By Blind Pew

We all know that the Tories are on a self-appointed mission to make life as unbearable as possible for the most vulnerable in our society but their latest idea is outrageous and has obviously been thought up by someone with no conception of what it means to be disabled. What they have suggested is that people who are visually impaired should have the Care Component of Personal Independence Payment reduced or cut altogether if those people have gadgets and equipment which help them adapt to daily living.

Now, before you start muttering to yourself that this might be a good idea, let’s put things into perspective. I am completely blind and I use quite a few gadgets to help me cope with my sight loss. For example, I have a talking watch, liquid level indicators to tell me when I have reached the top of the cup when pouring liquid, a white stick to avoid bumping into things and, of course, special software on my PC which talks to me and lets me know what I am typing. There are plenty of other gadgets available depending on an individual’s specific needs, including things like talking microwave ovens, one of the pieces of equipment the Tories have cited as meaning that a blind person needs less financial assistance.

but here’s the rub. The PC software I use cost me over £1,000. I believe the price has come down a bit over the past few years but, even excluding VAT, which blind people do not need to pay on such goods, the current version still costs around £860. A talking microwave costs around £225, about seven times the cost of the cheapest standard microwave oven. The obvious question, therefore, is how a blind person is supposed to be able to afford these items if their PIP Benefit is to be reduced.

However, it is not only about the money. As usual, the Tories have based their decision on a complete failure to appreciate the issues a blind person faces. There is plenty of research evidence that confirms the sense people most fear losing is their eyesight, and there is a good reason for that. A great many visually impaired people manage to do quite extraordinary things but the problem with citing blind people who climb mountains or go skydiving or pursue careers in professional fields is that these people are the exception, not the rule. The majority of blind or visually impaired people are elderly, often with other infirmities in conjunction with their sight loss and a great many of them live alone, with little income except a pension and their PIP. They need all the assistance they can get and, even with a plethora of gadgets, life isn’t exactly easy.

To give just one example, even if you have a talking microwave, how do you know what it is you are putting in it? How can you read the cooking instructions on the packet? How do you get the contents out of the packaging and onto a plate without spilling it? Some people might find ways to do these things but those people will be in a minority, not the majority.

The other thing to bear in mind is that even when you buy a gadget that will talk to you, you almost always need a sighted person to set it up for you. Only a very few come ready to use.

I could go on listing all sorts of things like that but I’ll settle for issuing a challenge to Iain Duncan Smith and any of his DWP associates. I’d like them to be presented with the task of making a cheese and tomato sandwich. I’ll allow them to have someone place in front of them a loaf of sliced bread, a tub of margarine or butter, a block of cheese, a tomato and a couple of knives of varying sharpness. Then I’d like them to wear a blindfold and make the sandwich without any assistance. There are, as you can see, no special gadgets or pieces of equipment involved but I’m willing to bet they will struggle to cope with this simplest of tasks. If you don’t believe me, try it for yourself. Then imagine what it must be like to prepare and cook an entire meal for yourself if you can’t see.

The other disturbing aspect about the plan to curb payments if specialist equipment is available is that it could easily be applied to other disabilities. Are the Tories going to suggest that a person who is confined to a wheelchair should have their Mobility Component reduced or removed on the grounds that they are capable of getting around by themselves? That’s obviously preposterous but it’s the same principle. I hope I haven’t given the Tories an idea there but hopefully that comparison shows just how dreadful this latest plan is.

The most worrying thing is that, while this proposal is only in a consultation phase just now, we all know that the Tories never listen to any objections and it will almost certainly be pushed through over any arguments. Still, I would encourage any visually impaired person to contact their MP and make them aware of why this proposal should be strongly resisted. To adapt an old cliché, this sort of thing is the thin edge of what could turn out to be a very large wedge.

And if anyone reading this does take up the blind sandwich-making challenge, I’d be interested to know how they get on.