Autumn Budget delivered by the Chancellor Rachel Reeves

In response to today’s Autumn Budget delivered by the Chancellor Rachel Reeves on behalf the UK Government

Vivienne Francis, Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) Chief Social Change Officer, said:

"RNIB welcomes the Chancellor's announcement to provide additional funding for local authorities, enabling them to deliver essential public services. This includes £600 million designated for social care services. It’s vital that this includes better funding for sensory support services. For too long, a lack of proper investment in, and regulation of, vision rehabilitation services has led to many blind and partially sighted people waiting many months for the often life-changing support they need - and are entitled to.”

Notes to editors

As part of RNIB’s 10-year strategy, one of the charity’s main objectives is that by 2035, everyone with sight loss has access to the practical, technology and psychological skills for day-to-day life, which vision rehabilitation forms part of.

This objective ties in with one of the three primary impact areas that RNIB will focus on as part of its 10-year strategy:

• Skills and Tools for Modern Life - aiming to ensure all blind and partially sighted people can equip themselves with the skills and tools they need to maximise their potential.

The two other primary impact areas that RNIB is focusing on as part of its 10-year strategy are:

• Eye Health and Eye Care: Aiming to ensure that timely practical and emotional support is offered to people at every stage of their eye care journey
• Getting Around: Aiming to create systemic change in the ability of blind and partially sighted people to be able to travel

These areas have been informed by RNIB research and insights and developed with blind and partially sighted people to make the largest impact on achieving equity for people with sight loss.

All media enquiries to the RNIB press office on 0207 391 2223 or [email protected]. For urgent enquiries out-of-hours, please call 07968 482812.

About RNIB

We are the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB).

Every six minutes, someone in the UK begins to lose their sight. RNIB is taking a stand against exclusion, inequality and isolation to create a world without barriers where people with sight loss can lead full lives. A different world where society values blind and partially sighted people not for the disabilities they’ve overcome, but for the people they are.

RNIB. See differently. Call the RNIB Helpline on 0303 123 9999 or visit www.rnib.org.uk