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In Touch: Access to Work, White Cane Rage

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04/11/2014

Access to Work, White Cane Rage

BBC Radio 4 - In Touch, Access to Work, White Cane Rage

The problems some blind workers face dealing with the government's Access to Work scheme.

The problems some blind workers face dealing with the government's Access to Work support scheme, plus white cane pedestrian rage.

Access to Work, is the Government's discretionary grant, which can provide support to people who have a disability and are in employment. It can help with the provision of travel, support workers and technology. The Work and Pensions Parliamentary select committee has just completed an investigation into the operation and effectiveness of the scheme.

Peter White speaks to two blind piano tuners, who say they've had problems with delayed payments for support workers, slap-dash customer service and the disappearance of disability-specific advisors, and Philip Connolly of Disability Rights UK tell us what other employment groups of visually impaired people are telling them. We put their concerns to Mark Harper, Minister for Disabled People.

We also hear from listener Mike Lambert who equates having only four senses and using a white cane, with driving in a car down a motorway at 70MPH; humans weren't built for such things, and yet we do it, sometimes with surprising consequences.

Producer: Lee Kumutat.

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