Like really as some may know i recived letter saying my application had been turned down.
Totaly contra to gov website .. Did not get intouch with my doc and said there is no disgration which is totaly untrue of them to put in letter to me.
Any ways as some may know i dont just have lung problems i have problems with gov agancies lieing.
So i wrote to them duly pointing out discrepancies with gov website and there rules letter to me lest just say i did not mince my words.
Today a nurse come out to see me re BLUE BADGE am bit perplexed confused.
Told him about my problems with walking and pain and discomfort i.e like when i do go out i have to sit down when i have parked and walked to the shop .. as a co2 retainer its not unusual for us to get dizzy and breathless SO when i told him about my problems lung abdomen and sliped disk HE said we only deal in walking and breathing i.e those with copd who have to transport the oxygen other suffers i assume are left to rot with no help or surport.
Well i was not wareing that as gov website states pain and discumfort when walking not all about breathing.
So i told him i appled for a blue badge as given my lung problems and my need to rest get my breath back i can no longer do that as given my abdomen problems stop me from sitting up when out so need to get back to my car to rest or i can no longer go out unlrss my brother takes me.
He insisted pain and discumfort is not there remit .. Like i said am in pain discumfort becouse of my breathing lung problems and sliped dis.
I persisted till he listend as i was not going to let him leave ... at the end he said if a get a blue badge to help in getting to the shops and out and about ... But b4 he said that he said there for those that have difficulty in getting about.
How that work really ... during he's acessement of me i had to do a walking test obv a was not happy but if i refused that would of defo counted againest me.
So i said cant i shiw you me getting in out of my car BUT he said no i need to see ya walk.
So i told him am co2 retainer and will make me dizzy as well as my abdomen pain and back pain causing me distress .. So i said come on then and told him when i get stuck becouse a cant breath and a need to rest dont go and abandone me a told him there is stuff going on you cant see .. anyway i could nit keep up with him and we duly turned round.
I never new blue badge people sent nurses out and he said thay dont bother with getting intouch with gp or lung doc's
I believe it came out last year, council no longer contact GPs to costly, they now do there own or contract a local health care professional . They can use discretion and not request a assessment , providing you can supply enough evidence.
Although council have no appeal procedure you can ask for the claim to be looked at again
Hi stone cheers .. Yer on website it said if someone was in recipt of ever componant of pip council as discretion as long as in recipt of pip with or with out mobility award ... Told them thay cant mske accesment based on atos rules as 25 meter is walking to my toilet and we all know walking to shops is lot difrent.
Yer the just trying to rip everyone off
Although i get enhanced rate mobility PIP and so will automatically qualify for blue badge, i just wanted to say how very unfairly Daz you been treated. Where's the human element of all this? We're all not boxes to be filed away.
You have been treated unfairly Daz but then you always have to fight for everything. It is a disgrace and someone should be accountable. People suffer terribly but in different ways and you cannot always tell how ill they are. Pete looks well but has chronic sarcoidosis, copd and herniated disc so is in extreme pain. I am hoping he gets his new Blue Badge soon and I do wish you well and hope you get yours too. Good luck to you and keep on fighting. xxx
I have had a blue badge now for 6 years and my health has steadily been deteriorating. I have to take 15 prescriptions a day to keep me ticking over. I have been diagnosed with RLD due to fibrosis on the inside and outside of my lungs plus PAH. To top that off I have a paralysed diaphragm and arthritis to my feet, knees, shoulder, Neck and 3 collapsed vertebra in my spine. Nearly forgot I have atrial Fibrillation and Tachycardia too.
A Letter came saying I need to be assessed by an independent assessor? What got me the most I filled in all the forms for the renewal well in advance so I can get the new one before it ends in December to have my assessment date late January 2014. So I will not be issued a new badge until they have approved the badge.
I called them up to see why I cannot have the meeting in the time my badge is valid. To be promised a call? The person I spoke to mentioned that he could hear I was out of breath talking on the phone. With the colder weather creeping in my car and badge are my only means of access to many places like doctors hospital etc. I had sent al my medical letters with my application.
After many calls back and forth I got a call from the senior customer service manager who apologized and said they have made a mistake and I was always down for a badge !
The councils have the budget for the BB and also the right to allow or deny it seems they are using the PIP/DLA 20 metre rule as the straw to break the camels back.
What is the 20 metre rule?
The 20 metre rule is the new distance that has been introduced for people to qualify for the enhanced
rate of the mobility component of PIP. It is less than the length of two buses, and differs from the
distance of 50 metres typically used to assess people for the upper rate of the mobility component of
Disability Living Allowance (DLA).
The PIP criteria state that only those who, ‘Can stand and then move more than 1 metre but no more
than 20 metres, either aided or unaided’ will qualify for the enhanced rate of the mobility component.
Individuals must be able to complete the distance safely, to an acceptable standard, repeatedly and in
a reasonable time period, but can use aids such as walking sticks, crutches and prostheses.
The impact of the policy
The enhanced rate of the mobility component of PIP is worth £55.25 a week. Those that no longer
qualify (but still receive the standard rate) will lose £33.25 a week or, crucially, access to their
Motability vehicle. Government projections show that over 428,000 people will no longer qualify for the
enhanced rate of the mobility component of PIP by 20182
The DBC believe that the impact of this policy will include:
• Disabled people dropping out of work, education or volunteering activities
• Increased poverty and isolation of disabled people, with the associated risk of worsening health
• Rising costs elsewhere, such as unemployment benefits, the Access to Work Scheme, social care
and NHS
The policy is inconsistent with government guidelines
A 50 metre benchmark distance is a well-established and research based measure of significant
mobility impairment – notably in relation to other disability benefits including DLA, the blue (disabled)
parking badge and in official guidance on creating an accessible built environment, including the siting
of disabled parking spaces adjacent to public and commercial buildings. Indeed, in the notes to the
second draft of the PIP criteria, dated November 2011, DWP admits on page 61:
“50 metres is considered to be the distance that an individual is required to be able to walk in order to
achieve a basic level of independence...”
The introduction of the 20 metre measure has not been made as a result of any new research, and
directly contradicts the previously well-embedded distance of 50 metres.
Loss of access to Motability will be devastating
The loss of access to the Motability scheme as a result of the 20 metre rule is a particularly terrifying
prospect for many disabled people. Those that have contacted us refer to their car as a ‘lifeline’ - the
means by which they take part in everyday life.
In discussions with Motability we have been told that those who no longer qualify for the scheme will
be given the option to purchase their car, but typically these will cost in excess of £8000 - a sum far in
excess of the resources many disabled people will have available to them. Losing access to the
scheme not only means losing access to a car, but also the added benefits of cheaper insurance and
means of looking after the vehicle. Taking on these costs, even with a cheaper vehicle, will be
unmanageable for many disabled who are reliant on benefits to cope with the additional costs they
face.
In addition, the policy does not just apply to those who depend on a car. Those making new claims to
PIP who can only walk a very short distance – but even slightly further than 20 metres – will no longer
be able to access motorised scooters or electric wheelchairs from Motability either. Many of these
people will be confined to their homes. This is directly contrary to the government’s stated intention
that PIP exists to help people live ‘independent lives’.
Offcut that is good details of the new rules, thanks for that. It even penalises people who can't walk normally due to pain or breathing difficulties, just because they try not to use a wheelchair, do they not realise how impairing pain can be or lack of lung capacity, people with ambulatory oxygen walk twenty meters but not normally as able bodied do. Plus multi illnesses interact to cause more mobility issues. If they cut things much more they may as well say all disabled will have to be in homes or stay at home to qualify, which as you say defeats the whole issue of independence.
The wholesale change to PIP has been nothing more than a money saving exercise. They started by saying they are hitting fraud which is not a bad thing. but it was only 0.07% and it has been found that 60% of sanctions have been because DWP have made mistakes.
Benefit spending is constantly in the news but how much do we really know about where the benefits money goes in the UK? It seems we are an easy target and you bury mistakes.
Well, we have collected the data as part of our annual analysis of UK public spending. It shows how benefit spending dominates the UK's budget each year - but it also breaks it down in detail.
What it shows is that the Department for Welfare and Pensions is the biggest spending department in the UK - spending £166.98bn in 2011-12, which is Of that huge sum, £159bn was spent on benefits - an increase of 1.1% on the previous year. That is 23% of all public spending.
Ask people where that money goes and the assumptions might be on unemployment or incapacity benefit. In fact, 47% of UK benefit spending goes on state pensions of £74.22bn a year, more than the £48.2bn the UK spends on servicing its debt.
It's followed by housing benefit of £16.94bn (+5.2%) and Disability living allowance of £12.57bn (+3.3%). Jobseekers' allowance is actually one of the smaller benefits - £4.91bn in 2011-12, an increase of 7.6% on the previous year.
And that's just the benefits that the DWP distributes. HM Revenue & Customs is responsible for tax credits and crucially child benefit, which has just been cut. That was worth £12.22bn in 2011-12.
The cuts reflect changing public attitudes on benefits, as shown by the British Social Attitudes Survey. The charts below show how the British public is much less likely to think benefits should be increased than they did a few years ago - especially for those who are unemployed.
Yes I think a lot of us are aware that the government spend is large for pensions rather than other benefits. But many pensioners have paid in for many years working life and of course we have more generations of pensioners surviving too, so hence the large bill in comparison to other benefits. But that does not help ease the pain if you are the one suffering the cuts. There is talk some of the pension rights will be changed in the next election which isn't far away now.
When the dwp told me I had not paid enough NI for them to pay me I had to get HMRC to confirm that I had paid NI it took nearly five months and then I had to send the confirmation to the DWP to get my money. ? But the HMRC said to me that I have overpaid my pension payments so I will get a full pension whenever that may be as the age limit keeps going up.
Went through something similar myself had to prove I had paid NI all the years, now it's less years you have to pay for pension but you have to work to 66 from 2015 I think then it goes up again shortly after that. There is a converter on most of the government sites to say what age you get pension, based on date of birth .My son says he will have to work till he's seventy before he gets his if they keep putting it up to a new age each year. Most of my family have paid enough to get a pension like yourself, but as you say don't know when they will be able to get it paid. Not sure extending age for retirement is the answer.What will be will be though
Well Daz, the government are not going to give you that badge easily are they, ?nor that nurse that came out. Surely the pain and breathing as you say impairs your ability to walk???????????? But why are they so tight its only a badge for a car to park nearer to where you want to go plus in many places you pay for the badge its not free, the only thing you get free is parking in a public car park space which is not always near where you are going. You could have mine but we are different sexes(smiles) The way they go on you would think they were assessing you for benefits.Hope you have better luck with the review result.
When I was able to work it saved me over £1000 a year in parking charges. The main part is Severe Discomfort. What they cannot see is even though I can park in a disabled bay sometimes near my doctors it is approx 80 metres to the door and then book in and sit down on not the most comfortable of chairs to then see the GP. They can't get the fact that I HAVE to do that to get a chance that I get the treatment I require to make my life more bearable. I have to go to Hospitals for regular blood tests and two different consultants at two different hospitals at different times. They take no account How the cold can make me struggle to do the 4 steps to my car?
Thank you offcut, this is what it is really like when your battling with mobility issues not just whether you can walk a set distance, it's the effects including one that gets over looked Tiredness. I am fortunate my blood tests can be done at the GPs or chemist next door if I can get there in the first place. I only visit the hospital when health is in crises my GP offers most of the services as it is a large practice a long way from the hospital so they do outreach services as they are called.But understand what you mean about hospital visits too. Do you not have a community nurse if your mobility is severely retricted? Just a thought that crossed my mind.
Hi can't believe all that is going on I am wondering if it is different with different councils. I have had to see a nurse for my blue badge the last 3 times this time in April.
What really gets me is the people that get everything and don't need it we all know someone.
Had someone out to see me about think it's called Pip now I struggle with my lungs knees and Chrons this last complaint is not included I live on my own and they did say you should get day attendence guess what turned down. Never mind never had never miss
Each Council has the right to issue Blue badges if they feel that there is a need for that person. However all the forms are based on the mobility factor of PIP. which is walking up to 20 metres without severe discomfort.
For PIP
You must have had these difficulties for 3 months and expect them to last for at least 9 months. If you’re terminally ill (ie not expected to live more than 6 months), you don’t need to have had these difficulties for 3 months.
I have been refused heart procedures now as they do not feel I would survive them! If I get another bad pneumonia it will be my last. I have had mildish pneumonia three times since 2008 and have the jab every 5 years ( I know it is supposed to be a one off) and the flu jab every year.
I get the DWP telling me all the time I should claim PIP and then they turn me down because I still want to be a human being and have a good pain tolerance. I had a battle with ESA another story.
Hi Daz know where your coming from I don't get DLA/ PIP severe COPD back problems and might loose my blue badge up to now our council have been good I had to see a nurse to get mine don't let them grind you down mate give them what for.xx
I got my blue badge in 2013. I too am also a CO2 retainer & since February, after two awful chest infections being hospitalized both times, am now on oxygen 15 hours daily. Like you, I struggled to get out of the car once I arrived somewhere as I couldn't get my breath. I think you should appeal or reapply. When you answer the questions you have to describe what it is like on your worst day, even exaggerate. Good luck.
Daz I'm really sorry you are having to deal with all the bull, I know how you feel, it took me 9 years to get any help at all, stay strong I'm holding out for help for you yet! hugs huff xxxxx
Have not read all the replies so if I am repeating sorry.
The government has chosen to change the rules in relation to Blue Badge. They are given strictly on ability to walk or how far you can walk before severe discomfort/pain sets in.
Your doctor no longer has a say as the government has found less successful appeals are heard if your doctor is not involved. Does not take a genius to work out the thinking behind that.
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Aspergillosis and Hyperinflated lungs. 
Trouble with inhalers 
lung pain with blood clots 
What A Birthday I Had !
