Sources of evidence

Note: If considering entitlement to H/R Mobility component under the Severely Visually Impaired (SVI) provisions, the following evidence source must be used:

The Consultant Ophthalmoogist will be able to provide information about symptoms, signs, investigations including assessment of vision, treatment/management, and is likely to have information about resulting disability or needs.

In the first instance the claimant and/or the carer should be able to provide the information required, but if further information is required an Audiologist or General Practitioner may be an appropriate source. However, a general practitioner does not usually have significant or specialist knowledge of the claimant’s hearing loss and resulting needs. A more appropriate source may be a Social Worker (especially one who specialises in working with deaf and hard of hearing people), a Hearing Therapist, a Teacher of the Deaf, or Professionals involved in arranging or delivering communication support to the claimant (such as a Disability Adviser at a college or university, or a BSL interpreter that the client uses regularly).

In certain circumstances (e.g. deaf / blind cases), it may be appropriate for the Decision Maker to request an Audiological report (a technical assessment) to establish the extent of deafness in a customer.

Amended April 2011