How Much Disability Do You Get If You Are Legally Blind?

The aim of this blog is to help readers in learning how much they can claim in disability benefits if they are legally blind. While we will focus mainly on the applicable benefits payments, we will also discuss the application procedure for claiming benefits and review other forms of support that one may be able to claim if they are legally blind.

How Much Disability Do You Get If You Are Legally Blind?

If you are legally blind and claiming disability benefits, the amount that you can get depends on the benefits you qualify for.

If you qualify for Personal Independence Payment, the amount that you can get will be based on whether you get the Daily Living Part or the Mobility Part of PIP. Your payments will be classified as follows:

you will be paid between £61.85 and £92.40 if you are claiming the Daily Living Part
you will get between £24.45 and £64.50 if you are claiming the Mobility Part

When it comes to Attendance Allowance, the amount that you can claim will vary as follows:

you can get the lower rate of £61.85 if you require frequent help or regular supervision during the day, or to be looked after at night
you can get the higher rate of £92.40 if you need supervision throughout the day and night

If you are legally blind, you will get £2,600 as Blind Person’s Allowance for your disability. This is an amount that is added to your existing Personal Allowance (currently set at £12,570) before income tax is deducted from your income.

If you are claiming Employment and Support Allowance, you can expect a weekly payment of £117.60 per week as if you are assigned the support group by the DWP.

If you are claiming Disability Living Allowance for a child who is under 16 years of age and legally blind, you can get between £24.45 and £156.90 for them. The amount that you can claim through DLA for a child depends on the level of care the child needs.

In addition to this, you may also be able to get funding in the form of cash, household or medical equipment through the support of your local council, grants and charities.

Which Benefits Can You Claim If You Are Legally Blind?

If you are legally blind, you can claim the following benefits, based on your ability to meet the eligibility criteria:

Attendance Allowance
Employment and Support Allowance
Disability Living Allowance
Personal Independence Payment
Pension Credit
Blind Person’s Allowance
Universal Credit

Additionally, if you receive any of the following benefits a Disability Premium will be added to your payments if you are legally blind:

Income Support
income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
income-related Employment and Support Allowance
Housing Benefit

How Do You Claim Disability Benefits If You Are Legally Blind?

If you qualify for Disability Benefits, you will need to apply for each qualifying benefit separately.

For instance, you can claim Personal Independence Payment (PIP) by contacting the Disability Service Centre or calling on 0800 917 2222. To be eligible for PIP, the claimant must be over 16 and have difficulty carrying out daily activities, such as washing or dressing. You may also be able to claim PIP if you can’t leave home without help, or if you have to use a wheelchair or special equipment.

You can claim Attendance Allowance by filling out the Attendance Allowance claim form online or in writing and sending it to Freepost DWP Attendance Allowance via post.

You can either apply for DLA using the DLA1 Child (ALT) claim form online or call the Disability Living Allowance helpline at 0800 121 4600 and ask for a printed form. Once you’ve filled out the form and added the relevant supportive evidence, you can post it to Freepost DWP DLA Child. To claim Disability Living Allowance for a child, they must be younger than 16 years of age.

If you are registered with your local council as blind or severely sight impaired, you are eligible for Blind Person’s Allowance. This amount is added to your Personal Allowance before income tax deduction from your salary. You can claim this allowance by calling the HMRC at 0300 200 3301.

However, before you apply for any of these benefits you will need the Certificate of Vision Impairment filled out with the help of a medical practitioner. This certificate will be used to register you with the local council office.

You will also need this form as supportive evidence when you apply for benefits from the Department for Work and Pensions.

Can The Council Provide Funding If You Are Legally Blind?

Yes, your local council office can provide you with funds if you are legally blind and on a low income.

If you live in England, your local council authority can fund you through the Local Welfare Assistance scheme. Payments received from this scheme can be used to purchase household items.

In Scotland, you can apply for the Community Care Grant from the Scottish Welfare Fund. Meanwhile, if you are In Wales, you can apply for an Individual Assistance Payment from the Discretionary Assistance Fund. In Northern Ireland, you will get the Discretionary Support loan.

You can use these funds to pay for the following expenses:

residential and nursing homes fees
telephone installation and rental payments
equipment to help you in your daily life
adaptations to the home
Holidays

Can You Get Support From Grants and Charities If You Are Legally Blind?

Yes, you can get financial support through grants and charities if you are legally blind. Some of these are discussed below:

You may also be eligible for grants from the Royal National Institute of Blind People (the UK’s leading charity for people with vision loss) for technology to help you live independently; including (but not limited to) talking landline telephones for landlines with big buttons, software for computer accessibility or braille displays and notetakers. You can call the RNIB at 0303 123 9999 to apply for a grant.

If you are on a low income and claiming benefits, you can seek further support from Elizabeth Finn Care. They offer short-term grants that can help with general living costs such as household furniture, kitchen equipment, disability equipment, home repairs, costs to move home and help with transport, work or care. You can apply to them at Elizabeth Finn Care, Hythe House, London W6 7NL.

If someone is disabled and needs funding for household or medical equipment, they can contact The Florence Nightingale Trust. They offer grants for medical aids, white goods, computers (including specialist software), reading aids, magnifiers, sensory equipment and communication aids. You can apply for a grant by calling them at 020 7998 8817 or sending an email to ann.griffiths@fnaist.org.uk

If you are looking for regional charities you can use the Turn2us Grants Search or Sightline Directory.

Conclusion:

From the discussion in this article, we can conclude that there is no fixed amount that one can claim from disability benefits if they are legally blind, as the payments you can qualify for vary on the basis of your needs. However, anyone who is legally blind can claim £2,600 as Blind Person’s Allowance. This is an added amount that increases your Personal Allowance before income tax is deducted.