Your Rights

Welfare rights homepage

Summary: Find out about the benefits and welfare rights you are entitled to and how RNIB can help.

• For older people
• For people of working age
• For families and carers
• For health and housing
• Managing your money
• RNIB Welfare Rights Service
• Other help from RNIB

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For older people

Many blind and partially sighted pensioners are not getting money they could be claiming. Could you or a family member or friend be missing out? Attendance Allowance is worth at least £44.85 per week tax-free but many people don’t realise they are entitled to it. It isn't means-tested, so it doesn’t matter how much your income is or whether you have any savings or other capital.

RNIB's Welfare Rights Service has launched a campaign to help you to claim Attendance Allowance. We are also supporting organisations that help blind and partially sighted people to claim it. Find out more about our Attendance Allowance campaign.

Money for pensioners with sight problems gives an overview of the benefits and concessions available for people of pensionable age.

• Pension Credit – an income-based benefit for older people on a low income or with modest retirement income and savings.

For people of working age

• Disability Living Allowance – a disability benefit for people who claim before age 65. See also our guide to claiming DLA which includes help with completing claim forms.
• Income Support – an income-based benefit for people under 60 who have a low income or no other income.
• Incapacity Benefit – for people of working age who are unable to work due to disability or illness.

For families and carers

• Tax Credits – payments from the Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs for people who work or have children.
• Benefits for carers – for the carer of a person with a disability who is receiving a disability benefit.
• Benefits for children - for children with sight problems and additional disabilities.

For health and housing

• Health Benefits
• Council Tax

Managing your money

Find out about direct and cheque payments for benefits and the retirement pension.

If you or someone you know has sight problems and money worries, you can contact RNIB's debt advice service.

RNIB Welfare Rights Service

If you, or someone you know, has a serious sight problem, the Welfare Rights Service can advise about entitlements to benefits and concessions. For example:

• we give information and advice to blind and partially sighted people, relatives, carers and representatives about all the main welfare benefits and concessions available
• we provide information fact sheets about welfare benefits.

We provide advocacy and representation in a limited number of cases, or can tell you about local advice services. The following may be of use if you disagree with the amount of benefit you receive:

• Appealing against Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance decisions - about submitting an appeal, and benefit appeal tribunals.
• Challenging a decision about DLA and Attendance Allowance – about the various options for challenging a decision.

If you have any welfare rights enquiries, or would like to request any of the factsheets in large print or alternative formats, please contact RNIB Helpline on helpline@rnib.org.uk or 0845 766 9999 or 020 7388 2525.

We also campaign to improve social security provision for people with a serious sight problem, for instance in collaboration with other organisations as part of the Disability Benefits Consortium.

Join our campaign to tackle the unjust exclusion of blind people from the higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance, Taken for a ride.

Other help from RNIB

RNIB Social Care Advocacy can provide you with advice about:

• getting help from your local social services
• low income grants
• the benefits of registering as blind or partially sighted.

Content author: brit@rnib.org.uk

Last updated: 07/05/2008 16:27