Annual Report and Accounts 2023/24

RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People) is the UK's leading sight loss charity, supporting blind and partially sighted people since 1868. In 2023/24 Eye Care Liaison Officers reached over 72,000 people in hospital eye clinics, and RNIB Bookshare provided access to over one million accessible reading items. The #OutOfSight campaign gathered 20,000 petition signatures calling for national vision rehabilitation standards, and the accessible voting campaign highlighted the ongoing failure to allow visually impaired people to vote in secret. RNIB also delivered 100+ inclusive street design sessions to councils and transport authorities nationwide.

Report snapshot
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📋About

RNIB Helpline; RNIB Bookshare accessible library; Talking Books service; Eye Care Liaison Officers; accessible voting campaign; inclusive streets training; tech accessibility advocacy; braille and print production services

📊Key Metrics

72,000+ people reached by Eye Care Liaison Officers (ECLOs) in hospital eye clinics Key Metric 1
1 million+ items in RNIB Bookshare free accessible reading library for people in education Key Metric 2
20,000+ petition signatures gathered for #OutOfSight campaign demanding national vision rehabilitation standards Key Metric 3

Key Outcomes

  • Delivered accessible voting campaign post-2024 General Election, highlighting that 87% of visually impaired voters are denied the right to vote in secret
  • Hosted 100+ guided walks and training sessions on inclusive street design with councils and transport authorities across England
  • Launched Braille 200 anniversary campaign (September 2024 to August 2025) to celebrate and promote braille literacy

📍Geography

UK-Wide

2026 Enhanced

Impact — Winter 2026

Total income £18,180,000 and total expenditure £18,560,000 (year ended 31 December 2024, charity no. 1084958 England/Wales and SC039654 Scotland); in 2024 spent £3.8m on charitable activities including £1,079,000 on research, £1,366,000 on EB Community Support, £943,000 on public education, £270,000 on EB healthcare and £185,000 on respite breaks
Key Metric 1
700+ members supported through in-person visits and support calls in 2025; 697 support grants allocated in 2025 for essential items including specialist clothing, cooling fans and sheepskin liners; 2 new holiday homes purchased in 2025 with over 700 guests enjoying holiday homes; £34,000 raised through 2025 winter 'The Longest Night' appeal
Key Metric 2
Largest global investment in EB research to date: multi-million-pound drug repurposing trial provisionally agreed with LifeArc partner at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and King's College London; EB Priorities Setting Partnership study completed mapping global research priorities for all four main EB forms
Key Metric 3
£34,000 raised in 2025 winter appeal supporting families like Darcie's with specialist items, emotional support and research; 697 support grants delivered in 2025; first Members Connect event in Northern Ireland; EB Priorities Setting Partnership study completed providing global research roadmap
2025 Enhanced

Impact Report 2025

22,507 households helped through RBL casework and specialist support services across 66 countries
Key Metric 1
22,600 grants given to those in need, totalling £11.8 million
Key Metric 2
733 beneficiaries represented at tribunals, resulting in £24.5 million in War Pensions awards
Key Metric 3
1,548 new families living with dementia supported by RBL Admiral Nurses service
2025 Enhanced

Our Impact 2024-25

3,600 blind veterans received support across the UK; 447 new blind veterans started receiving support in 2024/25
Key Metric 1
1,598 referrals to rehabilitation services completed; 313 veterans received assistive technology training
Key Metric 2
997 volunteers donated 26,824 hours of support; befriending service awarded Quality in Befriending Excellence — one of only 11 organisations in the UK to achieve this
Key Metric 3
1,831 National Creative Wellbeing Project packs issued to help veterans reconnect with creativity and independence