Blind Genny joins rally cash plea

A BLIND woman from Kingsteignton is preparing to lobby MPs to increase the disability allowance for people with severe sight loss.

Genny Woods, 59, is travelling to the Houses of Parliament to campaign for a change to help the blind.

She hopes the rally, organised by charity the Royal National Institute for the Blind on October 15, will right something they consider to be unfair.

She has the backing of Teignbridge Liberal Democrat MP Richard Younger-Ross, who along with his Torbay counterpart Adrian Sanders, has signed an Early Day Motion asking the Government to resolve the matter.

The RNIB says that, despite the Government saying it understands the argument for extending the higher rate mobility component of the DLA to people with severe sight loss, it is not able to commit to amending criteria at this time.

The campaign calls for a change to Disability Living Allowance, a state benefit which helps disabled people who have difficulties getting out and about safely and independently.

It currently allows people with other disabilities who can drive to claim its higher 'mobility rate' worth £46.75 per week.

But people with serious sight loss are only eligible to claim the lower rate of just £17.75 per week.

Mrs Woods says it is unjust that, despite facing some of the biggest barriers to independent mobility, blind people are excluded from the higher rate.

She said: "We do not think it is fair we should not get the higher rate."

Mrs Woods, who lives with her husband Andre, will be attending the rally with up to eight other people from the Devon area.

She has been blind since the age of nine, when she was diagnosed with Still's disease, a juvenile arthritis which affected her eyesight. She walks aided by her guide dog, Pippa.

She said: "Blind people do have great difficulty in getting from A to B, especially if we have to negotiate an environment we are not familiar with or do not know.

"For example, the allowance we get does not cover the costs of taxis to vital appointments.

"Sometimes it is not always ideal to use public transport, we still have to get to the nearest bus stop and then walk to our destination.

"There may be dangers en-route and sometimes it can be quite dangerous for Pippa too.

"This is just one part of the bigger picture. We need the higher rate."

Mr Younger-Ross said: "This campaign is essentially about trying to get the Government to recognise people who are visually impaired have needs as well and the Government could deal with it by a simple change of the regulation."