Combination of hearing loss and blindness (Deaf-blind)

Deaf - blindness is defined by Sense (the National Deaf - blind and Rubella Association) as: -

“A severe degree of combined visual and auditory impairment resulting in special needs in the areas of communication, access to information and mobility.”

Deeming Provisions

Under the Deeming Provisions for DLA, a claimant can satisfy the conditions for the higher rate mobility component if:

• they are both deaf and blind and,
• as a result of the combined effects,

they are unable to walk to their destination out of doors without the assistance of another person.

Legislation advises that the claimant must be 80% disabled due to deafness and 100% disabled due to blindness to be considered under the Deeming Provisions. DMG paragraph 61255 and paragraphs 61335 to 61337 refer.

80% Deaf

The level of hearing loss must be 87dB or greater when aids are used and it is usual to assess the degree of hearing loss by audiometry.

However, since audiograms are almost invariably performed without aids, it has been accepted that at this level of hearing loss, the use of a hearing aid is unlikely to provide significant improvement.

Medical Services advice should be sought in these cases.

100% blind

This is defined as being so blind as to be unable to perform any work for which eyesight is essential, the same criterion for being registered blind (see Registration of blindness/Partially sighted section). This equates to visual acuity of 3/60 or less or inability to count fingers beyond 50cms.  Consideration of the visual fields as well as acuity is needed if these are very restricted.

For details of the registration of blindness click on the link below:-

Registration of Blindness / Partially Sighted

Amended March 2009