Welfare Rights Service
03.05.11
Benefits
Sight loss can result in additional expenses that prevent you from going about your day-to-day life. RNIB/CVV has experienced advisors to guide you through the benefits maze. We will help you to find out exactly what you are able to claim for, help you to fill out forms or complete them with you. It is our goal to ensure that everyone receives everything that they are entitled to.
We provide the service to anyone with a sight problem regardless of whether they are registered blind or partially sighted
Mr C's experience
Mr C lives alone and is registered blind. He was receiving his retirement pension and had a small amount of savings. Mr C now receives an additional £105.29 per week in benefits. Mr C said he would now be able to afford a taxi to take him to the eye clinic without having to bother his son-in-law. He couldn't believe that he was entitled to this much extra benefit.
Mrs H's experience
Mrs H is a 69 year old lady who lives alone and was managing on £120 a week, made up of retirement pension and a small amount of pension credit. She lives in a council flat. As she still manages to get about she didn't think she would be entitled to any disability benefits. Mrs H was awarded Attendance Allowance of £41.65 a week and because she lives alone she was awarded a further £46.75 a week on her pension credit. Her income went up by £88.40 a week, a huge percentage increase which made a big difference to her quality of life.
Where is the service available?
* Caerphilly
* Ceredigion
* Conwy
* Cardiff
From May 2011 the service will also be available in
* The Vale of Glamorgan
* Rhondda Cynon Taff
From June 2011 the service will also be available in
* Gwynedd
* Ynys Mon
* Swansea
* Neath and Port Talbot
We are working on providing an all Wales service, subject to sourcing funding.
If you do not live in the local authority areas above you can still get advice from the RNIB Helpline on 0303 123 9999.
What we provide
* Assessment of entitlement to benefits
* Form completion
* Challenging benefit awards or decisions
* Representation at first tier tribunals
* Representation to the Upper Tribunal of Welfare Benefits
* Signposting to other services and support.
Partnerships
The service is provided in Wales in partnership with local authorities and local societies
* Cardiff Institute for the Blind, operating as Cardiff, Vales and Valleys
* North Wales Society for the Blind
* Sight Support Ltd
* Vision Impaired West Glamorgan
* Ceredigion County Council
* Conwy County Borough Council
The Big Lottery Fund provides grant funding for services in 7 local authority areas.
Success
In 2010/11 alone the service enabled 484 people to claim just under £1million in benefits they had had not been aware that they were entitled to.
Contacting us
If you live in one of the areas above please email: RNIBCymruWRT@rnib.org.uk or ring 029 2044 9584
If you do not live in the local authority areas above contact the RNIB Helpline on 0303 123 9999.
Contact: RNIBCymruWRT@rnib.org.uk