Blue Badge Assessment

[Roy46]

GCA since 2014. Currently 8.5 pred, wobbly head and dizziness. Blue Badge Assessment next Friday. I know there's plenty on BB in the archive, but rather than scroll through the lot, does anyone have a quick top 5 (or more) tips for the session?

[Koalajane]

I don’t have a blue badge but my tip would be to think about your worst days not your best

[Roy46 in reply to Koalajane]

Good advice. Unfortunately yesterday was my worst day for some time. I'll take that with me to the assessment.

[SheffieldJane]

Don’t give up. Quite a significant percentage of people are successful upon appeal.Develop a thick skin for the duration of the process.

Good luck!

[piglette]

If you have dizziness they may stop you driving.

[Cosmos22Marigold in reply to piglette]

So true. I have been told not to drive yet since my cateract op and my dizzyness so until i get the 2nd eye done on the 14th sept i am grounded. How i miss my independence.

[Manchesterlady]

Definitely say how you are on your very bad days,and how far you can /can’t walk on those days. I have one and it’s worth it’s weight in gold

[Telian]

As others have said your worst day and how often you’re in pain is 24:7, as they’ll ask you how far you can walk without onset of pain. Take any aids with you ie walking stick - you might’ve only one occasionally if not you could get one. Be ready for them. Good luck.

[Suet3942]

Good luck. My husband can only walk a little way with a stick and me hanging on to his arm and they turned him down. I didn't know you could be physically assessed.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Suet3942]

I think it depends on the local authority in the UK.

[Roy46]

Born in London, most of my life in Kent. Essex by marriage and that's where I'll be assessed

[Roy46]

Thank you all for your kind comments and encouragement. I was assessed last Friday. It lasted about 15 minutes, wasn't at all taxing. In fact I came out thinking it was a bit of a non event. I've been gearing myself up for an appeal, expecting to be refused. BUT, low and behold, yesterday I received an email saying that I'd been successful. I'm still getting over the shock! I've paid my £10 and am now waiting for the BB to appear. Now though, I feel quite down and don't know why. Maybe something to do with the stressful journey that's come to an end

I put my success down to my application. Drafting is my strength. I'd advise anyone applying to put that bit of extra effort into completing the form. It pays dividends. Once again, thank you all.

[Sallmell in reply to Roy46]

Hi Roy46 I have mine tomorrow and extremely anxious. Can you tell me what they asked?

[MrsNails in reply to Sallmell]

Good Luck 🍀

[Sallmell in reply to MrsNails]

Thank you xx

[MrsNails in reply to Sallmell]

I received mine No Problem but l think it was the Angina that swung it!

Remember, use your worst day scenario, it’s not asking for much. Emphasise the difficulties getting in & out of the car so you need to be able to open the door fully to enable you to get in/out.

Let us know how you get on 🍀

[Sallmell in reply to MrsNails]

I hadn't even considered that and it is an issue. I need to get my thinking head on and write down to remember. Lifting and carrying is an issue also due to weakness the pain is terrible at times but obviously people cannot see it 🙈

[MrsNails in reply to Sallmell]

These are the really important things, getting trapped in a parking space & you can’t get in your car! You need to emphasise you can’t carry very much & are extremely weak caused by the fatigue of PMR

[Roy46 in reply to Sallmell]

I was so surprised when I got the BB card. In retrospect I put it down to my application form. I put so much time and effort into it. They may test you on it, so have all the facts and issues ready to justify.

Go heavily into car park space issues. I'd not really appreciated it until I got my badge; I do now. Try examples of where you've been hemmed in and maybe had to ask for help.

Worst days yes, not average days. Let them see that coping is a problem, not that you can cope. In the walking assessment (there will be one) take your time, it's easy to forget what you're aiming for. There's no time limit, take a deep breath and carry on, slowly.

In my application I said that I shuffle, I don't walk. I took my newly acquired walking stick with me and showed them that I do have to shuffle.

My assessment was no more than 15 minutes. Less than I expected, so I thought I'd blown it. That's why I think my application form might have swung it and mine was a confirmatory interview.

In an HU post last year someone said that the badge was like a gold brick. I agree 100%. I, like everyone else in this Forum, wish you well for tomorrow.