655 in Northern Ireland) and will give you a copy.
Support and self-help groups Finding out you have a vision problem can be a very isolating experience. Many people find it helpful to talk to someone else who has the same eye condition.
Some of the support groups for people with more common eye conditions are:
The National Federation of the Blind campaigns on issues affecting blind and partially sighted people (phone 01924 291313).
The right care ‘Community care’ means giving you help to continue living at home, or providing a place in sheltered housing, residential care or a nursing home. Your council’s Social Services Department (in Scotland, the Social Work Department) is responsible for assessing what help you need and arranging for you to get it. Your local authority must publish information about how to make a complaint if you are not happy with the result of your assessment.
Rehabilitation There should be workers in your area whose job is to help people cope with the effects of losing their sight. These workers may be called social workers, rehabilitation officers, technical officers or mobility officers. All of them do basically the same work, which is to provide support, advice and some special equipment. These workers can help you learn skills such as new ways of making a cup of tea or making a phone call, or they can give you simple gadgets that help you to thread a needle or keep track of where your coins are.
Mobility Most people with a sight problem find it relatively easy getting around in their own homes where everything is familiar to them. However, getting about out of doors can be worrying. There should be people in your area who can give you mobility training so that you can cross roads, do your shopping, catch buses and generally travel outdoors with confidence. They may offer you a white stick. It is up to you whether you have one. However, a stick can help you to be safe outdoors and get help from passers-by. Ask your local Social Services Department to assess your mobility needs as soon as you have a problem. It may take months to get a visit.
Guide dogs If you are reasonably
fit and would like to go out by yourself regularly, you can apply to the
Guide Dogs for the Blind Association (phone 0118 983 5555) for a guide
dog. If your application is accepted, you will be trained to use your dog
safely and successfully at one of the Association's residential centres.
You may even be able to train at home.
Children’s services
If your child has just been diagnosed as visually impaired, you are probably not sure where to go next. LOOK (phone 0121 428 5038) is a national organisation of local parent support groups. They provide informal information and advice and can help you get the most out of your contact with the professionals and authorities you have to deal with. The Royal London Society for the Blind (RLSB) offers a Family Service to all families of blind or partially sighted children. They provide advice, counselling and contact with other families. Phone 01732 592681.
Your local Social Services Department may provide services such as a child disability team, rehabilitation officers, equipment, or short-term care. You will need to phone them to find out what is available in your area.
Education Local education authorities (LEAs) are responsible for supporting visually impaired children in special or mainstream schools. The LEA's advisory teacher can answer your questions about braille, mobility training and special equipment. The RNIB Education Information Service (phone 0845 766 9999) will give you the contact in your area and also provide support if you are having trouble getting your child's educational needs met.
Benefits for children If
your child is visually impaired, you should claim Disability Living Allowance
(DLA). This is not based on your income and you do not pay tax on it, so
you will always be better off claiming. If you get Income Support, Housing
Benefit, Council Tax Benefit or Disabled Person’s Tax Credit, you should
get an extra allowance if your child is registered as blind or eligible
for DLA. See the section on ’Money’ for more details. If your child is
16 they can claim benefits for themselves, even if they are at school or
college. See our fact sheet on ’Young people in full-time education’.
Employment and training
Losing your sight need not mean losing your job or limiting your career plans and opportunities. There is a wide range of services and help available to you.
Government Your local job centre can tell you about the help available if you are looking for a job. They can also refer you to a Disability Employment Adviser (DEA). DEAs are all members of Disability Service Teams. Their role is to co-ordinate and tell you about the different services available from central government through the Employment Services. They can also call on services from voluntary organisations like Action for Blind People and the RNIB.
Access to Work This government scheme provides practical support for disabled people at work, for example, in the form of equipment and support workers. This helps disabled people to get jobs and keep them. Contact your local Employment Services Disability Service Team or nearest Action for Blind People Information and Training Centre for more details.
Voluntary organisations
We have Information and Training Centres in:
We, with the Royal London Society for the Blind (RLSB), provide the WorkBridge service, to help people into employment or self-employment. Phone 020 7635 4800 or 020 8782 7800.
The RNIB Employment and Student Support Network can provide practical help and advice, information and an assessment service. It has five regional employment teams, a Self-Employment Development Unit, and a Technology Information Service. Phone the RNIB on 0845 766 9999. For Technology Information Service factsheets, listing useful equipment, phone 024 7636 9555.
Opportunities for People with Disabilities has nine regional employment centres. Phone 020 7726 4961 for more details.
The Prince's Youth Business Trust helps 18- to 30-year-olds with a disability who want to set themselves up in business. Phone 020 7543 1234.
Training courses Action for Blind People provides training to help people to get jobs and update their skills and knowledge. Contact your nearest centre for more details.
Dorton College of Further Education (RLSB) provides training courses, an assessment service and employment rehabilitation for adults. Phone 01732 592600.
The RNIB has vocational rehabilitation centres at Alwyn House, Ceres, Fife (phone 01334 828894) and Manor House, Torquay (phone 01803 214523).
PICKUP (Professional, Industrial and Commercial Updating) Training Service is aimed at employed and self-employed visually-impaired people who want to update their skills and knowledge. It is run by the Royal National College for the Blind. For more details phone 01432 265725.
Disability Discrimination
Act (DDA) 1995 This was introduced to reduce discrimination against disabled
people. It applies to employment and to goods, services and facilities.
If you feel you have been discriminated against in any of these areas because
of your visual impairment, please contact our Welfare Rights Service (phone
020 7635 4800), the RNIB (phone 0845 766 9999) or your local citizens’
advice bureau.
Equipment
Low vision aids and services Most low vision aids (LVAs) are magnifiers of one kind or another. They can be hand-held or on stands, with built-in lights or mounted on spectacles. They include small telescopes and binoculars. There are even machines called closed-circuit televisions (CCTVs) which use a TV camera to magnify print up to 70 times. Some CCTVs can be operated through your own TV set.
You may need different LVAs for different tasks. For reading, a hand-held magnifier with a built-in light could be best. For seeing street signs and bus numbers, the small telescope might be useful. Using an LVA can take a little practice, and some simple training will probably help.
You can often get LVAs on free permanent loan from Low Vision Clinics through the Hospital Eye Service. Your eye specialist or doctor can refer you to one of these. There will be an optician who can show you a range of magnifiers and how to use them. Any service provided outside a hospital or clinic may be private and, as LVAs can be expensive, it is best to check beforehand what costs may be involved.
Household equipment and independent living Most visually impaired people have some sight. Simple changes in your home, making use of size, light and colour contrast, can make it easier to cope. You can get advice on how to go about this from us, rehabilitation workers or the Partially Sighted Society (phone 01302 323132). There is a wide range of equipment available which can help you live independently. This is either specially designed (there is an excellent range of goods available from the RNIB (phone 0845 702 3153), and Cobolt Systems Ltd. (phone 01493 700172) or sometimes available from ordinary shops, for instance Argos Stores.
High technology equipment High-technology equipment is being used at home more and more by visually impaired people of all ages for activities such as typing a letter and correcting mistakes, storing addresses, ’reading’ printed material or gaining access to an electronic newspaper. If you can read large print there are computers with large screens or special programs which will produce a visual display in large characters. If you can’t read large print, there are other pieces of equipment which, when attached to your computer, allow it to ’read’ information from the screen using an electronic voice. You can often learn how to use this equipment at local classes.
The cost of buying this equipment
or adapting your own system will depend on your eyesight and what you want
to do. Second-hand equipment is often easily available and can reduce costs
greatly. However, before you buy any equipment, look around for the equipment
best suited to your needs. There are various centres and displays where
you can get
’hands-on’ experience and independent advice. For example,
you can contact the RNIB Resource Centre (phone 020 7391 2356) or Ability
Net (phone 01932 336512).
Money
Income tax allowance If you are registered as blind (not partially sighted) and pay income tax, you are entitled to an extra personal allowance. Please tell your tax office when you become registered.
Welfare rights There is no pension or benefit which you automatically get if you are registered as blind or partially sighted. However, there are several social security benefits and allowances which you can claim. We produce a series of fact sheets on most of the following benefits.
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) DLA is for people who are under 65 and who have care needs or mobility problems. DLA is not based on your income, you do not have to pay tax on it, and it can be paid on top of any other benefits you get. You can get DLA if you are in work, out of work, or in full-time education. Most visually impaired people will get both the care component and the mobility component. See our fact sheets on ‘Disability Living Allowance’ and ‘DLA for visually impaired children’.
Attendance Allowance (AA) AA is for people who are over 65 and who have care or supervision needs. You do not have to pay tax on AA and you can claim it on top of your pension and any other benefits you get. See our ‘Attendance Allowance’ fact sheet.
Income Support (IS) and income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA(IB)) IS and JSA(IB) are both based on your income and savings. JSA (IB) is for people who are looking for work, and IS is for people who cannot work or who do not have to look for work. You can get other allowances, known as ‘premiums’, if you are disabled or have a disabled child. Disabled students in full-time education and disabled 16- to 17-year-olds who are still at school may be able to get IS.
Housing Benefit (HB) and Council Tax Benefit (CTB) If you are on a low income you can claim HB if you pay rent to a landlord, and CTB if you are responsible for paying Council Tax. Both these benefits are based on your income and savings. You can get other allowances, known as ‘premiums’, if you are disabled or have a disabled child.
Council Tax Disability Reduction If you have a room set aside for equipment such as a brailler, computer equipment, a tape recorder and so on, you can get your Council Tax bill reduced under the Disability Reduction Scheme.
Community Care Grants (CCGs) If you get Income Support or income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance you can apply for a grant to cover one-off costs such as furniture or clothing. Visually impaired people can be given priority.
Incapacity Benefit (IB) and Severe Disablement Allowance (SDA)
IB is a benefit for people who can no longer work because they are sick or disabled. IB is based on your national insurance contribution record. SDA is paid to people who cannot work and who are assessed as 80% disabled. SDA is not based on your national insurance contribution record. You cannot make a new claim for SDA after April 2001. See our ‘Incapacity Benefit’ and ‘Severe Disablement Allowance’ fact sheets.
Disabled Person’s Tax Credit You should claim Disabled Person’s Tax Credit if you are disabled and on a low wage. Disabled Person’s Tax Credit is based on your income and savings and you can get another allowance if you have a disabled child. See our ‘Disabled Person’s Tax Credit’ fact sheet.
Invalid Care Allowance (ICA) If you are looking after a disabled person who is getting AA or the middle- or higher-rate care component of DLA, you may be able to get ICA for yourself. You must be providing care for at least 35 hours a week. If you are claiming another benefit, earning over £50 a week (after expenses), or in full-time education, you may not get ICA.
Industrial Injuries Benefits If you have lost your sight as a result of an injury or disease caused by your job, you can claim a benefit under the industrial injuries scheme. The amount of benefit you receive depends on how disabled you are.
Health benefits If you are on a low income, you may not have to pay charges for prescriptions, dental treatment, sight tests, vouchers for glasses, fares to hospital, wigs and fabric supports. If you are not on a low income, you may not have to pay these charges in certain situations. For example, if you are aged 60 or over, or registered as blind or partially sighted, you will get free sight tests. If you have a disability which prevents you from leaving home without the help of another person, you will get free prescriptions. Ask your local social security office for leaflet HC11 ‘Are you entitled to help with health costs?’.
For more information and advice about benefits, contact your social security office, citizens’ advice bureau or welfare rights unit. Or you can ring the Benefits Agency’s free Benefits Enquiry Line for people with disabilities on 0800 882200. For specialist advice about benefits for visually impaired people you can contact the RNIB’s Benefit Rights Office or Action for Blind People’s Welfare Rights Service.
Help with paying the bills There may be times when you need money for things that social security and social services cannot help with, for example, an important piece of equipment, a holiday or to improve your education. Or perhaps you just cannot meet your everyday expenses. We and several other organisations may be able to help. Some of these organisations are small and serve a local area. (Our Information and Advice Centre will be able to tell you if there is one of these organisations where you live.) Other organisations cover the whole country. Some, like Electronic Aids for the Blind, specialise. Others give grants for a wide range of circumstances.
The phone numbers of some of these organisations follow. If you would like a longer list, our Grants Service will be happy to send you one. They can also give advice on applying for grants.
Accommodation
Sheltered housing In sheltered housing, independent flats or bungalows are linked to a warden by an alarm system and intercom. There may also be rooms which residents share (for example, a lounge, laundry room or dining room). This type of housing may be provided by your local council, a housing association, or a private developer.
Usually, sheltered housing is not designed specially for visually impaired people, but some national voluntary organisations do provide specialist accommodation. Action for Blind People has Swail House in Surrey
(phone 01372 720742), and The Gift of Thomas Pocklington (phone 020 8995 0880) has flats in Roehampton, Birmingham and Plymouth. Several local voluntary organisations also have sheltered housing.
Residential care If you need more support than sheltered housing provides, you may want to consider a residential care home or nursing home. (Nursing homes must have a trained nurse on duty day and night.) You can get a list of the care homes in your area from your local authority Social Services Department, and a list of nursing homes from your District Health Authority.
You can get a list of organisations
providing residential care homes for visually impaired people from the
Housing and Residential Services Section of the RNIB (phone 020 8969 2380).
We run two homes in Surrey - Cooper Lodge (phone 01293 785031) and Croham
Hurst Place (phone 020 8657 7382).
Consumer services
Under the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995, service providers must make reasonable adjustments to make sure that visually impaired people can use their services.
Banking Banks and building societies can provide things like cheque book templates, personal banking advice and statements in large print or braille. Many banks now also have telephone banking facilities.
Gas British Gas will braille, stud or mark controls on domestic appliances and fit suitable permanent controls onto some cookers if you have problems using your hands. They will provide a free gas safety check as part of their national scheme for households with disabled or elderly members. They can also supply the following free audio cassettes:
Electricity Some electricity companies produce bills in braille or on tape and some have a ‘talking bill’ service. Your local electricity company will give you details of these services. They can also give advice on special controls or adaptations, including switches marked with fluorescent paint, braille or studs.
Some manufacturers can also arrange to put control panels in braille (for example, for washing machines and tumble dryers). If you are interested in this service, please contact the RNIB's Customer Services Department (phone 0845 702 3153).
The Electricity Association produces booklets called ’Useful addresses for people with disabilities’, ’Making life easier for people with disabilities’, and ’Lighting and low vision’. Single copies of these are free. Phone 020 7963 5776.
The Research Institute for Consumer Affairs (RICA) and ’Which’ (the Association for Consumer Research) also produce information which may help you choose a suitable appliance (phone 020 7486 5544 for both).
Telephones You can get a free booklet, ’The BT guide for people who are disabled or elderly’, from your local BT office. This gives details of British Telecom’s latest products and services in braille, large print or on audio tape. Please call freephone 0800 800 150 and ask for the Age and Disability Manager. BT staff can visit you at home to demonstrate equipment and discuss your needs.
Mercury has a similar guide to its products and services (the ’Special Needs Pack’). For a copy call freephone 0500 500 194.
There is also a free Directory Enquiries service for anyone who cannot read a telephone directory. If you are a BT customer call freephone 195 for an information pack and application form. If you are a Mercury customer call Customer Services on 0500 500 194.
BT produces bills in large print and in braille, and offers a ’talking bills’ service (phone 0800 400 454). For details of the help Mercury can offer with bills, call 0500 500 194.
Telephones for the Blind can help with the cost of installing and renting a phone if you are registered as blind. To qualify you must live alone or with a disabled partner, and must be unable to pay for the phone from your own or your family’s income (phone 01737 248032). Your application form must be sent in by a social worker.
Post Under the Post Office’s
’Articles for the Blind’ scheme, you can send and receive certain material
without paying postage if you are registered as blind or partially sighted.
This includes braille and moon, talking books and talking newspapers, but
not printed or typed material or personal tapes.
Transport
Tripscope This is a free national travel and transport information service offering help with any kind of travel, from private motoring to public transport (phone 0845 758 5641).
Disabled Persons Railcard If you are registered as blind or partially sighted, you can get a Disabled Persons Railcard. This entitles you to discounts off most ticket prices. Fill in an application form (available from your local station) and apply by post with proof of your registration and your payment (cheque, postal order or credit card number). When you buy a ticket it is worth asking if your railcard will give you the cheapest fare for your journey as some Supersavers may be better value.
Other rail discounts If you do not have a railcard, you are still eligible for rail discounts when travelling with a companion. You can buy one adult season ticket to cover two people, so that you can travel with a companion regularly. This need not always be the same companion. You do not have to pay fares for guide dogs.
For more information about these schemes and about travel abroad, contact your local station. Rail companies will normally be happy to help you during your journey if you let them know that you will be on the train. Contact your local station at least 48 hours before you plan to travel.
Bus travel Bus fares and discounts vary from area to area. Check with your local council and ask if there are any reductions for a companion.
Community transport There may be a community transport scheme in your area through which you can book a car or bus to pick you up and take you to your destination. The Department of Transport Mobility Unit (phone 020 7321 2480 ) produces a guide to these services called ’Door to Door’. The guide is available in print and on audio cassette and is free to visually impaired people. Or you can contact your Social Services Department or local society for blind people.
Orange Badge Scheme This national scheme offers parking allowances to disabled people, including people who are registered as blind (but not partially sighted). You can get an application form from your local Social Services Department. There is a small administration charge and you need to include two passport-size photographs with your form. Social Services will give you a disc for the car windscreen. You do not have to be the registered owner of the car, but the driver must only display the disc and use the allowances when you are travelling with them. The Orange Badge will be replaced by a European Blue Badge over three years from 1 April 2000.
Escorts If you need an escort to help you make a particular journey, the British Red Cross or the WRVS may be able to help if you give them enough notice. Contact Directory Enquiries for the number of your local group.
Air travel If you are blind, you and an escort can travel for one full fare on most UK domestic flights as long as your journey is for business, education or medical reasons. You can get information about other help for air travellers on a free tape from the RNIB (phone 0845 766 9999)
Leisure
Sport ‘Since I started having trouble with my eyesight, I’ve had to give up sport.’ This need not be true. British Blind Sport (phone 01788 536142) can put you in touch with a local club or contact for whatever sport you want to take part in - for example, bowls, cricket, football, judo, archery, golf. You name it, you can do it!
The RNIB (phone 0845 766 9999) publishes a guide called ’Discovering Sports Venues’, in which you can check on the facilities provided by football, cricket and rugby grounds and racecourses.
Games Many familiar games come in versions specially designed to allow you to play them with family members or friends. These games include Scrabble, chess, draughts, dominoes, solitaire, Monopoly and Othello. You can also get quizzes on tape and on video. Games, puzzles and children’s toys are available from RNIB Customer Services (phone 0845 702 3153).
Talking books and newspapers If you cannot read print, there is now a wide range of recorded material available to you. The RNIB Talking Book Service (phone 0845 762 6843) provides the widest range of titles, but the tapes need to be played on special equipment. The service is available through your Social Services Department, local society for visually impaired people or, in some areas, your local library. Sometimes there is a small charge for hiring the tape player.
A lot of material is also produced on standard cassettes. Specialist libraries such as Calibre (phone 01296 432339) provide thousands of fiction and non-fiction titles. Your local public library is likely to have a wide range of talking books and may provide a mobile delivery or postal service. Just ask.
Nearly every area in the country is covered by a local talking newspaper. Your Social Services Department, local society for visually impaired people or public library will be able to give you details. You can get national daily and Sunday newspapers and national magazines from the Talking Newspaper Association of the UK (TNAUK) (phone 01435 866102). So, if you used to like reading ‘Woman's Weekly’ or ‘Gardener’s World’, don’t stop now - get it on tape! TNAUK also produces a guide to tape services, giving details of all talking newspapers, magazines and tape libraries.
There is also a taped leisure magazine called ‘BT Soundings’ which is available from TNAUK or the RNIB. This gives details of events - both serious and light-hearted - going on around the country.
Large print publications Public libraries stock large print books. They are not usually displayed in bookshops, but can be bought direct from publishers, who will supply catalogues. There is also a weekly large print newspaper, ’Big Print’ (phone 0800 124007). You can even get large print crosswords. For more information on sources of large print material, contact our Information and Advice Centre (phone 020 7635 4800).
Theatre and cinema Several theatres and cinemas around the country offer audio description which gives you a verbal commentary on scenery, costumes, facial expressions and action in the breaks between the characters speaking. VOCALEYES provides a nationwide audio description service for touring theatre shows (phone 0870 902 0002 for a schedule of current performances). Some concert and opera halls also provide audio versions of their printed programmes (’talking notes’). These include the English National Opera (phone 020 7632 8300), the Royal Opera House (phone 020 7304 4000) and the South Bank Centre (phone 020 7921 0600).
Video and TV More videos with audio description are becoming available, and the AUDETEL project is developing audio description for television. Up-to-date information is available from RNIB Holiday and Leisure Service (phone 0845 766 9999).
Places to visit The RNIB (phone 0845 766 9999) publishes a guide called ’Discovering Museums’ which tells you, for example, where there are exhibits you can enjoy or taped guides. You can also get ‘Soundalive’ tour tapes to use when you visit over 100 English Heritage and other sites. For tour tapes, contact TNAUK (phone 01435 866102).
Some cathedrals have special facilities, such as models, ground plans, and audio guides. You can borrow braille or large print guides to many of the cathedrals from the National Library for the Blind (phone 0161 494 0217). Details of specially-designed nature trails and gardens are available from RNIB Holiday and Leisure Services (phone 0845 766 9999).
Holidays There are several hotels in England and Wales catering specifically for blind and partially sighted holidaymakers and their companions. They are run by various organisations including Action for Blind People (phone 020 7635 4800), the Royal National Institute for the Blind (phone 0845 766 9999), and Henshaw’s Society for the Blind (phone 0161 872 1234).
The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association Holidays (phone 01539 735080) cater for all visually impaired people (not only those who own guide dogs) and include touring, educational, activity and leisure holidays, both in Britain and abroad.
Self-catering and bed and breakfast holiday homes often advertise in magazines such as ’New Beacon’ (phone 0845 702 3153 ) and ’Disability Now’ (phone 020 7636 5020).
The Holiday Care Service
(phone 01293 774535) offers a free information and support service in this
country and abroad.
Social clubs There are local societies for visually impaired people throughout the British Isles and Channel Islands. Many of them run social clubs and organise a variety of activities. As well as being fun, these give you a chance to meet other people and discuss common problems. For more information, contact our Information and Advice Centre.
Your local Social Services
Department or Age Concern group may run luncheon clubs or day centres near
to you. In many cases door-to-door transport can be arranged. Sometimes
you may have to pay a small charge.
More information
This booklet gives a brief summary of the main services and benefits you may be entitled to. If you need more advice, please contact the information staff at:
Action for Blind People
14-16 Verney Road
London SE16 3DZ
Phone 020 7635 4800
Or you can visit our Mobile Information and Advice Service (listen to your local radio station to find out when we will be in your area). Or call one of our regional Information and Training Centres (telephone numbers are included in the ‘Employment and training’ section of this booklet). Remember to tell us if you would prefer our reply in large print, on tape or in braille.
We have:
· over 4000 specialist
books, leaflets, tapes, press and magazine articles;
· experienced welfare rights workers who can give advice on benefits;
· a travelling exhibition of equipment, information on national and local services; and
· free publications about our services in large print, braille or on tape.