§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what arrangements have been made to make information about the disability living allowance and disability working allowance available to visually impaired people.
§ Mr. ScottThe Department is planning a carefully targeted and comprehensive publicity campaign for the two new benefits—disability living allowance and disability working allowance, with the help of disabled people and their organisations. Initial information about the new benefits has already been issued to organisations of and for disabled people, including those representing visually impaired people.
We are paying particular attention to the needs of visually impaired people in planning the information campaign. The leaflet "DS701 New Benefits for Disabled People" which was issued to disability organisations in November has already been transferred on to tape and we are also exploring the possibility of making both tape and 128W braille versions available of the disability living allowance, attendance allowance and disability working allowance leaflets which will be issued next year to provide information about the qualifying conditions of the new benefits. We also intend that any broadcast material produced by the Department will provide full information aurally as well as visually.
The claim packs for the new benefits are being designed with visually impaired people in mind, featuring larger print sizes than normally used by the Department together with colours which enable people to read the text more clearly. In addition, the freephone benefit inquiry line for people with disabilities will provide versions of the claim forms in braille for blind people, and we are exploring with RNIB the possibility of producing an audio tape to assist partially sighted people with the completion of claim forms.
We shall continue to consult organisations representing visually impaired people to ensure that their information needs about the new benefits are met.