In Scotland, the Certificate of Vision Impairment (CVI) certifies someone as ‘sight impaired’ or ‘severely sight impaired’. Being registered means that you will be added to your local authority’s register of sight impaired or severely sight impaired people. ‘Sight impaired’ and ‘severely sight impaired’ have replaced the terms ‘partially sighted’ and ‘blind’. The CVI form has replaced the BP1 form.
Registration is entirely voluntary – it’s completely up to you whether or not you would like to take this step. The sight impaired and severely sight impaired registers are confidential and your consent must be sought prior to the release of any information from the register. If you would prefer not to be registered, you may still be able to receive support from local social services.
What are the benefits of being registered?
• Registering as sight impaired or severely sight impaired gives access to certain benefits and concessions such as tax allowances and the National (Scotland) Concessionary Travel for Blind Persons card (National Entitlement Card).
• It can also help with quicker access to some benefits and services. Being registered as sight impaired or severely sight impaired will not automatically entitle you to any welfare benefits.
• When registered you should receive a needs/social care assessment from your local authority social services to determine suitable support they can provide to you to help you maintain independence, for example referral onto their rehabilitation team for mobility training. You can still receive support from local social services. Those who aren’t registered may still be able to receive an assessment.
How do I register as sight impaired or severely sight impaired?
• Your ophthalmologist will be able to conduct assessments to determine if you meet the criteria to be registered as either sight impaired (partially sighted) or severely sight impaired (blind).
• Filling out the CVI form, they can then certify you as either sight impaired or severely sight impaired and discuss registration with you.
• If you give your consent to be registered, the eye clinic will send your CVI form to your local authority service that manages the register so that you can be added.
• Your local authority can then contact you to discuss an assessment of your needs.
• If you were not registered in the early stages of your sight loss diagnosis and are interested in being registered now, speak to your eye clinic or social worker who can support you with the process.
Registration for children and young people with visual impairment in Scotland and access to support services
In Scotland, the CVI form, which replaced the BP1 form, does not include children and young people under the age of 16. Since this change in 2018, children and young people with visual impairment in Scotland are no longer registered. If your child has been diagnosed with a visual impairment, eye hospital teams should follow the Visual Impairment Network for Children & Young People (VINCYP) national care pathway to ensure relevant services are notified at an early stage and your child is provided with the support and services they need. Confirmation that your child has a visual impairment is sometimes required for some support services or benefits applications, such as a letter from your child’s ophthalmologist or other visual impairment healthcare professional who supports your child.