Also see the Other Useful Web Sites page for a list of contacts and information available on-line through the Internet.
The Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB)
Offers a wide range of services to the visually impaired. The RNIB runs various training courses, some residential, on many aspects of living and working with visual impairment. There is a mail-order shopping service providing many aids and ariticles adapted for blind and partially sighted users.
Loughborough (vocational training) 01509-611077
Torquay (everyday living skills) 01803-214523
Employment Consultancy
London 020 7388 1266
Birmingham 0121-631-3372
Liverpool 0151-255-0562
The RNIB runs a Talking Book Service which provides a library of books recorded onto CD.
The Partially Sighted Society (PSS)
A national charity mainly for people with some useable vision. Again this society can provide advice and support, and is a source for aids and adapted equipment. It produces a regular large-print magasine covering topics of interest to partially sighted peopl.e
The Partially Sighted Society Headqquarters Queen's Road,
Doncaster,
South Yorkshire, DN1 2NX.
Tel: 01302 323132/ 01302 368998:
Access To Work - Job Centre Plus
Access to Work (AtW) provides advice and practical support to disabled people and their employers to help overcome work related obstacles resulting from disability.
Among their services is a workplace assessment which may recommend aids to allow a disabled person to get or keep employment. Job Centre Plus may provide all or part of the funding for these aids to reduce the cost to the employer.
Library supplying books in Braille and Moon witgh a comprehensive set of on-line resources.
For more information visit the National Library for the Blind website
Benefits Now
Benefits Now provides information and a self-assessment for Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance.
For more information visit the Benefits Now website
London TaxiCard
A scheme to allow Londoners with mobility problems travel in radio-controlled black cabs at reduced fares. Registered Blind people are eligible for a Taxicard but a Partially Sighted person may not be eligible. The scheme is intended for people who have difficulty in travelling by public transport such as Bus or Tube in London.
For more information visit the London TaxiCard Website
Royal National College for the Blind
The Learning Centre located at Hereford can provide advice on equipment designed or adapted for visually impaired people.
Contact them on 01432 265725 ext. 2289 or ext. 2225 for demonstrations of equipment.
Action for Blind People
Aims to prevent the isolation which often affects visually impaired people. Provides sheltered accommodation, a sheltered workplace, information and advice.
Action for Blind People 14-16 Verney Road,
London, SE16 3DZ
Provides some advice and a personal assessment for adaptive computer equipment.Write to PO Box 94, Warwick, CV34 5WS or telephone 01926 312847
Contact a Family
Every day over sixty children in the UK are born or diagnosed with a serious disability and the vast majority of them are cared for at home. Contact a Family (CaF) is the only national charity providing support and advice to parents whatever the medical condition of their child. Telephone them on (020) 7383 3555
Blind in Business
This charity may loan Information Technology equipment for the purposes of obtaining a job.
Blind in Business Rolls House,
7 Rolls Buildings,
Fetter Lane,
London EC4 1NH
Telephone 020 7931 2198
"In-Touch" BBC Radio 4
Tuesday evenings A radio programme providing up-to-date information, news and articles for the visually Impaired. Highlights problems faced by blind people and how they can be overcome. Also has a phone-in helpline.
Low Visual Aid Clinics
Make sure that you ask your GP or optician to refer you to a Low Visual Aids (LVA)) clinic at a hospital in your area. They can assess your needs and provide you with free magnifiers and other aids which may help you. Some opticians also offer this service privately.
Tax Allowance
If you, or your Husband/Wife are registered Blind, you may be entitled to the Blind Person's Tax Allowance ( £1400 in tax year 2000/2001). This is an allowance against your annual Income Tax, not a payment to you by the government. For further details contact your local Inland Revenue Office.
Television Licence
From 1st April 2000 there is a 50 percent reduciton in the cost of a UK Television Receiving Licence for Registered Blind people. To get this reduction you must show a certificate from the local authority where you are Registered Blind when you renew the licence (photocopies are not valid).
This reduces a colour licence from £112 to £56.00 in 2003.
For further information telephone TV Licensing on 0870 241 6468. or contact them at:
Customer Services
TV Licensing
Barton House
Bond Street
Bristol
BS98 1TL
Telephone: 08705 763 763
TV Licensing Web Site
Audio Description in Theatres
VOCALEYES, the national audio-description company, offers tape descriptions of various West End London shows. Contact them on 0870 902 0002.
The Department of Social Security Benefits Helpline telephone: 0800-882200 will be able to advise you about other benefits to which you may be entitled. Depending on your circumstances, you may be entitled to one or more of the following benefits: Disability Living Allowance: Incapacity Benefit; Severe Disablement Allowance; Disability Working Allowance; Income Support. Your local Citizen’s Advice Bureau will be able to advise and tell you how to apply.
Local Travel Passes.
If the Social Services department of your local Council has not already contacted you, get in touch with them and ask about Local Travel Passes. Depending on where you live you may be entitled to bus, train or taxi passes.
BT Free Directory Enquiries Service
British Telecom have a free Directory Enquiries service for Blind or Disabled customers. Ring 195 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays to get further details and register for the service.
