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Guide: Supporting children with vision and sensory impairment

A Certificate of Vision Impairment – benefits and concessions

You might be eligible for the following benefits and concessions if you are certified as either sight impaired or severely sight impaired:

  1. The National Bus Pass gives free off peak travel on local buses anywhere in England from age 5 years.
  2. The Disabled Persons Railcard provides a discount when travelling by train. One adult can get a third off most rail fares. Fares will be charged for children aged between 5 and 15 years old.
  3. Rail discounts are also available in England and Wales if you don’t have a Disabled Persons Railcard. You can use the ROVIC ‘registration’ card to buy discounted rail tickets.
  4. For customers who stay in their own wheelchair during a rail journey, concessionary rail discounts are available on adult and child fares.
  5. The Cinema Exhibitors Association offer a national concessionary card that enables those aged 8 years and over with disabilities to receive a complimentary ticket for someone to go to the cinema with them.
  6. Royal Mail offers free postage on qualifying items labelled ‘Articles for the Blind’.

The following additional benefits are available only if you are certified as severely sight impaired:

  1. There is a 50% reduction in the cost of a TV license for those who are certified as severely sight impaired.
  2. The Blue Badge parking scheme helps people with disabilities or health conditions park closer to their destination.
  3. The Devon Companion Bus Pass is available to applicants of secondary school age or above who are registered severely sight impaired or have a severe disability and are only able to access local bus services with the assistance of a travelling companion.

The above information can also be found in the Starting Out booklet from the RNIB.

Registration card

We will send you a registration card which will state:

  • your name
  • your home address
  • the date the certificate was issued
  • your visual impairment status of either sight impaired or severely sight impaired

This card can be used instead of the paper certificate to access leisure concessions when out and about.

Free home safety checks

The ROVIC Service work in partnership with the Devon & Somerset Fire and Rescue Service. We can arrange a home safety visit on your behalf. See our contact us page for details of how to get in touch.

You can also make direct contact by telephone on 0800 05 02 999 or for further information please look at the Devon & Somerset Fire and Rescue Service website.


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