Identifying a package of services for vision impaired customers 106-01030010

• Traditionally, the term blindness has generally been thought of as a condition resulting in total visual darkness. This is a misconception which needs to be dispelled
• In New South Wales for example, of those classified as legally blind, 95% have some residual or remaining vision (that is, low vision). The type and extent of the visual impairment will largely determine the amount of residual vision
• A person with a visual impairment may need to undertake a rehabilitation program from qualified instructors in order to be trained to use their remaining vision and other senses to their advantage. In addition to this, prescription of the appropriate low vision optical aids such as, magnifiers and telescopes, with training in its use, can also result in a person using their remaining vision more effectively
• Common causes of blindness and low vision are cataracts; diabetic retinopathy; glaucoma; cone dystrophy; retinitis pigmentosa and hemianopia. For more information, refer to Providing services to customers with disabilities

• To qualify for an Age Pension (Blind) or Disability Support Pension (DSP) (Blind), the customer must be permanently blind
• Permanently Blind is considered to be either:
• visual acuity on Snellen Scale (after correction by suitable lenses) is less than 6/60 in both eyes, or
• field of vision is constricted to 10 degrees or less of an arc around central fixation in the better eye irrespective of corrected visual acuity (equivalent to 1/100 white test object), or ¾
• combination of visual defects resulting in the same degree of visual impairment as that occurring in the above
• The Request for Ophthalmologist/Optometrist report (SA013) details the above qualifications
• A person who is permanently blind is medically qualified for DSP (Blind) or Age Pension (Blind), and does not need an additional assessment of their impairment and work capacity. They still need to meet all other eligibility criteria including residence and age, except that the basic rate of DSP (Blind) or Age Pension (blind) is not subject to an income or assets test unless they are claiming Rent Assistance

• Customers who are permanently blind and getting the Age Pension (Blind) or DSP (Blind) are not subject to the income and assets tests unless they are claiming Rent Assistance (RA) or Family Tax Benefit (FTB). If claiming these payments, DSP (Blind) and Age Pension (Blind) customers will need to advise of income and assets
• If not claiming FTB, RA is assessed under the pensions income and assets tests. See Income and asset tests for blind customers
• FTB, and any RA that is paid with FTB, are assessed under the income test for family assistance payments. DSP (Blind) and Age Pension (Blind) are exempt from the Maintenance Income Test
• If the customer's partner is not blind and applies for or receives Centrelink payments, then income and assets for both the customer and partner must be disclosed to determine the partner's entitlement. Only the blind customer's payment is exempt from reduction due to the income or assets test. The partner's payment will be assessed using their combined income and assets
• If the DSP (Blind) customer has variable income that they are required to declare, they and their partner are profiled as 2 weekly reporters. However the customer must be manually placed onto 2 weekly reporting on the Reporting Regime Details (RPRD) screen. See Reporting screens
• The DSP (Blind) customer can receive the Reporting and Income Statement (RIS) in an accessible letter format suitable for the customer
• The DSP (Blind) customer does not have to report their income themselves. Their partner can do this through the different reporting channels. (If the partner is on an activity-tested payment then this would be done on their fortnightly Application for Payment (SU19) form)
• Compensation and direct deduction foreign pensions affect DSP (Blind) and Age (Blind) as they do for other DSP and Age customers
• If the partner is not blind and receives Centrelink payments, or if the customer receives RA, the customer may be selected for an Income and Assets (Mail) Service Update for Age Pension or a Disability Support Pension (DSP) Service Update (Income and Assets or Non Declaration of Earnings)
• DSP (Blind) customers who are under Age Pension age can accrue and deplete working credits if their income details are provided for the purpose of paying RA or to establish their partner's entitlement
• For customers who have not declared their income and assets, the Means not Disclosed Ind: field should be keyed with a 'Y' on the Pension Disability Information (PDI) screen to avoid customer being selected for Pension Entitlement Review

All Pensioner Concession Cards (PCCs) issued to blind customers, including replacement, new grant and annual renewal cards will have a tactile indicator. This is a small hole drilled in the lower left hand corner of the card.

• The word 'blind' is printed on the payment type line after the payment type code (for example 'AGE BLIND', 'DSP BLIND')
• If both partners are blind, their annual renewal cards will be mailed separately according to their annual renewal selection date
• If the customer's partner is a non-pensioner spouse the partner qualifies as a dependent on the PCC for medical purposes only

• Vision Australia provides audio tapes and ASCII discs (used with Personal Computers with voice synthesisers) for people with sight impairments.
• Documents currently available in these formats are:
• Disability Payments and Services
• Disability Connection
• Securing your Future
• Home and Resident Choices
• Pension Bonus Scheme (PBS)
• These audio tapes have been made available on behalf of Centrelink. If a customer wants an audio tape made of a publication that is not normally available, then Vision Australia will only assist where the person is a customer of Vision Australia. Vision Australia tapes are not required to be returned by the customer
• Customers can contact Vision Australia to register for the service. See Vision Australia

Information on this is available on Services Australia website. For a link to this see the Resources page.

• Customers in receipt of Age (Blind) Pension or DSP (Blind) may be eligible for a Medicare levy exemption or reduction

A Medicare levy exemption or reduction letter will automatically be sent to identified customers informing them that they may be eligible for a Medicare levy exemption or reduction and the period(s) for which they may be eligible.

Customers who use assistive technology can request an accessible/electronic copy of the review form when selected for a Mobility Allowance (MOB) Employment and Training review. When initially selected for the review, the customer will receive non-accessible paper review form. This form has information advising them to contact Services Australia's Disability and Carers line if they would like access to an accessible/electronic version of the form. See the Resources page for contact details.

Customers are to be directed to Services Australia's website in the first instance where the accessible /electronic version is available. Once completed, the customer must print the form and return by the due date. See the Resources page for web link to the form.

Customers unable to access website

If the customer is unable to access the electronic version, the Service Officer is to send an email to the Electronic Document Classification (EDC) Team requesting a fillable Mobility Allowance review form be sent to the customer.

See Mobility Allowance (MOB) Employment/Training Reviews for further information.

There are a number of things to keep in mind about communicating verbally with a person who is blind or who has low vision:

• Do not give visual hand signs in place of words
• Verbalise the thoughts and feelings usually sent through non-verbal mannerisms and cues
• Many people with blindness or low vision sign their name. However, they may need assistance locating the appropriate place on the form to sign
• Write appointment times, phone numbers in large print
• Feel free to use 'seeing' words, for example 'You see, it's like this...'

For more information on how to communicate with customers who are blind or who have low vision, see Providing services to customers with disabilities.

Age Pension (Blind) and DSP (Blind) customers can choose to receive their letters from Centrelink in an alternative format.

Customers must agree to have their postal address recorded as the Accessible Letters Manager’s postal address

Tell the customer about the alternative letter format options:

• Large Font
• The letter will be converted to Arial size 18pt
• Braille
• Vision Australia Foundation will convert a copy of the letter to Braille
• Telephone
• They will be contacted by phone during business hours
• Compact Disc(CD)
• The letter will be converted to rich text format

For more information, see Accessible letters for customers with vision loss