Blind Pension

Information

The Blind Pension is a means tested payment paid to blind and visually impaired people normally living in Ireland. The payment is made by the Department of Social Protection. To qualify for the Pension you will be required to have an eye test by an opthalmic surgeon (paid for by the Department) to verify your visual impairment and certain people with low vision may qualify.

The payment you receive is made up of a personal rate for you and extra amounts for a qualified adult and any child dependants (see 'Rates' below). If you are awarded a Blind Person's Pension, you may also qualify for the Blind Welfare Allowance. You will automatically get a Free Travel Pass and a Companion Free Travel Pass.  (A Free Travel Pass allows you to travel on State public transport in Ireland for free. A Companion Free Travel Pass allows your companion aged 16 or over to also travel for free). You may also qualify for other benefits such as the Living Alone Increase and the Household Benefits Package.

If you consider that you have been wrongly refused Blind Pension, or you are unhappy about a decision of a Social Welfare Deciding Officer about your entitlements, you have the option of appealing this decision.

Rules

If you are blind or have a serious visual impairment prior to reaching 18 years, you should make your claim for this Pension four months before your 18th birthday. (If you are aged 16-18, you may qualify for Disability Allowance).

If you become blind or seriously visually impaired after your 18th birthday, you should apply as soon as the condition arises. This is important as payment can only be made from the date when your application is received. If you require full-time care and attention, the person looking after you may qualify for a Carer's Allowance or Carer's Benefit.

You can earn €120 per week from rehabilitative employment before these earnings affect your payment. If you have been receiving a Blind Person's Pension for at least 12 months, you may be eligible for the Back to Work Allowance

Since June 2006, if you are in rehabilitative employment and have a weekly income above €120 and below €350 a week, a tapered 50% withdrawal rate will apply.

The means test

The main items that are counted as means include:

• Any cash income that you or your spouse/partner may have
• The value of savings, investments, shares, land etc.
• Any property you may have
• Maintenance paid to you if you are deserted/separated.

The following items are not counted as means:

• Your own home
• A payment from the Department received by another member of the household
• The value of the first €20,000 of capital assets (e.g. savings)
• Money received from a recognised charitable organisation (excluding public or local authority)
• The maintenance element of a higher education grant paid in respect to you, a qualified adult or child dependant(s) for certain courses
• Income up to a certain limit from rehabilitative employment
• Income from rehabilitative training
• Domiciliary Care Allowance paid in respect of your child dependant(s)
• Child Benefit, Supplementary Welfare Allowance or allowances paid by Health Service Executive (HSE) in respect of children who are placed in foster care or with relatives by the HSE 
• Mobility Allowance from the Department of Health and Children
• Income from employment of a casual nature by the HSE as a home help.

Appealing a decision on your claim

If you are unhappy with a decision made about your claim for Blind Person's Pension, you can appeal against it. Read more about the social welfare appeals process here.

Rates

Blind Pension maximum weekly rates (January 2010) 

Blind Pension	Weekly rate (maximum)
Personal rate	€196
Qualified adult	€130.10
Qualified child	€29.80 (full rate) €14.90 (half rate)

 

How to apply

To apply fill in application form (BP1) for a Blind Pension (pdf). A braille and audio cassette tape version of this application form is also available from the National Council for the Blind of Ireland. This application form is also available from your local social welfare office. Staff in your local social welfare office will be happy to provide assistance in completing the form and can answer any questions you may have.

You are also required to attach the following certificates with your claim for Blind Person's Pension (this will help avoid delays in processing your claim):

• Your full birth certificate
• Your marriage certificate (if appropriate)
• Birth certificates for dependent children (if you are claiming child dependant allowance and you are not receiving Child Benefit for these children).

You can obtain copies of these certificates from the Registrar of Births, Marriages and Deaths. (Photocopies of your original certificates are not acceptable).

Where to apply

Your completed application form (together with the above certificates) should be returned to the Department of Social Protection at the following address: