Blue Badge

[Mikefever]

Can anyone tell me how far do they ask you to walk when you go for a mobility assessment to renew your blue badge.

[Hidden]

All depends how bad you are .. The took me for walk like I assume is little puppy BUT I made a point of telling him if a fall get ill he bast not leave me.

[Hidden]

Its supposed to be 20 mtrs now. Don't forget that is 10 out and 10 back. I refused to go as It was a waste of my energy and breath. I got the badge.

[kimmy59]

I didn't have to do a walk at all just applied on line.

Kim xx

[Jessy11]

I never had an assessment. I applied online for my badge. Could you maybe do that? 🤔

[clematis5932 in reply to Jessy11]

Jessy  Even if you apply online you can still be asked to attend an assessment centre to be interviewed and also do a small walk.  Both myself and husband applied online he had to attend the centre I didn't. Both of us got it though.

[Jessy11 in reply to clematis5932]

Maybe they ask some & not others, for whatever reason.  I'm in Scotland & know a number of people with blue badges who never had an interview but were issued with badges by their local councils. Thanks for the info 😀

[y_not]

For reference (I've mentioned it before on here) my son plays football, jogs every day, works full time, and has no issues with walking whatsoever! He has a blue badge!!!

I placed the claim for him, following a motorcycle accident after which his right arm was amputated. He was shown that, to start his car (he now drives autos), open the door (fully), insert the key, start the engine then get in - without the wide disabled bays he cannot open the door wide enough!

This was explained on the form and simply accepted as I used the "reasonable adjustment" argument. I was also very clear that he is fully mobile; no half-truths/fudging etc.

Always worth looking at the laws covering disabilities when these sort of things come up - we have to play them at their own game!

You don't have to walk at all - they can ask you to but you have the right to refuse (but always justify your refusal or it is seen as obstructive)

Good luck (even though luck shouldn't be needed!)

[katieoxo60]

Hello Mikefever, not all blue badges are issued to people who can only walk small distances. It is about how difficult it is for you to walk, i.e breathlessness, fall risk, sight impairment, emotional fear of open spaces, hand impairments, wheelchair user, need for someone to drive you but to name a few. If you get High mobility rates you do not need an assessment. It used to be GPs who did the reports but now it is the local council, and you have to pay for it but with constant rises in parking fees what you save in fees often cancels out the cost of the badge. Some places now give you extra time at parking meters rather than free parking if disabled.  The rules are complex and all badges are issued on criteria and you have to meet that criteria.

[y_not in reply to katieoxo60]

The parking charges: local council decided that disabled must pay in the car parks so, from that time on, all disabled park on double yellows creating havoc (but not causing traffic offences) - councils are just soooo dim when they try to make up rules to scam more money to feed their insatiable spending appetite! (You might think I don't like councils ... they just sent me £100 because the Ombudsman found in my favour :-0))

[katieoxo60 in reply to y_not]

Well done on getting compensation Y-not, had some myself in the past but only £50. Some of the local councils spending of public money is not always budget wise as you say. And it is usually the public who suffers and not always those who can best afford it.

[Nanny1086]

Hi ,when ever I need to renew my blue badge I start panicking,I hate form filling ,and the questions all seem to be set up with a loaded gun aimed at you ,,,,,we live over a canal bridge , which I have NEVER  WALKED OVER,,,,and the tow path is about 20 meters from my front door ,but most of the time I watch the barges go by from my window ,and the ducks come to me for their food ,,,,but on a good day I can get to waters edge ,my copd nurse told me that when filling in these forms always sit and remember how you are on your worst day ,,,, ,

[Hidden]

Never asked me...............

[Bobsie1]

It's not how far you can walk, you may walk ten paces and have a flare up. When I'm out walking I have to keep stopping every few minutes to take my inhaler. People with COPD cannot really give an accurate answer to the question to how far they can walk. I explained this when I applied for my blue badge and my answer was accepted and I have now had a blue badge ever since I was diagnosed with COPD.

[Bobsie1]

Mikefever hope my reply helps with your situation..