A sight test will classify whether your eye condition is sufficiently serious to constitute a disability. If it is, then you will be eligible for benefits from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) that can help you stay at work and manage your condition. This guide is designed to help you understand the benefits that are available and how to apply, as well as the requirements you need to meet to be eligible for them.
Overview of DWP Eye Condition Benefits
The DWP run a number of benefits for people with eye conditions, designed to help them put more money in your pocket and get access to the necessary resources to help you see and live better. It is important to know what benefits are available before claiming them.
Some of the benefits they get are Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and Attendance Allowance. PIP is for help with everyday tasks such as washing, dressing and cooking, ESA is for people who are unable to work due to ill health or disability, and Attendance Allowance is for support in caring for yourself depending on individual circumstances. DWP also provides aids and adaptations that can help to do things more easily.
Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
Personal Independence Payment or PIP is a government benefit that covers the additional costs you might have if you have a long-term health condition or disability, including sight loss. There are two parts to PIP: daily living and mobility; you may get different levels of support for each if your condition causes greater problems.
Likelihood of getting PIP will depend on how your eye condition affects your life – how you go about your day-to-day life and move from one place to another. PIP is based on an assessment of your impairment, whether this is through questions you answer or a face-to-face appointment to find out more about you and your condition. For those who qualify for the benefit, PIP payments can be made twice a year and can really help to alleviate some of the financial pressure of living with an eye condition.
Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
If the disability is affecting their ability to work, their eye condition may make them eligible for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), which pays money to those unable to work due to their disability and can help them to return to work if appropriate. ESA is made up of two groups: the work-related activity group and the support group.
Each claimant for ESA – which offers financial support for people who cannot work – must undergo a Work Capability Assessment, a process that considers how well an eye condition interferes with an ability to work. After passing through this filter, claimants find themselves distributed between one of the two groups. The support group offers more generous financial provisions and no encouragement to become work ready, while the work-related activity group expects its members to undertake work suited to their capability.
Attendance Allowance
Attendance Allowance is a benefit for people over State Pension age who have a physical or mental disability or health problem that requires being looked after (or supervised if someone is with them). It helps pay for the extra costs of having to look after someone because they have an eye condition.
Claimants must demonstrate that due to the eye condition ‘you need help with personal care or supervision to avoid danger orattend to your needs or safety’, and the application includes a lengthy questionnaire, which may also require medical evidence. Annual payments are then awarded to successful claimants, which can be used to cover costs of personal care or adaptive home modifications.
Access to Work Program
The Access to Work programme offers practical help to current or prospective employees with eye conditions, by offering grants to pay for adaptations to the workplace, specialist equipment and support workers, to help them remain or become employed.
Access to Work is a package of support, designed to enable employers to meet the needs of those they employ who have eye conditions. Those who are deemed eligible receive a bespoke assessment of the workplace and their needs, leading to a bespoke plan of support.
How to Apply for DWP Benefits
Applications for DWP benefits can be intimidating, but knowing what’s expected of you can take some of the fear out of it. Different benefits have different procedures for making your claim, and you’ll need to complete and send forms for the benefits you’re entitled to, plus copies of any evidence to support your claim.
Once you’ve decided which DWP benefit you wish to apply for, the first step is to obtain the medical evidence (doctor’s notes, medical reports and so on) you need to support your application. Next, you fill in the appropriate application forms, either on the DWP website or by post. Once you have submitted your application, you might then have to attend interviews or assessments to evaluate your application further. Arming yourself with as much knowledge as possible about the process of applying for a benefit can improve the chances of a successful application.
Conclusion
Working out what benefits you are eligible to claim for eye conditions, where you can apply and how to submit your applications can be tricky, so it is worth taking the time to understand your options, seek expert advice if needed and try to find the support you need to maintain employment and ensure the best possible quality of life. Benefits provide vital support to people coping with eye conditions and can make a real difference to daily life and keeping people in work. DWP offer a host of benefits and schemes, so if you’re struggling with the impact of eye conditions on your life, it’s worth taking a look at the benefits on offer to see if any can help you.
