Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing targeted cost of living support for blind and partially sighted people.

The Government recognises that the rising cost of living has presented additional financial challenges to many people, and especially to the most vulnerable members of society, such as blind or partially sighted people. That is why the Government is taking decisive action to get households through this winter, while ensuring we act in a fiscally responsible way.

People who are blind or partially sighted and in receipt of extra-costs disability benefits such as Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Disability Living Allowance (DLA) will receive a one-off Disability Cost of Living Payment of £150 from 20th September, to help with the extra costs disabled people are facing. The DWP has already processed around 6 million such payments. This payment can be received in addition to the other £650 Cost of Living Payment for households on means-tested benefits that was announced as part of the same package.

People who are blind or partially sighted will also benefit from the £400 of support for energy bills that the Government is providing through an expansion of the Energy Bills Support Scheme, as well as from the £150 Council Tax rebate and the recently announced Energy Price Guarantee, which will support millions of households with rising energy costs this winter.

This cost of living support is in addition to the existing specific financial support to help blind or partially sighted people. The Government provides the Blind Person's Allowance (BPA), an extra amount of tax-free allowance that can be added to an individual’s Personal Allowance, to those who are blind or severely sight impaired. In 2022-23, the allowance is £2,600 and therefore worth £520 given the basic rate of 20%. If the recipient does not pay tax or earn enough to use their full BPA, the remainder of the allowance can be transferred to a spouse or civil partner.