[blindza] Article: People with sight loss can face at least 25% higher costs for everyday living
- From: "Jacob Kruger" <jacob@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "BlindZA" <blindza@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 4 Feb 2015 19:13:45 +0200
While this doesn't necessarily relate to local issues perfectly, think the
principles are similar enough - see article below.
Jacob Kruger
Blind Biker
Skype: BlindZA
"Roger Wilco wants to welcome you...to the space janitor's closet..."
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People with sight loss can face at least 25% higher costs for everyday
living than those who are fully sighted, according to a new study by
Loughborough University for the sight loss charity Thomas Pocklington
Trust.
Leicestershire, UK, 28-1-2015 — /EuropaWire/ — For the first time, the
methods used to calculate the Minimum Income Standards (MIS) were
applied to the living costs of people with disabilities. The research
looked at sight loss and hearing loss and showed clearly that both
impairments lead to substantial extra costs if a minimum acceptable
standard of living is to be reached.
“This is the first time specific Minimum Income Standards have been
calculated for people with disabilities,” says Katherine Hill, senior
researcher at the Centre for Research in Social Policy (CRSP),
Loughborough University, who led the research. “We know that living
with a disability can be expensive. This research shows that the extra
costs incurred can be quantified – an important step if support
systems are to meet disabled people’s needs. The study identifies
costs that make life a quarter more expensive for someone with a level
of visual impairment that would qualify them to be certified as sight
impaired, compared with costs for a sighted person.”
The study, ‘Disability and minimum living standards: The additional
costs of living for people who are sight impaired and people who are
Deaf’ was carried out by researchers at the CRSP, Loughborough
University and University Campus Suffolk. The costs were calculated
using the same methods used for national Minimum Income Standard –
groups of members of the public (in this case people living with sight
loss or hearing loss), were asked to list all the things required for
a minimum living standard.
The study found that even when people have some vision, sight loss
affects so many aspects of life that a range of extra costs are
incurred, generating substantial increases. Between them these add
over £50 to the weekly budget currently accepted as the Minimum Income
Standard for a sighted adult, which is almost £199.
The additional costs were to pay for things such as physical aids, as
well as more general aspects of living, including the need to have
opportunities to participate in society and maintain independence.
Extra costs included:
◾Technology (25% of extra cost): such as a higher spec, more
accessible mobile phone, larger computer screens and specialist
software, and TVs with talking menus. Such tools are essential for
communication, access to written materials and to make best use of the
sight that people have.
◾Domestic help (25%): Having a cleaner, even once a fortnight, can
help to keep homes clean and looking good – important for a person’s
self-esteem.
◾Transport (13%): Taxis may be needed when attending medical
appointments where eye drops are administered. Additional travel may
also be required to get to appointments which can be long distances
away, and to reach events specifically for people with sight loss.
Transport subsidies can reduce travel costs but are not universally
available and can be limited to off-peak travel.
◾Social activities (10%) and holidays (8%): As people with sight loss
often rely on friends to help them to travel or take part in
activities, being able to reciprocate – with a drink or meal – was
seen as very important. If specialistaccommodation is needed, holidays
can be expensive.
◾Household goods (10%): Some itemsmay need adapting to besight-loss
friendly eg. more and brighter lighting; laminate floors and leather
upholstery which are easier to clean; specialised kitchen and bathroom
items that are easy to maintain and safe. A handyperson might also be
needed for DIY jobs that require sight.
◾Health care (6%): Sight loss can lead to extra prescription costs, eg
for eye drops, complex prescription spectacles, extra pairs of
spectacles or more frequent changes to prescriptions.
◾Electricity (3%): Higher costs can result fromthe need for more
lighting, which may be required for longer periods, and from using
technological items.
The study clearly shows that the cost of living is substantially more
expensive as a result of sight loss. However, it notes that the
current benefits system of providing Personal Independence Payments
(PIPs) may not take all of these costs into account.
Some of the most substantial needs – most notably the need for a
cleaner and the cost of recognising the contributions made by other
people in order to be able to attend holidays, social activities and
appointments – are not recognised at all in the PIP assessment and,
says the report, “there is a high risk of needs going unmet or only
very partially met under the PIP system”.
Pamela Lacy, Research and Dissemination Manager of Thomas Pocklington
Trust says: “Understanding the true cost of sight loss is crucial if
support systems are going to prevent people from having to live in
undue hardship. The evidence in this new study is an important first
step. We hope it will help in the development of a fairer system which
fully takes on board the true costs of sight loss.”
Notes for editors
Thomas Pocklington Trust is a national charity for people with sight
loss. Its research programme commissions and funds social and public
health research initiatives to identify ways to improve the lives of
people with sight loss. www.pocklington-trust.org.uk
Disability and minimum living standards: The additional costs of
living for people who are sight impaired and people who are Deaf, is
available from http://www.lboro.ac.uk/research/crsp/publications/ A
summary of findings related to sight loss is available at:
http://www.pocklington-trust.org.uk/
The research was carried out by Katherine Hill, Abigail Davis, Donald
Hirsch, Matt Padley and Noel Smith atthe Centre for Research in Social
Policy, Loughborough University and University Campus Suffolk.
Loughborough is one of the country’s leading universities, with an
international reputation for research that matters, excellence in
teaching, strong links with industry, and unrivalled achievement in
sport and its underpinning academic disciplines.
It has been awarded five stars in the independent QS Stars university
rating scheme, putting it among the best universities in the world,
and was named Sports University of the Year 2013-14 by The Times and
Sunday Times. Loughborough is consistently ranked in the top twenty of
UK universities in the Times Higher Education’s ‘table of tables’ and
has been voted England’s Best Student Experience for six years running
in the Times Higher Education league. In recognition of its
contribution to the sector, Loughborough has been awarded seven
Queen’s Anniversary Prizes.
In 2015 the University will open an additional academic campus in
London’s new innovation quarter. Loughborough University in London,
based on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, will offer postgraduate and
executive-level education, as well as research and enterprise
opportunities.
The Centre for Research in Social Policy (CRSP) is an autonomous
research centre based in the Department of Social Sciences at
Loughborough University.
Contact for all media enquiries
Sue Cooper
T:01759 368286
E: sc2323@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Additional contact information
Alison Barlow
Senior PR Officer
Marketing & Advancement
Loughborough University
T: 01509 228696
E: A.J.Barlow@xxxxxxxxxxx
@lborouniPR
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