LOCAL Labour AM, Joyce Watson, has welcomed the decision by the UK Government to increase Disability Allowance for blind people.
Following a two-year campaign by the Royal National Institute for the Blind, the UK Government has amended the Welfare Referral Bill enabling people with severe sight loss to receive the higher level of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) from April 2011. The decision will mean that over 1,500 people in Wales will receive extra benefit.
Currently the higher rate mobility component of DLA is targeted at those with severe physical, mental health and learning difficulties; the amendment recognises that the vast majority of people with sight loss experience varying levels of mobility difficulties.
Last October, Joyce signed a Statement of Opinion in the Welsh Assembly calling on the Westminster Government to end the exclusion of blind people from the benefit.
Joyce, who is a member of the Assembly’s Equality of Opportunity Committee, said:
“Thanks to the Labour Government and the efforts of RNIB and other organisations representing blind people, the benefit system will now fairly reflect the needs of people with severe sight impairment.
“It is now very important that everyone who is eligible to receive the higher rate mobility component is made aware of the change and claims their full entitlement.”
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