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Are Your Eyes Priceless?

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Would you sell your eyes; Scotland's new approach to PIP assessments

An advertising campaign in Australia angering blind people, and why is the Scottish government changing its approach to assessing blind people for Personal Independence Payments?

Following the independence referendum in 2014, Scotland was granted new devolution powers including taking control of a selection of welfare benefits.  One of the changes will be the way in which people whose vision is never going to improve, are assessed for Personal Independence Payment or PIP. Reporter Ian Hamilton finds out what these changes will mean for blind people living in Scotland.

The well-known international company Specsavers recently launched an advertising campaign in Australia and New Zealand in a bid to encourage more people to have their eyes tested. A short film and a television ad ask people "how much would you sell your eyes for?" People are filmed answering the question with difficulty and emotion, and most conclude they wouldn't sell their eyes. 

Blind lawyer and Mum Fiona Woods feels this campaign devalues the lives of blind people, and sets out her objections and Specsavers states its position. 

University students throughout the UK have survived their first hectic weeks. We hear from Kristiana Zunde who attends a university in Yorkshire, gives us a snapshot of what she is studying and how she is settling in.

Presenter: Peter White
Producer: Lee Kumutat

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