If you have sight difficulties you can register as sight impaired. If you are blind you can register with your local authority as severely sight impaired.

Becoming registered as blind or partially sighted could entitle you to:

• Disability Living Allowance/Personal Independence Payments
• blind person's tax allowance
• reduced television licence fee
• travel and other concessions such as the Disabled Person's Railcard and local travel schemes
• parking concessions: blue badge scheme
• free NHS sight tests
• and free postage on some items

If you are registered as sight impaired you may also receive disability premiums in benefits and, if you work more than 16 hours a week, a disability element in Working Tax Credit.

If your child is registered blind (severely sight impaired) you will be entitled to extra premiums within your Child Tax Credit and other benefits.

A consultant ophthalmologist can assess whether you qualify for registration as either sight impaired (partially sighted) or as severely sight impaired (blind). They will conduct an eye test and complete a Certificate of Vision Impairment (CVI). In Scotland, this is a BP1 form a certificate of vision impairment and send it to your local social services department. Social services will then contact you to find out what help and advice you need.