Campaigns

Disability Living Allowance - 'Taken for a Ride'

Summary: Join our campaign to change the exclusion of blind people from the higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance.

Person looking at their taxi receipt and money in the street

Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is a non means-tested, tax-free benefit, payable to disabled people under the age of 65 years, whether they are in or out of work. It has two parts:

  • A care component to provide help with personal care needs. This is paid at three different levels, lowest, middle and highest.
  • A mobility component to assist people who have difficulties getting out and about independently. This is paid at two different levels, lower and higher.

Under current legislation most blind and partially sighted people typically get the lower rate of both the care and mobility components. We believe that people with serious sight loss should be able to claim the higher rate mobility component. The current eligibility criteria prevents this.

Latest campaign updates

July 2008 – We need your help! Help remind the Government of the importance of this campaign. DLA campaign - next steps

June 2008 - Following our meetings with DWP officials, they have submitted a paper to Ministers on this issue. We hope to hear from the Government in the next month or so on whether or not they intend to make the changes that we have all been campaigning for. Watch this space…...

December 2007 - We were delighted that more than 60 MPs attended the DLA Campaign Reception on Tuesday 4 December. MPs came to find out more about the issue and had the opportunity to talk to people who might benefit from changes to DLA. Anne McGuire MP, the Minister for Disabled People spoke, as did the Rt Hon David Blunkett MP, Sir John Butterfill MP, who hosted the reception, and Maria Pikulski, who recorded a DLA diary for the campaign.

Anne McGuire has given her assurance to continue working with RNIB in a constructive way over this issue. She is keen to see the Government doing all it can to find a solution to the problems faced by some blind people in getting around independently in the external environment.

We would like to thank everyone who recorded diaries for us to present to MPs and everyone who wrote to their MP urging them to come along to the Reception.

Excerpts from the diaries will be posted here soon. We will be sending an update on the campaign to DLA campaign supporters early in the new year.

November 2007 – DLA Campaign Reception on 4 December 2007.

The reception was an opportunity for your MP to find out more about why it is important to support our call for people with severe sight loss to be able to claim the higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance. We invited all MPs and many of you asked your own MP to come along on your behalf.

The reception was a way of encouraging more MPs to support the campaign. It also showed them that while we continue our discussions with the Department for Work and Pensions, campaign supporters and MPs are still pressing the Government for change.

August 2007 – You helped us get the message across to MPs by recording your experiences and views to influence MPs decision about DLA by sending us your audio diaries.

You shared your experiences and views. You recorded the things that you need to do or would like to do but can’t, because you don't receive the higher rate mobility component.

What better way to explain to MPs just how frustrating and unfair it is that many people with severe sight loss are unable to do the day-today things that sighted people take for granted, just because they can't claim the higher rate.

The diaries where presented to the Prime Minister and to individual MPs on 4 December 2007, the anniversary of the lobby of Parliament.

June 2007 – 253 MPs signed Early Day Motion 46 (EDM) in support of our DLA campaign. This EDM has now attracted more support from MPs than any other that has ever been tabled relating specifically to blind people. Find out if your MP signed the EDM

Lobbyists carrying placards

On 4 December 2006 over 1,200 people took part in a lobby of parliament hosted by RNIB. This was the largest lobby of Parliament by blind and partially sighted people ever.

The campaign

Under the mobility component, people with disabilities who can drive can claim the DLA higher ‘mobility rate’ worth £46.75 per week. People with serious sight loss are only eligible to claim the lower rate of just £17.75 per week. We are calling for this to be a changed.

One of the core objectives of the DLA is to assist people who have difficulties getting out safely and independently. The higher rate is focused on those who are unable to walk or who cannot walk to their intended destination outdoors without assistance.

We are campaigning for the higher rate mobility component of DLA to be available to people with serious sight loss. They face some of the greatest difficulties moving around independently in the external environment. Even with the aid of a white cane or a guide dog, the streets are a hostile and potentially dangerous place. A journey can include crossing busy roads, navigating pavement and road works, avoiding street furniture and dodging cyclists and cars parked on the pavement.

All of these barriers to independent mobility are familiar to blind people. It is hardly surprising, given the difficulty and stress of moving around independently, that many people with sight loss severely limit their external journeys and by implication their opportunities for social and economic participation and inclusion.

The Government estimates the cost to change the eligibility criteria would be £30 million per year.

Following the launch of our campaign report Taken for a Ride on 10 August 2006, we will be calling on MPs to sign an EDM 46 tabled by Sir John Butterfill MP calling for people with serious sight loss to be able to claim the higher rate mobility component of DLA.

Campaign report

Taken for a Ride shows how blind people are being "cheated" by not being allowed to claim the same level of benefit as wheelchair users. It also 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.

Taken for a Ride is available to download to download:

Get involved

We really need your help. Please write to your MP explaining what a difference receiving the higher rate mobility component would make to the quality of your life. Please also ask them to sign the EDM.

If you would like to get involved in this campaign please contact us on 020 7391 2123 or email DLACampaign@rnib.org.uk

Further information

Disability Living Allowance - how to claim

RNIB is a member of the mobilise campaign to end age discrimination in disability benefits.

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Content author: campaign@rnib.org.uk

Last updated: 09/07/2008 15:18

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Quiz

When helping a blind person on an escalator you should:





Your stories

Jenny's story - Jenny Burgess volunteered for a disability support group run by people with physical disabilities. She was the only staff member with a sight problem. “I depended on a colleague with physical disabilities to give me a lift to work. I have far greater mobility problems than most people with physical disabilities who can drive a car, yet receive less benefit - it’s unfair and unjust.” Join our campaign to make the mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance fair - taken for a ride.