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Daily Record

Lifestyle

Linda Howard

People with eyesight issues could be due up to £691 each month

DWP Disability Adult Disability Payment Scotland Social Security Scotland GovUK

Around 188,000 people in Scotland are affected by some form of sight loss with that figure expected to double by 2031, according to the charity, Sight Scotland, formerly known as Royal Blind. Three out of four people with a visual impairment are aged over 65, with around 8,000 people of working age registered blind or partially sighted.

For adults that start to lose their sight in later life, it can be very distressing as they feel they are no longer able to enjoy some of the activities they love to do, such as driving, taking part in sports, reading and cooking. Mobility can also be affected, and with that, comes independence and travel issues.

Across Great Britain, there are around two million people living with a sight loss condition or degenerative eye conditions. The latest statistics from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) show that at the end of January 2023, some 57,180 people were receiving extra financial support through Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Adult Disability Payment (ADP), including 4,762 living in Scotland.

The shortfall between 188,000 people in Scotland living with sight loss and only 4,762 claiming PIP, or ADP could be down to a number of factors.

These could include:

Children under 16 would be claiming Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or the new Child Disability payment and not PIP
Anyone over State Pension age, who had not previously been on PIP before they started drawing their pension, would only be eligible for Attendance Allowance
People haven't switched from DLA to PIP yet - this will happen for everyone by 2025
People may not realise they are eligible to claim PIP

The most common eye conditions that PIP claimants are living with include:

Retinitis Pigmentosa
Macular Degeneration - Wet and Dry (also referred to as age-related MD)
Retina and optic nerve - other diseases of / type not known
Diabetic Retinopathy (a condition that can cause vision loss in people with diabetes)

If you have daily living and, or mobility needs, because of a sight condition or low vision, you may be eligible for PIP or ADP and should consider making a claim. New claims for PIP have now been replaced in Scotland by Adult Disability Payment. The devolved benefit follows he same eligibility criteria, but aims to take a more people-centred approach - find out more here.

Successful PIP or ADP claimants receive financial support of between £26.90 and £172.75 each week and as the benefit is paid every four weeks, this amounts to between £107.60 and £691.00 every payment period.

If you use a white cane - long or short - to help you safely move around outside, you could be eligible for the enhanced rate of the mobility component which is worth £71.00 each week or £284.00 each pay period.

The question on the ‘How Your Disability Affects You’ PIP claim form awards 12 points if you answer ‘yes’ to the following:

Cannot follow the route of a familiar journey without another person, an assistance dog or an orientation aid (for example a white cane)

46 visual conditions being supported through PIP and ADP

The following list is provided by the DWP and are the main disabling eye conditions for which people are claiming PIP. This is recorded at the time of assessment. It's important to be aware that no two conditions can be compared side-by-side and that you are assessed for PIP on how your condition affects you.

Diseases of conjunctiva, cornea, eyelids and lacrimal apparatus

Conjunctiva, cornea, eyelids and lacrimal apparatus - Other diseases of / type not known
Corneal ulceration
Entropion
Herpes zoster - ophthalmic
Keratitis
Keratoconus
Orbital cellulitis
Ptosis
Scleritis

Uveitis

Anterior Uveitis (iritis)
Chorioretinal disorders - Other / type not known
Posterior (choroiditis)

Glaucoma

Visual injuries to the eye

Vitreous disease

Posterior vitreous detachment
Vitreous disease - Other / type not known
Vitreous haemorrhage

Diseases of the retina and optic nerve

Diabetic retinopathy
Hypertensive retinopathy
Macular degeneration
Optic atrophy
Optic neuritis
Retina and optic nerve - Other diseases of / type not known
Retinal artery occlusion
Retinal detachment
Retinal vein occlusion
Retinitis Pigmentosa
Retinopathy - Other / type not known

Cataract

Refractive errors

Astigmatism
Hypermetropia (long-sighted)
Myopia (short-sighted)
Presbyopia
Refractive errors - Other / type not known

Disorders of eye movement

Eye movement - Other disorders of / type not known
Nystagmus
Strabismus (Squint)

Visual field defects

Amblyopia
Cortical blindness
Diplopia (double vision)
Hemianopia
Quadrantanopia
Scotoma
Tunnel vision
Visual field defects - Other / type not known

Other diseases affecting vision

Below is an overview of PIP and ADP to help you decide if you, or someone you know should consider making a claim for PIP or ADP.

What is PIP?

PIP is a benefit which is gradually replacing DLA. If you need extra help because of an illness, disability or mental health condition you could be eligible for PIP.

You will be assessed by a health professional to work out the level of help you can get and your rate will be reviewed to make sure you are getting the right support.

Even though PIP is being replaced in Scotland by ADP, it will follow the same eligibility criteria, but take a more ‘people-centric’ approach, according to Social Security Scotland.

Who is eligible for PIP or ADP?

To be eligible for PIP or ADP, you must have a health condition or disability where you:

have had difficulties with daily living or getting around (or both) for 3 months
expect these difficulties to continue for at least 9 months

You usually need to have lived in the UK for at least two of the last three years and be in the country when you apply.

In addition to what we have outlined above if you get or need help with any of the following because of your condition, you should consider applying for PIP or ADP.

preparing, cooking or eating food
managing your medication
washing, bathing or using the toilet
dressing and undressing
engaging and communicating with other people
reading and understanding written information
making decisions about money
planning a journey or following a route
moving around

There are different rules if you are terminally ill, you will find these on the GOV.UK website here.

DWP or Social Security Scotland will assess how difficult you find daily living and mobility tasks. For each task they will look at:

whether you can do it safely
how long it takes you
how often your condition affects this activity
whether you need help to do it, from a person or using extra equipment

How are PIP and ADP paid?

PIP and ADP are usually paid every four weeks unless you are terminally ill, in which case it is paid weekly. It will be paid directly into your bank, building society or credit union account. ADP is paid at the same rates as PIP.

What are the PIP and ADP payment rates?

You will need an assessment to work out the level of financial help you will receive and your rate will be regularly reviewed to make sure you are getting the right support.

PIP is made up of two components:

Daily living
Mobility

Whether you get one or both of these and how much depends on how severely your condition affects you.

You will be paid the following amounts per week depending on your circumstances:

Daily living

Standard rate: £68.10
Enhanced rate: £101.75

Mobility

Standard rate: £26.90
Enhanced rate: £71.00

How you are assessed

You will be assessed by an independent healthcare professional to help the DWP determine the level of financial support, if any, you need, for PIP.

Face-to-face consultations for health-related benefits are offered alongside video calls, telephone and paper-based assessments - it's important to be aware that there is no choice here, it's up to the health professional and DWP. You can find out more about DWP PIP assessments here.

Adult Disability Payment assessments will not involve face-to-face assessments, unless this is preferred by the claimant - find out more about the changes here.

How do you make a claim for PIP?

You can make a new claim by contacting the DWP, you will find all the information you need to apply on the GOV.UK website here.

Before you call, you will need:

your contact details
your date of birth
your National Insurance number - this is on letters about tax, pensions and benefits
your bank or building society account number and sort code
your doctor or health worker’s name, address and telephone number
dates and addresses for any time you’ve spent abroad, in a care home or hospital

Even if you don't qualify for financial support, you could be eligible for a National Entitlement Travel Card, which offers free or reduced travel across Scotland on most public transport links. For more information about PIP, visit GOV.UK here.

How to apply for Adult Disability Payment

People can apply ADP, over the phone, by post or in-person. To find out more or apply, visit the dedicated pages on mygov.scot here or call Social Security Scotland on 0800 182 2222.

To keep up to date with the latest benefits news, join our Money Saving Scotland Facebook page here, follow us on Twitter @Record_Money, or subscribe to our newsletter which goes out Monday to Friday - sign up here.