Blind Persons Act 1920
Act of Parliament | |
Other legislation | |
---|---|
Repealed by | National Assistance Act 1948 |
Status: Repealed |
The Blind Persons Act 1920 is an
Background
In the early 20th century many blind people in the United Kingdom were reliant on employment by charities in workshops. This was low paid and some charities imposed strict measures, such as controlling whether their employees could marry.
In 1918 the NLB held a large public meeting at Trafalgar Square and in 1919 disrupted a session in the House of Commons.[4] When this failed to draw a response from the government it organised the 1920 blind march, a 20-day protest march on London from across the country.[1][5] This drew public attention and, after NLB leaders met with the prime minister David Lloyd George, led directly to the Blind Persons Act 1920.[6][5]
The act
The act required local authorities to "promote the welfare of blind persons" and reduced the pension age for blind men from 70 to 50. The NLB feared that the act would simply allow local authorities to sub-contract their responsibilities to the charities that they opposed.[1] The act also ordered that blind children be permitted to take the same exams sat by sighted children and regulated the operation of charities for blind persons.[7] The estimated cost of increasing the pension provision was £175,000 per year, to be met by central government, and the capital expenditure incurred by local authorities to provide new workshops, hostels and homes was estimated at £250,000.[8] The act was first read on 26 April 1920 and received royal assent on 16 August.[9][10] The local authorities were granted 12 months to comply with the act.[11] The act was the first disability-specific legislation anywhere in the world.[5]
Impact
The NLB passed a motion of dissatisfaction in the government's response to the march.
As it was passed before the formation of the Irish Free State in 1922 it was retained on the statute books in that country and part of it remains in force.[13] In the United Kingdom section 1 of the act, applying to pensions, was repealed by the Old Age Pensions Act 1936, which duplicated its provisions.[14] The remaining sections were repealed by the National Assistance Act 1948.[15] Amendments and new legislation developed provision for blind, and other disabled people, throughout the 20th century. This culminated in the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, Disability Discrimination Act 2005 and the Equality Act 2010 which implemented some of the measures the NLB had first proposed in 1899.[6]
References
- ^ a b c d e f Main, Edward (30 April 2020). "'Justice not charity' – the blind marchers who made history". BBC News. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
- ISBN 978-1-317-17374-8.
- ISBN 978-1-317-17374-8.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-905583-73-7.
- ^ a b c "Marching into history". Royal National Institute of the Blind. 3 April 2020. Archived from the original on 7 June 2020. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-905583-73-7.
- ^ a b "1920 Blind Persons Act". Royal London Society for Blind People. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
- ^ a b Lysons, C. K. (1973). The development of social legislation for blind or deaf persons in England 1834–1939 (Doctor of Philosophy). Brunel Law School. p. 191-192. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
- ^ "Blind Persons Act 1920". Hansard. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
- ^ Lysons, C. K. (1973). The development of social legislation for blind or deaf persons in England 1834–1939 (Doctor of Philosophy). Brunel Law School. p. 195. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
- ^ Lysons, C. K. (1973). The development of social legislation for blind or deaf persons in England 1834–1939 (Doctor of Philosophy). Brunel Law School. p. 203. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
- ^ Lysons, CK (1973). The development of social legislation for blind or deaf persons in England 1834–1939 (Doctor of Philosophy). Brunel Law School. p. 209. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
- ^ "Blind Persons Act, 1920". Electronic Irish Statute Book (eISB).
- ^ Lysons, CK (1973). The development of social legislation for blind or deaf persons in England 1834–1939 (Doctor of Philosophy). Brunel Law School. p. 211. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
- ^ Lysons, CK (1973). The development of social legislation for blind or deaf persons in England 1834–1939 (Doctor of Philosophy). Brunel Law School. p. 599. Retrieved 7 June 2020.