Sight Loss and minimum Income standards – the additional costs of severity and age

January 2017

Katherine Hill, Nicola Horsley, Donald Hirsch, Matt Padley, Centre for Research in Social Policy at Loughborough University

The cost of everyday living for a severely sight impaired person of pension age is a hefty 73% more than for a pensioner who is not visually impaired. The Sight Loss and Minimum Income Standards report is based on detailed group discussions among people with sight loss to identify the additional budget needed, with the exclusion of housing costs, in order for a severely sight impaired person of pension age living alone to reach a minimum acceptable standard of living. The Minimum Income Standards (MIS) approach does not focus only on meeting basic material needs, but also on allowing people the opportunity to participate in society.

Links:

Research Findings: Sight Loss and Minimum Income Standards – the additional costs of severity and age PDF version –  and Word version.

Full Report: Sight Loss and Minimum Income Standards – the additional costs of severity and age – PDF version.