Section 29: Welfare arrangements for blind, deaf, dumb and crippled persons, etc., National Assistance Act 1948

A local authority may, with the approval of the Secretary of State, and to such extent as he may direct in relation to persons ordinarily resident in the area of the local authority shall make arrangements for promoting the welfare of persons to whom this section applies, that is to say persons aged eighteen or over who are blind, deaf or dumb, or who suffer from mental disorder of any description and other persons aged eighteen or over who are substantially and permanently handicapped by illness, injury, or congenital deformity or such other disabilities as may be prescribed by the Minister.

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Without prejudice to the generality of the provisions of subsection (1) of this section, arrangements may be made thereunder—

for informing persons to whom arrangements under that subsection relate of the services available for them thereunder;

for giving such persons instruction in their own homes or elsewhere in methods of overcoming the effects of their disabilities;

for providing workshops where such persons may be engaged (whether under a contract of service or otherwise) in suitable work, and hostels where persons engaged in the workshops, and other persons to whom arrangements under subsection (1) of this section relate and for whom work or training is being provided in pursuance of the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act, 1944, or the Employment and Training Act 1973 may live;

for providing persons to whom arrangements under subsection (1) of this section relate with suitable work (whether under a contract of service or otherwise) in their own homes or elsewhere;

for helping such persons in disposing of the produce of their work;

for providing such persons with recreational facilities in their own homes or elsewhere;

for compiling and maintaining classified registers of the persons to whom arrangements under subsection (1) of this section relate.

Where accommodation in a hostel is provided under paragraph (c) of subsection (4) of this section—

if the hostel is managed by a local authority, section 22 of this Act shall apply as it applies where accommodation is provided under section 21;

if the accommodation is provided in a hostel managed by a person other than a local authority under arrangements made with that person, subsections (2) to (4A) of section 26 of this Act shall apply as they apply where accommodation is provided under arrangements made by virtue of that section; and

section 32 shall apply as it applies where accommodation is provided under sections 21 to 26;

and in this subsection references to “accommodation” include references to board and other services, amenities and requisites provided in connection with the accommodation, except where in the opinion of the authority managing the premises or, in the case mentioned in paragraph (b) above, the authority making the arrangements their provision is unnecessary.

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Nothing in the foregoing provisions of this section shall authorise or require—

the payment of money to persons to whom this section applies, other than persons for whom work is provided under arrangements made by virtue of paragraph (c) or paragraph (d) of subsection (4) of this section or who are engaged in work which they are enabled to perform in consequence of anything done in pursuance of arrangements made under this section; or

the provision of any accommodation or services required to be provided under the National Health Service Act 2006 or the National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006 or the National Health Service (Scotland) Act, 1947.

A person engaged in work in a workshop provided under paragraph (c) of subsection (4) of this section, or a person in receipt of a superannuation allowance granted on his retirement from engagement in any such workshop, shall be deemed for the purposes of this Act to continue to be ordinarily resident in the area in which he was ordinarily resident immediately before he was accepted for work in that workshop; and for the purposes of this subsection a course of training in such a workshop shall be deemed to be work in that workshop.

Section 29: Welfare arrangements for blind, deaf, dumb and crippled persons, etc.

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