Blue Badge

[wellman2]

Hi everybody my blue badge is up for renewal and have just recieved the new form to fill in. Has anyone filled one of these in yet. I don t think they can give many more options to describe how you walk. but turn the page and lo and behold there are a few more As I have emphysema a lot of the. questions do not seem to be rele. vent. Heigh ho it will keep me busy for a while had me little moan enjoy the rest of your weekend everybody.

[Hidden]

I needed to put myself into isolation to concentrate on the form, and find copies of all the information about me. I think someone said they had been called to an interview but I could be wrong.

[KingoftheCocktails]

You seem to be being BADGEred into that

[wellman2 in reply to KingoftheCocktails]

Best laugh since got the thing

[Gordon57]

If you get higher rate mobility component of DLA you don't have to fill much of the form in, otherwise try and get some help like the CAB so you don't get turned down so easily, quite a few have.

[wellman2 in reply to Gordon57]

Thanks for that Gordon as I m 75 ther are a lot of benefits I m not entitled to I don t have a car and my daughter takes me out weekends mostly and it is a real help to be able to park near our shopping centre as the car parks are huge here think I ll use your suggestion and get help filling it in, wouldn t mind but already got one and is up for renewal and I m worse now than when I originally applied for it.

[Hidden]

I completed it for my mother and found some of the questions very tricky (and I have a legal background). Luckily she was awarded the badge without an interview, but in future I would do as Gordon suggests and try and get expert help.

As with all these forms (eg for benefits also) it's a case of having to be negative instead of positive, stressing how difficult life is for you, which kind of goes against the British bulldog spirit doesn't it? But remember the people making the decisions don't know you so you have to spell out your mobility problems

good luck

ff x

[wellman2 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks definitely going to get help.

[Easybreather]

Have just had to do this and as Gordon has said, if you get higher rate mobillity, then you only have to fill in a small portion of the form.

[O2Trees]

Hi Wellman2, Ive just done the form which was a renewal. It's important to answer all the questions as to how you are on your WORST days. Hope you're successful.

[wellman2 in reply to O2Trees]

thanks for that, nightmare isn t it

[wellman2]

My thanks to everyone that answered my lament re blue badge just one last comment one of the questions a yes or no answer Do you get too breathless to leave your home, or after dressing ? If I m too breathless to leave home would I need a blue badge ???? Thats all folks finished now get the experts to work it out Have a good Sunday just started to snoe here.

[Gordon57 in reply to wellman2]

I've only just got the badge for the first time last year and did my application online, then had to go for an hour long assessment.

I've had a look, but can't find a copy of a renewal form online to see just what it says. In my area the council say you have to fill in their application form all over again, it's 17 pages. They also advise of a 3 month waiting period for them to process the application.

As for being too breathless to leave home, yes, often. A day like today for example, it's struggled to get above freezing point and the moment I open the door I'll gasp and be stuck there.

[wellman2 in reply to Gordon57]

The form they sent me can be completed on line at direct.gov/uk/bluebadge

[Gordon57 in reply to wellman2]

Yes, that's the way I applied. But, my local council have their own application forms too, different from the national scheme They also blame the setting up of a new blue badge team and changes to the criteria for tehir delays - doncaster.gov.uk/sections/s...

If you apply online, as I did, they don't acknowledge receipt and take weeks to get round to processing the thing. All told, mine took 3 months from applying to getting it.

[wellman2 in reply to Gordon57]

I think I will stick to the Written form Gordon although our council reckons it is quicker on line I don t think I believe them.

[Hidden in reply to wellman2]

I see what you mean, if you can't leave the house you wouldn't need a blue badge? What a stupid question. I don't remember it but must have answered No to that for my mother, as she is never that breathless. I went on to say that she can walk 50m slowly unaided, and up to 250m if she has support from someone. She still got the badge, no interview. Don't forget any other health condition, eg mother has glaucoma, balance problems, and arthritis in her knee so it all went on the form. Remember to fill it in from the perspective of your worst day, as o2trees has said.

ff x

[badham]

Filled all the renewal forms in and got copies of everything they asked for and guess what they want £10.00 for renewing the badge. Great being ill isn't it get charged for it as well.

[Gordon57 in reply to badham]

The new rates started in April 2012. In England it's £10, £20 in Scotland, Free in Wales and £2 in N Ireland - from what I looked into at the time I was getting mine.

The new badges are not just scribbled on by a council employee using a black permanent marker, which some fraudsters have managed to erase and re-write. Now the badge will be printed, contains a photo and will be laminated to try and prevent changes being made. I was told that is the reason for the cost - but they couldn't say why the same badge was free in Wales...

Mine was a late birthday present from my wife...

[katieoxo60]

There seem to be varied criteria for the blue badge, except for those who receive high rate mobility component. I think the criteria is stiff considering its only really a parking concession, although much needed for many disabled persons who can only manage short distances, or are wheelchair users.As stated if you need anything in respect of illness or disability you have to be very negative not stoically British or lay it on thick as they say.As a blue badge holder I understand how you feel there are masses of pages to fill in and apparently now you may even have to undergo an interview by the local council, so good luck to those who have to do it.

[Hidden]

I know someone, in her early 40s, who has a blue badge in order to take her mentally-disabled sister out, but uses it all the time herself and even loans it to other family members. Because you display the side which doesn't have the photo on, she's never yet been challenged about it. It makes me so, so angry when badges are mis-used because this is the reason why it's so difficult for genuinely sick and disabled people to get one. I have thought of "grassing her up"! not that I'd know how, but if I did that she would lose the badge and then her poor sister wouldn't get taken anywhere.

ff x

[Gordon57 in reply to Hidden]

There has been previous discussion on here about mis-use of blue badges and also people occupying spaces without a badge, such as at a supermarket.

If you have proof of mis-use you can report it to the local council, it's up to them to take action. Having said that, they want dates and times as well as photographs before they'll process a report.

There are loads of reports of real baddies, using blue badges to park for work, day in, day out, to avoid paying parking charges. As far as Joe Public's concerned, none of us should have a blue badge, we're all cheats and liars.

I read of one guy who used his deceased father-in-laws card for over a year before he was caught, he had avoided paying something like £1,600 in charges. You also hear of them being stolen and sold for vast amounts. I'm glad mine has my photo on...

I've had one incident since I got mine. I parked at a small supermarket, in one of two disabled spots. I put my card in the windscreen and when I came back there was a bloke complaining he had not been able to park because I was in his spot. He always parked there he said. Having established that the badge really was mine, as it has my photograph on, I then discovered he didn't have a blue badge himself ! My choice of words was not very complimentary.

[Mgharris01]

Obesity is NOT a disability and blue badges should NEVER be issued to someone just because they are overweight.

I tried getting PIP and was declined as I can walk more than 50 metres (the car park to the assessment centre was 250 metres away from the building) and I can dress myself and manage my own medications unless I need the nebuliser in an emergency.

I now have a second stair rail to assist me getting up and down the stairs, although it takes me longer than most to do this (didn't want to resort to stair lift, yet). It takes 10 minutes twice a day to sort out medication, then another 20 minutes twice a day on the nebuliser to try to loosen the phlegm in my lungs. I am on permanent antibiotics to try to reduce the number of chest infections I have been getting (19 in last 24 months) and the DLA do not, in my opinion, consider this as a disability.

I feel strongly that obese people have caused most of their problems themselves and when people with REAL conditions cannot get the help they need, then why should someone who overeats, never tries to exercise and get breathless due to their size?

[phil4u]

See ATOS Designed to keystroke you better.