Operational Guidelines: Personal Reader Grant

This grant is available to blind or visually impaired persons who are employed in the private sector and who need to employ a Personal Reader to assist them with work related reading, which is part of their duties, but which they cannot do due to the nature of their visual impairment.

The grant is paid to the blind or visually impaired person who, in turn, employs an individual to act as a personal reader.

The personal reader must not be replacing any reading help normally given by work colleagues, relatives or friends.

Employees can apply if:

• They are employed in the private sector and need assistance with work related reading because of a visual impairment
• They have recently become visually impaired and are in danger of losing their job as a result of this impairment
• Due to becoming visually impaired they are going to do new or different work for their employer
• Their promotion prospects are being restricted because of reading difficulty due to their visual impairment

Duration

The grant is paid for an agreed period for a maximum of 640 hours per year.

Grant Amount

The amount of the grant payable is based on an hourly fee paid to the reader, in line with the current minimum wage. When the blind or visually impaired person requires a technically qualified reader, the hourly fee payable will be looked at on an individual basis and may be higher.

• The employee contacts his/her local DSP Intreo Centre or Case Officer to obtain a PRG Application Form – Section 1 and a PRG Application Form – Section 2, or downloads the forms from the scheme page.
• The employee completes both sections of the application form and brings or sends them to the Intreo Centre or Case Officer
• The Case Officer reviews the application with the employee and his/her employer
• The Case Officer negotiates with the employee and employer to assess the number of hours per week for which a personal reader is required, the hourly rate payable to the reader and the length of time for which a reader will be required and makes a recommendation to his/her Assistant Principal
• If the application is approved by the Case Officer’s Assistant Principal, the Case Officer informs the applicant in writing of the amount of the grant which has been approved, the fee per hour, the number of hours per week and the total number of hours per year on which this grant is based
• If the application is not approved by the Assistant Principal, the Case Officer informs the applicant in writing of the reason(s) why it was not approved
• If the applicant is unhappy with any decision he/she can ask to have his/her case reviewed by a member of DSP staff who was not involved in the original decision. A customer who wishes to have a decision reviewed should write to the Case Officer within 21 days of the decision, clearly stating the grounds on which he/she wishes the decision to be based, and attaching any evidence he/she has that supports his/her case

The grant applicant must return a completed Personal Reader Grant Claim Form at the end of each month. This form must be signed by the reader, the employer and the applicant for each week for which the grant is approved

The Case Officer/AP will forward the first Personal Reader Grant claim form to:

together with:

• copies of the PRG Application Form (Sections 1 and 2);
• a copy of the PRG Payment Approval Form;
• a copy of the PRG Letter of Approval;
• an original EFT Bank Mandate; and
• an original payment authorisation form signed by the Case Officer and AP.

Subsequent PRG claim forms will be sent to Accounts Branch together with:

• copies of the PRG Application Form (Sections 1 and 2);
• a copy of the PRG Payment Approval Form.

Accounts Payable will pay the applicant by EFT up to the approved amount.

The grant is paid for an agreed period for a maximum of 640 hours per year.

Accounts Payable keep a record of how many hours have been paid for and they will let the Case Officer know when payment for 600 hours has been made

Return to scheme page.