A blind doctor has won a payout from Croydon Council after the authority denied him the right to vote independently and in secret.
Despite knowing of the doctor’s blindness beforehand, the resident was sent voting papers that were not Braille-friendly, forcing him to forgo his right to vote in private, as he had to rely on help from someone else to cast his ballot.
Norbury resident Dr Yusuf Ali Osman described the reality of losing his right to vote independently as ‘disempowering’ and called on the council to do better. The council has now committed to improving accessibility for visually impaired voters in future elections.
Dr Osman launched his legal challenge on the council following his experiences voting in the London Mayoral and General Election last year. Despite being registered blind, Croydon Council sent Dr Osman postal voting documents without braille or accessible formats.
The council, aware of his visual impairment, had ‘ignored his needs’ according to Dr Osman’s legal team, forcing him to use flawed software that couldn’t help him identify where to mark his ballot. A friend had to read out the information and help him place his mark on the voting card.
Dr Osman expressed his frustration with his situation and explained that it was not a new phenomenon for people in his situation. He said: “From my first vote in 2001 up to the 2024 General Election, I’ve never been able to vote independently.”
His legal team, Leigh Day, subsequently sent a letter to the council in August 2024 highlighting the lack of provisions for disabled voters and requesting accessible formats, such as braille or digital versions readable by assistive technology. The council responded, agreeing to make reasonable adjustments in future elections and invited Dr Osman to consult on the matter.
To further support the visually impaired community, the council also offered Dr Osman the chance to engage in wider consultations with the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) to ensure voting accessibility for all blind and partially sighted residents.
Dr Osman also secured a settlement with the council, which included £750 in compensation and an apology. He said. “This settlement means I might finally get that opportunity. I’m grateful for my legal team and the council’s willingness to make things right.”
Leigh Day solicitor Carolin Ott, who represents Dr Osman together with Aurelia Buelens, added: “I am pleased to have reached a settlement for my client that not only secures financial compensation but also puts steps in place to improve accessibility for blind and visually impaired voters.
“My client hopes that the resolution of this matter will help ensure that visually impaired voters will be offered reasonable adjustments to allow them to vote independently and in secret at future elections.”
Dr Osman’s success is a significant win for the rights of disabled voters, with RNIB legal adviser Samantha Fothergill applauding the council’s commitment to change. “For too long, blind and partially sighted people have been denied the right to vote independently. This is a step in the right direction,” she said.
A spokesperson for Croydon Council said: “We take accessibility for all our residents, including those with disabilities, seriously and are sorry that reasonable adjustments were not in place for our visually impaired resident. We are working with Dr Osman and the Royal National Institute of Blind People on this matter. We are reviewing what reasonable adjustments can be made for blind and visually impaired postal voters at future elections that would enable them to vote independently and in secret, within the constraints of electoral law.”
