Helping people find their lives again - RNIB

Supporting people to get the education, jobs and
income they deserve
At long last the Government promised to give more money to blind people for getting out and
about. Read on for more about this landmark victory. While one wrong has been righted, fair
opportunities for schooling, jobs and money are still not a reality for many blind and partially
sighted children and adults. During the year RNIB spent £27,353,000 supporting people to
get the education, jobs and income they deserve, of which £13,018,000 was made possible
by income from donors.
Targets
1. Maintain pressure on the
Government so that blind
people become eligible to
claim the higher rate
mobility component of the
Disability Living Allowance
(DLA).
We did it! In March 2009 the Government announced that it will
change the rules for DLA, so that people with severe visual
impairment will receive an extra £45million a year to assist with
mobility costs. The lives of thousands of blind people will be
transformed by this decision.
2. Launch “Work Focus” –
RNIB’s new employment
project to help unemployed
blind and partially sighted
people to find work in
London, South Yorkshire,
Norfolk and Aberdeenshire.
Work Focus has had an impressive start, with more than 170 job
seekers benefiting from the training and 42 jobs secured so far.
We have committed £1million over the next two years to
develop the service that concentrates on supporting people,
through confidence-building and training, into a real and
fulfilling job.
3. Start phase one of the
construction of Vision
School and Children’s Home
in April 2008.
Following in-depth planning, construction began in March
2009, later than we had hoped. Now that building is under way,
we look forward to the next stage of creating the best school
for children with extremely complex needs to live and learn.
12 RNIB annual report and accounts 2008/09