You used to be able to claim IS on the basis of being registered blind. Is this still possible, or would you have to claim ESA now? If it's the latter, I can't find anything that would make you automatically treated as having limited capability for work - presumably you would have to rely on the 15 points for being unable to see at all, and then probably put into the work related activity group.

Similarly you could claim IS as a deaf student receiving one of a number of grants or allowances by virtue of your deafness. Would it be ESA now and have to rely on the WCA descriptors of not being able to hear at all or or not being able to hear somebody talking loudly and clearly in a quiet room, when wearing any appropriate hearing aid?

The exemptions from the PCA that previously applied for someone who is registered blind does not apply under ESA/WCA, as you note. So the person in question does need to complete the ESA50 and attend the WCA when requested.

The IS and deaf students issue was something we raised with DWP and I can't recall if it was properly sorted out or not - as far as I can recall, the intention was that people in this situation would have to claim ESA instead, which we felt was very unfair and against previous Parliamentary committments but Stephen Timms basically said that Government had changed their minds in evidence to W&P Committee recently. Maybe check this for definite with someone like RNIB or Action for Blind People?

Deaf students (para 12 of schedule 1B IS regs) are now covered by ESA (ESA (transitional provisions) regs, regs 2(1) and 1(4)).

I meant RNID of course, that's what comes of posting in a rush.

And Tony's answered now anyhow.