Jobs count falls 5% for Scottish visually impaired

Fewer people with sight loss are in work than a decade ago, according to data released last week by sight loss charity RNIB Scotland.

The charity said 23% of visually impaired people of working age in the UK are in paid employment – a 5% decrease since 2005. There were an estimated 8,500 registered blind and partially-sighted people of working age in Scotland.

Moves to devolve employment programmes and disability benefits to the Scottish Government could potentially create a more level playing field, said the charity.

Kate Storrow, RNIB’s employment and learning services manager, said: ‘Blind and partially sighted people face many barriers in gaining and retaining employment including low confidence and expectations, transport difficulties, lack of access to skills training, limited access to assistive technology and employer misperceptions.’