A MESL for a Single Adult with Vision Impairment VPSJ & NCBI

Issued: September 2017

Summary

This study builds on the VPSJ’s MESL research to identify the cost of the additional and different needs of a person with vision impairment, to enable them to have the same socially acceptable minimum standard of living as a person with full sight.

The reporst is the result of a collaborative study between the National Council for the Blind of Ireland (NCBI) and the VPSJ.

The MESL data provides a baseline; it identifies the consensus minimum level that is socially acceptable, below which people agree no one should be expected to live. However, individual circumstances will vary, particular situations can give rise to additional needs. In this case Vision Impairment brings additional requirements to enable people to have the same adequate ‘minimum’ standard of living.

This project applies the Consensual Budget Standards method and MESL data to identify these additional needs, and the cost of those needs, to enable a person with vision impairment to participate in the norms of everyday life in Ireland, at a level that no one should be expected to live below.