MOBILITY BENEFITS FOR BLIND PEOPLE

Early day motion 1982, tabled 8 July 2008 by Anne Begg (Labour). Signed by 257 members.

That this House welcomes the Government's recognition of the case for giving blind people access to the higher rate mobility component of disability living allowance, a benefit which provides financial support to disabled people with the extra mobility costs they face, such as through having to travel by taxi or private hire vehicle; notes that organisations representing blind people, including Royal National Institute for the Blind, have made a convincing case both in principle and in practice, recognised by Ministers and officials, for giving blind people access to this benefit, but that having engaged constructively with these organisations for over one year on the precise detail and implementation of changes required to bring about a practical and robust solution, the Government has yet to confirm what action it will take to change current entitlement criteria; and therefore calls on the Government to reach a prompt resolution to this matter and to end the exclusion of blind people from this important extra cost benefit, when they face some of the greatest barriers to independent mobility.

Signatures by party: Labour 140, Liberal Democrat 59, Conservative 36, DUP 6, Independent 4, Plaid Cymru 3, Scottish National Party 3, Social Democratic and Labour Party 3, Independent Labour 1, Respect 1, UUP 1.