HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL - 18 SEPTEMBER 2008
ADDITIONAL PART 1 ITEM
Mobility Benefits for Blind Residents
This Council Notes:
1) That blind people experience significant barriers to independent mobility
2) That blind people are often isolated and find it difficult to access basic services without mobility assistance
3) That many blind residents in this authority area find it difficult to access Shops, Supermarkets, Doctors, Dentists and Community facilities and centres
4) Our blind residents find it difficult to access many Council Services ranging from housing to voting without mobility support and face additional costs as a result, such as using taxis or private hire vehicles.
This Council Further Notes:
1) That blind people are not entitled to the higher rate mobility component of disability living allowance
2) Loss of usable sight clearly causes significant independent mobility problems and incurs significant additional and unmet costs
3) That blind people are in many parts of England excluded from social care support because their needs are not considered "critical" or "substantial"
This Council resolves:
1) To ask the Chief Executive and Leader of the Council to write to the Secretary of State for Work & Pensions, the Rt Hon. James Purnell MP, expressing these concerns
2) To ask the Chief Executive and Leader of the Council to write to our local MPs asking that they sign up to EDM number 1982 and write to the Secretary of State expressing these concerns
3) To support the Royal National Institute of Blind People's (RNIB) campaign on securing the higher rate mobility component of DLA for blind people.
