SUPPORTING THOSE LIVING WITH SIGHT LOSS

With 3,420 people in my constituency of North Ayrshire & Arran living with sight loss, I met with the Royal National Institute of Blind People RNIB, a charity which works to raise awareness of the challenges people with sight loss face due to the rising cost of living and spoke with a number of the charity's representatives, such as James Adams (pictured).

I learned more about the additional financial challenges people with sight loss are facing as a consequence of the cost-of-living crisis.

Before prices began to rise, one in five blind and partially sighted people said they had difficulty making ends meet, and the rising cost-of-living has only made this situation worse. Extra costs can be incurred from a need for assistive technology, a greater need for taxi journeys, support in the home, additional lighting, and much more.

RNIB is urgently calling for more support for people with sight loss to cope with energy bills, including the development and implementation of a social energy tariff, and for benefit rates to be reviewed and rebased so people can afford an adequate standard of living and manage the extra costs that come with sight loss.

Those living with a vision impairment who might be finding the rising cost-of-living challenging or would like to talk through their options, to call RNIB’s Helpline on 0303 123 9999, visit rnib.org.uk/advice or email helpline@rnib.org.uk.