Publication, Part of Registered Blind and Partially Sighted People
Registered Blind and Partially Sighted People, England 2022-23
National statistics, Accredited official statistics
Total registrations (as at the end of the reporting period)
As at 31st March 2023, 268,500 people were recorded on the local authority register. This equates to 5 registrations per 1,000 people in England (based on ONS mid-year 2022 population estimates). Please see the Data Tables for further detail on the number of persons on the register at the reporting period end.
Table 1 below shows that there is a decrease of 8,190 total registrations compared with the previous collection in 2020, however the mix by age has remained broadly the same.
Table 1: Number of people on the local authority register, for both blind and partially sighted, by age group, as at 31st March 2017, 2020 and 2023
| 0-4 | 5-17 | 18-49 | 50-64 | 65-74 | 75 and over | All ages | |
| 2017 | 1,165 | 9,875 | 38,105 | 34,245 | 30,025 | 177,055 | 290,475 |
| 2020 | 985 | 9,155 | 37,155 | 35,695 | 29,875 | 163,825 | 276,690 |
| 2023 | 850 | 9,645 | 36,180 | 36,645 | 29,215 | 155,960 | 268,500 |
| number change | -140 | 495 | -970 | 950 | -655 | -7,860 | -8,190 |
| % change | -14.1% | 5.4% | -2.6% | 2.7% | -2.2% | -4.8% | -3.0% |
Totals may not match the sum of parts due to rounding.
Number and % change based on latest two years
Source: SSDA902 Collection, 2022-23, NHS England
When considering the split between registers, Tables 2a and 2b illustrate that the number on the blind register has fallen 2.2%, and the number on the register for partially sighted has decreased by 3.7%.
Table 2a: Number of blind people on the local authority register, by age group, as at 31st March 2017, 2020 and 2023
| 0-4 | 5-17 | 18-49 | 50-64 | 65-74 | 75 and over | All ages | |
| 2017 | 615 | 4,495 | 19,495 | 18,080 | 14,765 | 84,075 | 141,525 |
| 2020 | 520 | 4,010 | 19,120 | 19,110 | 15,160 | 78,375 | 136,300 |
| 2023 | 420 | 3,730 | 18,530 | 19,725 | 15,100 | 75,810 | 133,310 |
| number change | -100 | -280 | -590 | 615 | -60 | -2,565 | -2,985 |
| % change | -19.3% | -7.0% | -3.1% | 3.2% | -0.4% | -3.3% | -2.2% |
Totals may not match the sum of parts due to rounding.
Number and % change based on latest two years
Source: SSDA902 Collection, 2022-23, NHS England
Table 2b: Number of partially sighted people on the local authority register, by age group, as at 31st March 2017, 2020 and 2023
| 0-4 | 5-17 | 18-49 | 50-64 | 65-74 | 75 and over | All ages | |
| 2017 | 555 | 5,380 | 18,610 | 16,165 | 15,260 | 92,980 | 148,950 |
| 2020 | 470 | 5,145 | 18,030 | 16,585 | 14,710 | 85,445 | 140,390 |
| 2023 | 430 | 5,920 | 17,650 | 16,920 | 14,115 | 80,150 | 135,185 |
| number change | -40 | 775 | -380 | 335 | -595 | -5,295 | -5,205 |
| % change | -8.3% | 15.0% | -2.1% | 2.0% | -4.0% | -6.2% | -3.7% |
Totals may not match the sum of parts due to rounding.
Number and % change based on latest two years
Source: SSDA902 Collection, 2022-23, NHS England
Some local authorities have reported that some of the changes to the numbers on the register are due to data cleansing, data quality issues, COVID-19 impacts and case management changes (please see Data Quality Summary for further detail). Previous publications have also highlighted that registers are not always maintained; for example, people who have moved areas, or died, may still appear on a local authority register.
Thus, this report will now focus on new registrations data.
Last edited: 1 March 2024 2:43 pm