MP claims victory for local visually impaired people
17th March 2009
Dr Hywel Francis MP has claimed victory in his campaign to get more support to local people who are visually impaired. Under the changes backed in the Welfare Reform Bill by Dr Hywel Francis MP 20,000 visually impaired people nationally will be entitled to receive the higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance.
At current rates this will mean an additional payment worth £29 a week to those who qualify (£1,508 per year).
From the left Chris Morgan, Bob Jones, Margaret Deeney, Gwenda Fitzpatrick from the RNIB, Ray Price, Hywel Francis MP and Rosie Lewis from the RNIB at the Lobby of Parliament in October 2008.
Dr Francis said,
“I am delighted that my campaign to get more help to visually impaired people has been successful. When this is introduced this change will transform their lives and their families. It can mean people are able to go out to meet friends, to get a job and to live life the way most of us take for granted.”
Notes to editors:
To qualify for the Disability Living Allowance higher rate mobility component a person must have a physical disablement which renders them unable or virtually unable to walk.
£29 is the difference between the higher and lower rate mobility component.
Effective operational implementation of the higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance for severely blind people will come into force once the detailed legislation and operational processes have been developed.
