Loss of my Blue Badge

I have been refused the renewal of my blue badge, I was awarded it in 2003 due to lupus and my muscle/joint pain/fatigue/breathlessness. I was awarded the mobility component of DLA assessed by a doctor from the DWP - he had a family member suffering from lupus so was fully aware of our problems. I have recently had to transfer from DLA to PIP and have been awarded the care element but not the mobility entitlement. I have recently applied for my blue badge to be renewed and refused - I feel totally desperate at the loss of my last bit of independence. I will appeal but am not hopeful and suspect I will be judged again by the council's mobility team who I doubt have any medical experience. Has anyone else had their badge removed and managed to successfully appeal? Any help will be gratefully received. Many thanks.

[Whathappned]

I'm sorry to hear this. I have never had one. I know I'm no where near bad enough. Definitely appeal.

There are days I wish I had one, when struggling out of the car and the space is so small the door won't open wide and the body is saying no and I feel like giving up and just go home.

[Beverley_F]

I think this might happen to me as they have done the same.. its awful and scary as like you say its our last bit if independence. I'm waiting for a review of my pip mobility part at moment and will appeal we have to stand up and make them take notice. Good Luck and don't give up .

[KatieRL]

I'm a Lupus patient, started with rheumy and then went on to affect my kidney's with Chronic Kidney Failure. Went onto dialysis and then transplant. You would have thought this in itself was enough for a blue badge renewal but it's not. Now the criteria is so strict if you can walk more than a few yards then I'm afraid council's are just refusing, it doesn't seem to matter what they do/do not understand about your illness. If you don't meet the criteria set then you have to give them a really good reason to renew your badge. I received my renewal papers last month and it took me nearly a week to complete it, I had to ask help from friends as honestly, you needed A levels to understand everything!! My Council agreed to renew not because of Lupus/Renal history but because I caught shingles shortly after my tx and this left me with chronic pain which affects my walking.

Seems ridiculous that Lupus is not taken seriously by Council's - like most suffers we become so exhausted and that Blue Badge is vital. Do go ahead and appeal your case, you definitely have one. What you need to do is to show how Lupus manifests and how this affects your daily life. I got a lot of info from the web and included links in my statement so the doctor or whoever looks at the form, has some idea of what we have to go through.

I really hope this goes well for you.

Katiexxx

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Thank you so much for your replies, I must admit I was feeling on the point of giving up but now feel keen to keep fighting. I did ask for my PIP decision to be reviewed (but no change) but just didn't have the oomph to go to appeal. Having to prove that you are ill time and time again seems so unfair and all we would appreciate is a little bit of help to make life a little bit easier.

[Alexb21]

Please challenge the decision on both fronts blue badge and pip , im challenging mine I was awarded 8 points so have lost my car , but I'm fighting all the way , if you had your pip decision less than a month you can still appeal , did you ask for a copy of the assessment , as that gives you an idea were you differ from the atos representitve . If you've ran out of time please don't back out of your badge , get your doctor to write a letter , physio and even friends and family members submit it all . These people are getting above them selves judging what disability is when they have had no medical degree. I have had a badge for years before getting Dla and noticed now how the forms have changed and they rely on pip assessments to complete their decisions it's wrong they all need to consider pain and fatigue . Good luck xx