Hi all, i recently applied for a blue badge and received a letter this morning inviting me for an assessment. im really stressing now because of the way its worded.
It says i should wear outdoor clothing because part of the assessment will require me to walk outdoors.
Im really struggling with walking at the moment. i cant go anywhere outdoors unless i know there will be somewhere i can sit down.
Have they made otheres go for a walk, and what happens if i have to tell them i cant ? Will they refuse to assess me?
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lor6126
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That sounds rather Gestapo-like! I think gins is right, I would get your Dr to write a letter explaining that your mobility is such that being forced to walk out doors would be detrimental (and what's more downright divisive!), and suggesting that it should be assessed based on medical evidence in this instance x
Sounds awful doesn't it as it is another time we have to explain that we may look fine but the after effects of this activity with increased pain & fatigue could mean we are bed bound for days.Let alone the pain & discomfort when walking! We need a Blue Badge to limit the walking so we can lead as best quality of life as possible !
Try not to worry to much as it will impact on your symptoms.Can you ask your GP to explain the condition in a letter, it's affects etc and ask this to be taken into consideration at your assessment. Or as the others say will they take this letter without any assessment.
Here's some information from Citizen Advice & Disability Right UK which might help;
Within the Disability Rights UK factsheet it mentions you can automatically get a blue badge if you get 8 or more points in the 'moving around' section of PIP. have you got PIP or currently applying for it maybe?
Otherwise, if you use a wheelchair at any point maybe ask a close relative to take you to the assessment in this maybe?
Let's see what others say there may be some other good advice or someone may comment who have had an assessment
thanks emma and everyone else. Im quite recently diagnosed and this is the first thing iv applied for. My doctor is not much help. Until the rheumy diagnosed me the doctor refused to believe it could be fibromyalgia. I havnt been able to face the PIP process yet.
For instance, i saw doctor this week for a new fit note, (im on statutory sick pay) and explained the problems im having with walking and fatigue and they simply sent me away with the fit note and a months worth of meds..
I have a walking stick i bought myself, it helps as my feet are numb. I just dont think at the assesment they will understand that just getting there will mean im in bed for the next two days.
Hi Lor6126, you have my complete sympathy. I cannot believe they are going to make you walk to see if you qualify, though in my area if you don't have DLA or PIP mobility you don't get a badge. The hoops we have to jump through to get the correct help and support seem to be increasing, almost daily. I do hope you manage to get this sorted out soon. Good luck, Linda.
If you are on high rate mobility you should get your blue badge on application , I had to pay £10 plus send in photos signed by someone saying it was a pic of me. I,ve never been asked your Q's . But I do know you can go to their office , you fill in forms ,they take your photo x money ,then it's sent through the post. Also speak to your GP as they will sometimes write a letter if you are not on full mobility DLA. Good luck .
Im going to speak to the doctor and ask them to write a letter. Do i get them to send it to the assessment office or do i take it with me?.
Also is there anything specific that should be in it apart from the obvious that im struggling with walking. I think i read somewhere they must state illness likely to be long term altho im confused a lot so that could be wrong. Lastly is there a charge for the letter.?
For those who asked im not on any benefit that would entitle me to the badge, i only left work in september and was diagnosed in December altho i have been gradually getting worse for over a year now.
I think it would be a good idea to call the people who sent the letter and explain your limitations and concerns and ask them to ensure there is somewhere for you to sit outside. Also, could you take someone to support you when you walk? I'm sure if they see you have difficulties they'll award you the badge. Sadly, with so many people abusing the blue badge scheme in the past, authorities have toughened up the process. That said, I had to have an assessment with a community physio back when I first applied many years ago. Didn't involve walking outside but had lots of mobility checks. By the sound of it I don't think you have anything to worry about as you'll easily pass their mobility checks. Re the doctor's letter - yes you almost certainly have to pay as the government don't deem this as necessary work so don't permit GPs to write them in NHS funded time so they have to dictate in their own time. Each practise sets they're own charges but it shouldn't cost more than £30.
If you are getting mobility DLA or PIP then it should go though without. I have ESA and had a letter stating I should have an assessment even though I have had a badge twice before. But if you do go they are mainly at an assessment centre for disability and mobility. They will talk to you first then if they want after that will walk with you if you can on a set marked route.
In my case I did call and explained my conditions in detail only to be told I should not of had the letter in the first place and got my badge on the due date.
I had my blue badge before i got my dla so the information someone gave that you only get a badge if you have dla is wrong, but i did have the support of a social worker, who wrote and took my application in for me. my renewal was based on the fact i get high rate mobility allowance now.
however i didn't need an assessment helps that I'm I a wheelchair though, it may be because you are newly diagnosed and i know they are clamping down on blue badges and there is a lot of fraud about with regards to blue badges so it's probably why you need an assessment, tell them before you go that you need to know you can sit down somewhere, they are probably only going to take you outside the building to see how far you can walk.
Its worth applying for DLA, or pip as it now is,
I would refer myself to social services if I were you and they can then refer you to occupational health and also give you things to help you around the home and outside if needed,
All blue badge applications are dealt with centrally now somewhere in the UK and they just liaise via your county council. Its normal for anyone who is not in receipt of DLA or PIP at the higher rate that an assessment will be required. The application form has also got much longer.
Im sure all will be ok. They want to see for themselves in the same way that ESA is paid, that they are issuing the Blue badges for the correct reason.
The politics behind all these changes I'm sure is costing far more than any savings, but who are we to argue the powers that be!i just completed an online survey from Fibro action to do with prescription charges, how comes people in Scotland and wales don't have to pay prescription charges, but in England we have to!
Someone mentioned above / below that blue badges are only issues if you are in receipt of higher rate DLA or PIP, but surely they should be entitled to the same opportunity to attend a medical assessment like you too.
Please be very careful about saying you cant walk outdoors at all, as they may well then question why you want the badge in the first place!
This cropped up years ago, i had to phone to query something on my application and i was asked about thus sort of thing. Back then you even had to put your reg number down of tge car you normally use!
I get anxious really easily now so when i got letter i think i built everything up in my mind so that the walking assesment became a assault course, lol.
I have made an appointment with my doctor tomorrow morning to ask if she will write me a letter supporting my application. My assessment is on thursday. I have written out how my condition affects my walking and everyday life so i i can explain to her, as with appointments now i get confused and always come away having forgotten to mention something.
Is it a good idea to show the doctor this? I dont want it to appear that im telling her what to write.
Oh dear, im stressing already and im not there yet.
Hi
When I went for my blue badge assessment, it was at the local Gateway (council office) and it was in one of the small interview rooms. I was asked to walk from one side of the room to the other - approx 8 feet. I use 2 x walking sticks and was allowed to use those. I was asked lots of questions, asked if they could photocopy my consultant letters, prescription and some other stuff I forget (sorry). They will have already written to your GP for advice.
I was really anxious about it and also worried that I couldn't stand for long so would need a seat, but overall I was treated with empathy but the Occupational Therapist who did the assessment and I was told after the 30 mins allotted time I was successful and I would get my badge within a few days, which I did.
hi just wanted to let you all know how things went.
There was two ladies, an occupational therapist and a trainee. they watched me walking to the assessment room and then asked me questions about my difficulties and meds etc.
They then asked me to do a walking assessment which was only 50 feet along the corridor and back as they could see i was in pain.
I got the badge for a year and they were very sympathetic
I hope this helps others who are worrying about the assessment.
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