CAN WE HELP?

SVAB provides a range of services to improve the quality of life for visually impaired people of all ages who live in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin. Information about the various services we provide can be found elsewhere on this website.

One of these services is providing grants to help visually impaired people to acquire specialist aids and equipment (for example IT equipment and/or specialist software for visually impaired users of IT), or to be able to take part in activities which otherwise might not have been possible.

SVAB assesses applications for financial assistance on the individual merits of each application, but the following general points may assist potential applicants as a guide to whether we are likely to be able to offer a grant:

• In cases where applicants are eligible for aids or specialist equipment or financial assistance from a statutory agency, normally SVAB will be unable to help;
• Applications are normally only considered when they are received via a referral from a local statutory agency. Our usual practice is to ask the agency in question to explain the background to the application, and also to confirm that the application would not receive funding from the agency concerned;
• SVAB generally offers a grant only as a part contribution towards the total cost involved, rather than the full cost. We will be able to provide suggestions of other potential sources of grant relevant to the circumstances of the case.

If you would like to have a confidential and informal discussion before deciding whether to ask SVAB for a grant, please contact us at the SVAB office on 01743 450912, or email us at SVABadmin@shropshire-cc.gov.uk, and we will do our best to help.