My blue badge

[Nanny1086]

Hi,I noticed today that my blue badge is due to be renewed this year ( November) I'm sure some one put a post on here about changes or difficulty in renewing the badge ,can anyone give me any advise or help one this ,and do I have to apply for a renewal or do they send it out automatically,???

[Hidden]

Hi Nanny, If you have enhanced mobility element of DLA or PIP this will give you automatic renewal of your Blue Badge. Infortunately councils are a law unto themselves with other renewals. They all appear to send you the renewal form but what they put you through varies a lot. After 16 years Warwickshire decided that I had to be assessed. My BB is my life.ine and I was very upset. I had to go to an industrial estate on the other side of Coventry. A male friend went with me. The assessor knew nothing about bronchiectasis but she very quickly learned about breathlessness, weakness and anxiety about going to places

[Nanny1086 in reply to Hidden]

Hi ,thank you ,I don't have DLA or PIP,,,,,,just chronic asthma and Bronchiectis,and osteoporosis,and ulcerative colitis,,,,if you could message me with any helpful comments I can put on I would be grateful ,,,,,I've heard they ask stupid questions like can you walk 10'yards etc and how long epodes it take ,,,,,,I have no idea ,,,

[Hidden in reply to Nanny1086]

I really wouldn't worry about it until Sept/Oct. You will probably get the renewal form then. They need to know what conditions you have, it's 20 yards only walking. Your council may renew automatically without making you have an assessment. Just make sure that you get the online or paper renewal application in in good time before it is due to expire so that you still have a valid BB if you have to wait for an assessment.

[Nanny1086 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you very much ,

[Hidden]

Oh dear it posted itself. I refused to go outside for a walk with her because it was a waste of my energy. She actually told me that I had passed and gave me a form for a PIP. She also rang Warwick council and expressed her disgust that they had made me be assessed. I got enhanced mobility PIP after another assessment. If you are told that you have to go to be assessed for your BB renewal come back and I am sure several of us can help you.

[Nanny1086 in reply to Hidden]

Thankyou ,

[stone-UK]

Hi

You have to apply for a renewal, which you can do online at.

gov.uk/apply-blue-badge

If you don't already have the information ring you local council to find the time scale for renewal.

Mine is automatic due to higher rate DLA. but because I have previously renewed by post this time I had to collect in person, security reasons.

I started mine online on Sunday, from which you receive a e- mail with the information you need to send to council, received phone call Tuesday made payment received letter to collect week Thursday, collected following Monday, returned old badge Tuesday.

It may be different if you received you badge through the assessment route.

[Nanny1086 in reply to stone-UK]

Thank you .

[Greatbanks in reply to stone-UK]

Like you my council you just phone give old badge number renewal by post ! But now I'm worried have things changed ? Do not understand if get pip or dla why they would want assess anyone seems madness

[stone-UK in reply to Greatbanks]

Hi

I was not assessed, because I previously claimed online and they haven't seen me, for security reasons I had to collect in person, or nominate some one to collect on my behalf. It only took ten minutes.

[Nanny1086]

Call me ignorant but I don't know what DLA OR PIP are ,,,,I don't or haven't applied for anything other than a blue badge ,,,,I believe some of the questions are ridiculous,,,,now I'm panicking as I have no idea how far or how long it takes me to walk to 10 yards etc ,,,,

[Hidden in reply to Nanny1086]

DLA is Disabled living allowance, which is being replaced by PIP. Personal Independance Payment. If you are under 65 and are given the enhanced level of mobility for the PIP or already have DLA enhanced mobility you automatically get the BB.Don't panic. You just tell them you can't walk 20 yards and are not going to try. Worrying about it now is going to spoil your summer. You know that you are breathless and get weak because of it, find difficulty in shops and accessing buildings unless you are parked very close and worry about getting back to the car when you have left it.

[Nanny1086 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you stillstanding that was very helpful ,

[y_not]

Nanny, Page 21 of this link gives advice to local authorities on how to decide if you are entitled and if you need an assessment ... OR NOT.

gov.uk/government/uploads/s...

NOTE: those applying because of a "permanent and substantial disability that causes inability to walk or very considerable difficulty in walking" be confirmed by an independent mobility assessor.

FOLLOWED BY: The above condition does not apply when a local authority determines that, from the information that they have about the applicant, it is self-evident that the applicant meets the eligibility criterion,

So if they have already provided you with a badge previously and your condition is known to them (you stated it on an application) then an assessment us unnecessarily "burdensome".

So, the council SGHOULD

[y_not in reply to y_not]

AArggg! hit the wrong key!!

So, the council should send a renewal application to you, you complete and send it back, IF they want an assessment then they have to invite you AND you can ask "Why, you already have, and accept, my condition (which is lifelong) from my last application" - they should accept that and issue a badge.

If not, get someone (able-bodied) to take you, leave you in the car, go to the assessment and ask the assessor to come to the car as it's too far for you to walk without considerable difficulty - then let them assess you in the car!! Sorry nanny but sometimes we have to play them at their own game!

Oh, and they can't refuse to assess you in the car because they are legally required to "make reasonable adjustments" - them going to your car is not different to asking you to go to them!

You'll win!

I'm not going to wish you good luck because you don't need luck - just your rights fulfilled!

Best wishes

sorry for the story in two halves!

[Hidden in reply to y_not]

very good reply y_not. Unfortunately my council decided that I needed an assessment despite issuing me with a badge for sixteen years and refused to talk to me when I demanded to know why they had suddenly done this. However, they did get stick from the assessor and a very sharp letter from my MP. he demanded to know why they had decided to assess me. They dodged the issue by replying ' The Blue Badge is in the post'

[y_not in reply to Hidden]

They are entitled to request an assessment but, under the guidelines this can be challenged as being "burdensome" (their term, not mine but always aim to use their terminology whenever I challenge things).

Making them come to the car to conduct the assessment is a "reasonable adjustment" and refusing their silly requests on the basis that it will cause considerable pain and/or suffering justifies the refusal ... watch them try and escape that at an appeal!

I used to hate the "jobsworths" - now I despise them ... with a passion!

[Hidden in reply to y_not]

absolutely!

[Nanny1086 in reply to y_not]

Me to ,

[Nanny1086 in reply to Hidden]

See that's what they do ,,,,,anyone would think we were asking for money ,,,and what's more it was my GP who told me I should apply for a bb in the first place ,,,,seems now they don't believe the gps ,

[Nanny1086 in reply to y_not]

Thank you for all the help and imformation unto,I'll keep that in mind ,,,I always panic at the thought of filling in these official forms ,,,it's as if they don't believe you ,,,,,so your advise is very helpful,

[Nanny1086 in reply to y_not]

No problem ,,,I hit the wrong keys all the time ,,mand as for pretext ,,,,well ,,,

The problem I have when filling in these type of forms is ,,,,when I'm ill like the last six months apart from hospital or doctors appointments, I've managed one visit with my daughter to dunhelm and had to stop fora sit down and coffee before going back to the car ,,, the last six months have taken their toll ,,,,,you know when I'm well I can do Pulmary rehab ,,,but I haven't made it since last December ,,,,and that's not me ,,,,I always think people think I'm lying ,because I do my best to look half decent and try not to look ill ,( it's a girl thing ) ,,,,,,

[Bootyasddict]

Talk about blue badges,the hospital I attend have some at the front which are free & to find one empty is like winning the lottery.I & my wife have to go regularly.lf none are available you have to go into the main car park & pay,plus who cares how far away they are from your clinic,for heart clinics which is one I attend the further away the better as you may well snuff it on the way,one less on the list & one less OAP pension less to pay out.

Hospital parking should be free & not a tax on the sick or relatives who are visiting sick patients,I would not mind a couple of quid if I could get close to my clinic & it would stop me getting so agitated.

[Hidden in reply to Bootyasddict]

I have to drive myself. One hospital is free for BBs, one charges. Bothcarparks are a long way from my clinic

[Nanny1086 in reply to Bootyasddict]

At the hospital I attend I have to pay parking with my blue badge ,,,,the same as everyone else ,

[Nanny1086 in reply to Bootyasddict]

Totally agree ,the parking system is ludicrous

[lynnekay]

The issuing authority contacted me and I was able to complete the forms on line. I was honest about the short distance I can walk before becoming SOB, and the feelings of discomfort being SOB (described the palpitations, head pounding, need to urinate urgently, unable to get breath in and out, wheezing etc etc).

I was awarded it without having to go for a walking assessment

Good luck!

[Hidden in reply to lynnekay]

Yes that bears out what I said. No two authorities use the same criteria.

[Nanny1086 in reply to lynnekay]

Thankyou ,

[Bobsie1 in reply to lynnekay]

Most people with COPD qualify for a blue badge. I explained that I couldn't answer how far I could walk as when ever I had a flare up I had to stop and use my inhaler this sometimes happens after walking a few yards. I just filled the form out and was awarded a blue badge.

[Nanny1086 in reply to lynnekay]

Hope I'm as lucky as you when the tine comes ,

[jra-vincent]

I can't recall the exact procedure when I had one between 2008 and 2011 but I do know that it is much more difficult to renew nowadays (although you wouldn't know by the number of athletic-looking people leaping out of their cars after putting their - or someone's - blue badges on the dashboard). But I know the doctor's word was not enough. I had to go to some sort of interview with council "experts" who turned me down because I was able to walk 27 metres unaided, albeit slowly, back to my car.Good luck

[Nanny1086 in reply to jra-vincent]

See I find that disgusting ,,,,,I claim for nothing as my husband is willing and able to take care of me ,,,,,but I do like to get out and about a little when able ,it's just really ,,,,well like ,,,when I have to go to doctors or hospital etc ,

[sandsandrew]

Hi! it tells you in your blue badge booklet to apply a few weeks before it expires, but i can you it takes 6 weeks to process, it should tell you in the book how to renew your blue badge, and to apply to your local authority who issued your blue badge, hope this is helpful for you. Keep well.

[Nanny1086]

Thanks everyone for your reply 's it's been enlightening,

[hilde]

Hi Nanny

I was just reading all the replies to you question about the blue badge. I wonder if anyone knows how to take a certain car number from it and replace it with at new one.

Here's hoping

Hilde

[Nanny1086 in reply to hilde]

Sorry ,can't help,you with that