Hi Ho everyone. Apologies for posting this to the list here, but I simply had to share this fabulous news which will I trust benefit all you DLA claimants. This was forwarded from my wife this morning who works at RNIB so get ready to punch the air *smile*: Government announces change to Disability Living Allowance rules for blind people Author:webteam@xxxxxxxxxxx Announcement from Lesley-Anne Alexander, RNIB's Chief Executive: I am absolutely delighted that the lives of thousands of blind people will be transformed by the Government's decision to change the rules for the Disability Living Allowance (DLA). It will mean that people with severe visual impairment will receive an extra £45 million a year to assist with mobility costs. Achieving this result is testament to RNIB's reputation as a first class, professional and effective campaigning organisation. I would particularly like to thank Helen Dearman, Steve Winyard and Colin Low for their determined and ceaseless efforts. I would also like to thank the Campaigns team and everyone else from within and outside RNIB who worked tirelessly to deliver this success for blind people. On Tuesday night, during the Report Stage of the Welfare Reform Bill, the Government announced that it will introduce the changes for which we have been campaigning for over two and a half years. As the announcement has only just been made, we are working with Department of Work and Pensions Officials to pull information together regarding who will be eligible and how the changes will be introduced. The Campaigns Team will circulate this information to staff, RNIB Members, Campaigners and other organisations as soon as possible. When we launched the DLA campaign in August 2006 we started from a point where neither the Government nor the Opposition Parties believed that this was an issue that they needed to even consider. We worked extremely hard to persuade Civil Servants within the Department for Work and Pensions that these changes should, and could, be made. Whilst working behind the scenes with Officials, RNIB led a formidable Parliamentary Campaign, persuading hundreds of MPs from all Parties to support us. Most memorable were the two lobbies of Parliament in December 2006 and October 2008 that sent a clear message to MPs and Government that this was an issue about which we felt passionately and that we would not go away until the Government did the right thing. I would once again like to thank everyone who took the time and trouble to support the campaign by writing letters to their MP and local newspapers. Together we have made a huge and lasting difference to the lives of people with severe sight loss.