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Listen to this programmeFactsheet of this programmeTranscript of this programme Print this page FactsheetIN TOUCH FACTSHEET 24/03/2009 WEEK 12 CONTENTS PROGRAMME ADDRESS.. 1 DISABILITY LIVING ALLOWANCE.. 1 REACT. 3 GENERAL CONTACTS.. 4 PROGRAMME ADDRESS IN TOUCH ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 4 Room 5045 BH Broadcasting House London W1A 1AA Email: intouch@bbc.co.uk Web: www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/factual/intouch.shtml DISABILITY LIVING ALLOWANCE Guest: Marsha de Cordova from the charity Action for Blind People For the past two and a half years the Royal National Institute of Blind People has been leading the fight for the so-called upper rate mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance (DLA). The upper rate of DLA is designed to cover the transport costs of disabled people. Previously it was only given to people who have severe physical restrictions on their movement, however the Minister for disabled people Jonathan Shaw announced last week that some visually impaired people will now be entitled to the higher rate of the mobility component. CONTACTS ACTION FOR BLIND PEOPLE 14-16 Verney Road London SE16 3DZ Tel: 0800 915 4666 (info & advice) Tel: 020 7635 4800 (central office) Web: Registered charity with national cover that provides practical support in the areas of housing, holidays, information, employment and training, cash grants and welfare rights for blind and partially-sighted people. Leaflets and booklets are available. BENEFIT ENQUIRY LINE Telephone: 0800 88 22 00 Textphone: 0800 24 33 55 Web: A confidential freephone service for disabled people and carers. You can call the Benefit Enquiry Line and ask them to send you a claim pack. They can send the claim pack in Braille if required. The Benefit Enquiry Line is open 8.30 am to 6.30 pm Monday to Friday and 9.00 am to 1.00 pm Saturday. Or visit website below to make a claim online: DISABILITY LIVING ALLOWANCE RNIB 105 Judd Street London WC1H 9NE Helpline: 0303 123 9999 (Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm) Tel: 0207 388 1266 (switchboard/overseas callers) Web: The RNIB provides information, support and advice for anyone with a serious sight problem. They not only provide Braille, Talking Books and computer training, but imaginative and practical solutions to everyday challenges. The RNIB campaigns to change society's attitudes, actions and assumptions, so that people with sight problems can enjoy the same rights, freedoms and responsibilities as fully sighted people. They also fund pioneering research into preventing and treating eye disease and promote eye health by running public health awareness campaigns REACT The programme looked at a scheme, piloted in Newcastle and now running in fourteen towns in the UK, called React. The scheme involves carrying a small fob which is triggered by geographical locations to give audio directions. For further information on React contact the RNIB: RNIB 105 Judd Street London WC1H 9NE Helpline: 0303 123 9999 (Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm) Tel: 0207 388 1266 (switchboard/overseas callers) Web: The RNIB provides information, support and advice for anyone with a serious sight problem. They not only provide Braille, Talking Books and computer training, but imaginative and practical solutions to everyday challenges. The RNIB campaigns to change society's attitudes, actions and assumptions, so that people with sight problems can enjoy the same rights, freedoms and responsibilities as fully sighted people. They also fund pioneering research into preventing and treating eye disease and promote eye health by running public health awareness campaigns. GENERAL CONTACTS RNIB 105 Judd Street London WC1H 9NE Helpline: 0303 123 9999 (Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm) Tel: 0207 388 1266 (switchboard/overseas callers) Web: The RNIB provides information, support and advice for anyone with a serious sight problem. They not only provide Braille, Talking Books and computer training, but imaginative and practical solutions to everyday challenges. The RNIB campaigns to change society's attitudes, actions and assumptions, so that people with sight problems can enjoy the same rights, freedoms and responsibilities as fully sighted people. They also fund pioneering research into preventing and treating eye disease and promote eye health by running public health awareness campaigns. HENSHAWS SOCIETY FOR BLIND PEOPLE (HSBP) John Derby House 88-92 Talbot Road Old Trafford Manchester M16 0GS Tel: 0161 872 1234 Email: info@hsbp.co.uk Web: Henshaws provides a wide range of services for people who have sight difficulties. They aim to enable visually impaired people of all ages to maximise their independence and enjoy a high quality of life. They have centres in: Harrogate, Knaresborough, Liverpool, Llandudno, Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne, Salford, Southport and Trafford. THE GUIDE DOGS FOR THE BLIND ASSOCIATION (GDBA) Burghfield Common Reading RG7 3YG Tel: 0118 983 5555 Email: guidedogs@guidedogs.org.uk Web: The GDBA’s mission is to provide guide dogs, mobility and other rehabilitation services that meet the needs of blind and partially sighted people. ACTION FOR BLIND PEOPLE 14-16 Verney Road London SE16 3DZ Tel: 0800 915 4666 (info & advice) Tel: 020 7635 4800 (central office) Web: Registered charity with national cover that provides practical support in the areas of housing, holidays, information, employment and training, cash grants and welfare rights for blind and partially-sighted people. Leaflets and booklets are available. NATIONAL LEAGUE OF THE BLIND AND DISABLED Central Office Swinton House 324 Grays Inn Road London WC1X 8DD Tel: 020 7837 6103 Textphone: 020 7837 6103 National League of the Blind and Disabled is a registered trade union and is involved in all issues regarding the employment of blind and disabled people in the UK. NATIONAL LIBRARY FOR THE BLIND (NLB) Tel: 0161 406 2525 Textphone: 0161 355 2043 Email: enquiries@nlbuk.org Web: Trustees from the Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB) and the National Library for the Blind (NLB) have agreed to merge the library services of both charities as of 1 January 2007, creating the new RNIB National Library Service. EQUALITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION HELPLINE (England) Freepost RRLL-GHUX-CTRX Arndale House Arndale Centre Manchester M4 3EQ 0845 604 6610 - England main number 0845 604 6620 - England textphone 0845 604 6630 - England fax Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 9:00 am-5:00 pm; Wed 9:00 am-8:00 pm (last call taken at 7:45pm) EQUALITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION HELPLINE (Wales) Freepost RRLR-UEYB-UYZL 3rd Floor 3 Callaghan Square Cardiff CF10 5BT 0845 604 8810 - Wales main number 0845 604 8820 - Wales textphone 0845 604 8830 - Wales fax Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 9:00 am-5:00 pm; Wed 9:00 am-8:00 pm (last call taken at 7:45pm) EQUALITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION HELPLINE (Scotland) Freepost RRLL-GYLB-UJTA The Optima Building 58 Robertson Street Glasgow G2 8DU 0845 604 5510 - Scotland Main 0845 604 5520 - Scotland Textphone 0845 604 5530 - Scotland – Fax Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 9:00 am-5:00 pm; Wed 9:00 am-8:00 pm (last call taken at 7:45pm) DISABLED LIVING FOUNDATION 380-384 Harrow Road London W9 2HU Tel: 0845 130 9177 Web: The Disabled Living Foundation provides information and advice on disability equipment. The ´óÏó´«Ã½ is not responsible for external websites General contacts Back to top TranscriptIN TOUCHTX: 24.03.09 2040-2100 PRESENTER: IAN MACRAE PRODUCER: JOE KENT Macrae Hello. The question that's been on everyone's lips this week has been just who will be entitled to what following the government's announcement on changes to Disability Living Allowance? Stay tuned for answers and more information. We'll also revisit the debate on whether it's better, easier, to have some sight or none at all. And we'll be taking a trip to my home city. Talking Lamppost ....Haymarket, for Northumberland Road and Northumbria University turn hard left. Laura The first time I was ever out with this - a friend said what on earth is that and I turned to her and I said - Well I made that happen. I walked past it again and I showed her exactly what was going on and they were absolutely fascinated by this. Macrae More on the newest talk on the streets of Tyneside later. But first, the announcement by minister for disabled people, Jonathan Shaw, that some visually impaired people will now be entitled to the higher rate of the mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance or DLA. It's been hailed as a victory after two and a half years and two lobbies of parliament by campaigners. But, as is often the case with such announcements and as they say in all the best political programmes, the devil is in the detail. You've been contacting us to ask exactly the same questions as I've been asking myself - will I be entitled, what hoops will I have to go through to get it and what constitutes [quote] "severe visual impairment"? Well to answer those questions I'm joined by benefits expert Marsha de Cordova from the charity Action for Blind People. Marsha, welcome. First of all let's get right back to basics - what is Disability Living Allowance? De Cordova Disability Living Allowance is a non-means tested benefit and it's payable to adults and children who have a disability. The DLA's broken down into two elements - there's a care component and a mobility component. Macrae And we're concerned here with the mobility component. What's that meant for? De Cordova The mobility component is paid to individuals who have difficulty in getting around, but it's entirely up to you what you spend that money on. Macrae Do we yet know who's going to get this higher rate, who's going to qualify for it? De Cordova Well based on the eligibility criteria for higher rate mobility it's generally for people who have a severe physical or mental impairment, so that's for somebody with a severe learning disability or for those who are unable to walk or virtually unable to walk. So you'll see that it's reserved for people who are severely disabled. Now with regards to blind and partially sighted people it will probably mean those who are wholly and severely visually impaired that would qualify for the new higher rate mobility component. Macrae Is there any indication - yeah I mentioned in the introduction - what severe visual impairment is? De Cordova The officials for the Department for Work and Pensions are actually looking at these points now and it's thought it would include the following people, and so that's people who have no light perception, people who only have light perception, people who can only see a hand that's in front of their face and also people with three over 60 visual acuity and also who have highly restrictive visual field loss. Macrae Now that's the way opticians measure how much we can see. We can see down a chart - as far down a chart as three metres as a normally sighted person would at 60. We've talked - we've down that thing that blind people do and we've realised that we both have roughly the same amount of sight, so do you think we're going to get it? De Cordova It's difficult to say at this stage as obviously that information isn't available yet. But based on having three over 60 visual acuity I would qualify on that but I don't have highly restrictive field of visual loss. Macrae No me neither, so we kind of have to hold our breath or not, maybe, as the case maybe. So what's the process, do you think, that people are going to have to go through in order to - that we're going to have to go through, let's face it, to discover whether or not we qualify? De Cordova As I understand it the finer detail to the whole assessment process hasn't been agreed yet but it is thought that individuals will need to complete a self assessment form and also provide proof of their visual acuity and also what their field of vision is. Those individuals that have been newly certified as blind, their CVI form will actually state what their visual acuity is and their field of vision is. Macrae CVI is the certificate of visual impairment? De Cordova That's correct, yeah. And for those existing claimants that are currently receiving DLA at the low rate, if they qualify for the higher rate mobility component then they will need to also complete a self assessment claim form and also provide proof again of their visual acuity and field of vision. Macrae We're told by the Department for Work and Pensions that they anticipate there being a specific disability allowance medical assessment for this particular process, do that tie in with what you feel, think, know? De Cordova From what I understand there will be a very similar assessment form yeah. Macrae Which may or may not bring people deep joy. So what happens to - one listener wants to know what happens to you when you hit 65 under the new arrangement? De Cordova What is clear that obviously when you reach 65 your Disability Living Allowance doesn't stop so you will continue to receive your Disability Living Allowance after your 65th birthday. Macrae So if you're not seen to be qualifying for the mobility component pre-65 you're not suddenly going to become entitled to it under the new changes once you hit 65? De Cordova That's right, yeah. Macrae Okay. And Adrian Osborne wants to know: Are there any changes to deafblind people and the 100% blindness, 80% deafness criteria that they have to meet? De Cordova No there are no changes there, that actually remains the same, so you will, in order to qualify for the higher rate mobility component of DLA, being deafblind you will have to have 100% blindness and also 80% of hearing loss. Macrae When are the first payments going to hit people's bank accounts then? De Cordova Well it's thought that obviously the higher rate mobility will be available to those people that are severely visually impaired from April 2011. Macrae And based on current figures, because obviously we don't know what the allowance will be at that time, what would that mean in terms of money in people's pockets? De Cordova Well based on the current figures the higher rate mobility's paid at £46.75, so if you compare that for what is paid for the lower rate, which is £17.75 at the moment people will be getting an additional £29 a week, which will be brilliant. Macrae Finally, just any last bits of advice for people? De Cordova This is obviously great news for blind and partially sighted people but there's nothing concrete yet and we'll just have to wait and see what happens. Macrae Well Marsha, thank you very much for joining us. Naturally we'll be keeping you in touch with how things change and develop over the months and years to come. Our understanding from the Department of Work and Pensions is that it's likely to be 20,000 or thereabouts - people who will qualify for this. More information on all of that from our action line and from our web pages, details to come. Now we all know that place names can be evocative - Newcastle, for example, immediately makes me think of strong bottled beer, bridges of various shapes and sizes, something called stotty cake - and if you don't know what that is you can go away and look it up - and a football team which never quite lives up to its fans fanaticism. But Newcastle's also moved into the post-industrial 21st Century and along with the tilting bridge and the new waterfront buildings the city's been playing host to a system known as React, where lampposts along the route can give you verbal cues and information about where you are and where you're going. Following a pilot, which began last year, the system has just been officially launched and expanded across the city. Mark Holdstock took a stroll around the city centre to find out how it's being used. Laura My name's Laura and I'm a student at Newcastle University, in my first year studying sociology. I was given one of these fobs when the pilot scheme was launched. The piece of equipment that we were given is actually a small square of plastic, it's on a key ring, so you can attach it - keep it in your pocket. And as you walk about the town, as you pass the lampposts with the trigger points on them then the trigger points pick up a signal from the piece of plastic that you're carrying in your pocket and that actually sets off the announcement. Talking Lamppost This is the junction of Northumberland Street and Northumberland Road next to British Home Stores. Holdstock Well this looks to all intents and purposes just like any other city centre lamppost. There's a no entry sign halfway up, there are some planning notices, consent notices, attached to it, there's a couple of lamps at the top and these struts swinging out that you can hang flower baskets on and then halfway up the lamppost is this 18 inch by 6 inch plastic box, it's got the RNIB symbol on it and this is the loudspeaker which gives out announcements telling people whereabouts in the city centre they are. Archibald My name's Rachel Archibald and I work for Newcastle City Council. My involvement with React has been project managing it for the last three years. There are 17 units in the city centre, there are another three units to the eye clinic and there are 20 units located on the Haymarket and Monument Metro Station. So there's a route and the route was piloted and devised by visually impaired people to set up a way around, so people that would like to go to the eye clinic independently or access the town independently or just go up through the main shopping fairways will be able to do that. Laura We have another unit ahead I think, yes we do. This is the Marks and Spencer's one I think. Yeah Marks and Spencer's. Holdstock So this is actually demonstrating what we're talking about isn't it. Laura Yes it's really nice. There's another one that mentions Top Shop but the others just tend to say what street you're in. Holdstock Tell me about how you use it then? Laura Well initially I didn't really know the area that well as I've just moved to Newcastle to go to the University and as I was walking around town with my friends the triggers would be going off and it sort of helped me form a picture of the city centre in my head. It makes me feel more confident using the routes that I'm familiar with independently. Holdstock Obviously it's quite loud, are you self conscious at all about standing there listening to this lamppost talking to you? Laura Well I tend to not stand and listen to the whole announcement, I just hear it go off and think yeah I've passed it, I know where I am now. But the first time I was ever out with this key fob was with my friends and we walked past one of these lampposts and it went off and one of my friends said what on earth is that and I turned to her and I said - Well I made that happen! And she clearly thought I was insane. So I walked past it again, I showed her exactly what was going on and they were absolutely fascinated by this. But people in the streets just tend to think it's a public announcement or something, they don't really know what it is and don't connect it with me, so that's fine. Clark My name's Emily Clark and I'm from a charity called Sight Service in Gateshead. I've been involved as a service user myself because I live in Newcastle and I'm partially sighted but then I've also been involved in terms of getting service users to input into the development of the React access in Newcastle. The feedback has been really positive, this links up well with the transport system which is great for a lot of people because that's what they use to come into town and it gives them orientation information and tells them a bit about what's around them. Holdstock Does it particularly help people who know the city or is it aimed at people who maybe are visiting Newcastle for the first time? Clark I think it can help both groups of people. It's good for people with particularly poor sight who live in the city and to have an idea of the town centre but this system gives them reassurance. And then for people coming to the city who haven't been here before it's much better if you have a signpost that's going to give you an indication of where you are than having to rely on the people around you to tell you where you are. Holdstock Right well this is Grays Monument in the very centre of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and it gives its name to a station on the Tyne and Wear metro system, Monument Station, which is one of the stations which has been installed with this equipment. Talking Station Ticket machines, turn left, they are located on the left hand wall. Laura It's brilliant, especially in a big station like Monument, there are quite a few platforms and quite a few levels and you always want to be sure that you're getting on the train to the right place. And the units down on the platform are especially useful as they tell you exactly which platform it is and which direction you're going. Talking Station Go forward 15 paces and then bear right ... Holdstock Is it reliable? Laura Well I think largely yes, however it can be slightly temperamental. There's been examples of units and whole lampposts being taken away overnight or sometimes the units don't trigger. But I've never noticed anything like that anyway but I do know that some units haven't worked in the past. Archibald With all systems there's not going to be any guarantee that they're all going to be working, functioning, everyday, every single lamppost. We have a two day working turnaround set up, so from the moment that we have been reported that there's a problem with a lamppost then we will make sure somebody goes out and looks into what that issue might be. There was the case of the disappearing lamppost where a lorry actually came and knocked the lamppost over during the night and it got took away. So of course we had to put that lamppost back in situ, which takes longer. We are relying on the fact that a lot of visually impaired people already have a bit of understanding about this city, it's an orientation system which allows a bit of common sense as well. Laura It matters greatly because it gives blind and visually impaired people confidence to go out where perhaps they might not have felt so confident. For shopaholics like myself the city centre is a really important place to explore and this gives you the security blanket to explore the streets more. Macrae Laura Smith. And the RNIB React System is also being used in 14 places around the UK, including Birmingham and Brighton and on the Scottish rail network, none of them as bonny as Newcastle though. A couple of weeks ago we heard from art gallery owner and Conservative councillor Andrew Lamont who gave us a very personal account of the kinds of difficulties which can arise if you're partially sighted - in that halfway house between the blind and the sighted worlds. Lamont The struggle of covering up for not seeing is greater than waiting for the support the white stick elicits. The challenge I have faced is the fact that people assume I can see because I look normal. It is not until I need to read text, see someone's facial expressions or travel that I am disadvantaged. Because it is hidden it does not make it any less difficult to live with a partial impairment. Macrae Well Andrew's thoughts prompted these thoughts and reactions from you. Listener Andrew Lamont's item on whether total blindness is easier to cope with because it's easier to comprehend is exactly the sort of thing I want to hear on In Touch. I'm partially sighted and wouldn't wish to be blind but the problems Andrew highlighted afflict my daily life. It is infuriating how hard it is for the needs of a partially sighted person to be understood. Listener I've been totally blind for 75 years and while I fully understand that some things are more difficult for the partially sighted I fail to understand how someone who admitted he has two-thirds of normal vision would think and believe he would be better off without it. Listener I don't think it's a bad thing to allow people to let off steam about the sadness and suffering but I think it would be unwise, as a life strategy, to go on about it all the time. I suspect some of the reaction you'll get is of the type - he should stop moaning and be thankful for what he's got. Listener I'm partially sighted and I laughed when he mentioned the challenge that partially sighted people have with appearing normal, so that others don't understand the problems we face, as this is something I experience everyday. Listener Even with close friends I still have to have conversations about what I can and cannot see. And while I can pass for normally sighted in familiar environments my difficulties when I venture elsewhere often surprise people. I am aware of having missed a huge amount socially because I cannot make effective eye contact. This is something Andrew touched on that I think is underestimated as a problem for many visually impaired people. I suppose the danger in talking about such things is that one is accused of self pity. I bet blind listeners will be queuing up to say they'd rather be partially sighted one day. But more personal experiences and copying strategies please. Macrae Those from Adrian Fry, Barbara Dean and Robert Portal, among others. And as always we like to hear your views, feel free to contact our action line on 0800 044 044. And you can also find us on the web by visiting bbc.co.uk/radio4/intouch. There you can listen again, download the podcast from tomorrow and find all the information from tonight's programme. But that's it from me Ian Macrae, Peter's back next week, so for now I'll say on behalf of producer, Joe Kent, and the team goodnight now. Back to top |
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