Blue Badge

2cv

2cv

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Today I phoned Renfrewshire council to enquire about my blue badge renewal. I applied 14 weeks ago despite their website saying 6 weeks for renewals and was told that it had been refused. They now do no face to face assessments and I was told that my application simply did not meet requirements. As Susie is soon to have major heart surgery this means that I may be unable to visit her in hospital, being only just able to reach the wards from the nearest disabled spaces. Additionally I will be very limited in venturing out alone as I cannot exit a car unless the door is fully open so normal car park spaces do not work. Whilst these civil servants sit on their lazy backsides working from home they are destroying peoples lives. Outrageous.
 
My wife had hers refused the first time we came to renewal. We had to appeal and then go to a face to face meeting where she had to suffer the indignity of having to walk around a car park whilst being timed by the processing person. It was also raining at the time.

She has MS: it's a regressive illness and there ain't no cure!
 
That's terrible, did they ask you to see a doctor, or just refused on the application, if the latter re-apply see a doc and lay it on thick
 
She won her appeal. She was too honest on the renewal form as she always looks at things with a half full glass so wrote about her good days which are few, rather than her bad days, which are more numerous.
 
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I was told by DIAL these are the people who help new applications navigate all government assessments forms that when applying for BB you answer all questions as you would be on your worst day and never on a good day.
As for you Bill any idiot can see that your need for a BB is greater than most hope you get it sorted, the sad thing is that there are a lot of abusers out there and we all get tarred with the same brush.
 
I do plan to try and get the decision changed and have already sent an e mail. The loss of the badge would make things very difficult in several ways. The most annoying part of this is the sheer bureaucratic incompetence and lack of empathy. For example the council website says to apply to renew 6 weeks before expiration whereas I was told on the phone that 12 weeks is necessary. The occupational therapy department now make decisions entirely based on the form and now have no face to face contact. The opportunity to at least be seen and assessed should be there. Very frustrating to think that people are being paid a six figure salary to organise this shambles and that many people already suffering must be missing out on the help a blue badge would afford them.
 
I was surprised recently when son in law said it was now the council who decide if you get a blue badge or not. When mine was originally issued back in the 70’s I seem to think it was a doctor either examined me, filled out a form or provided a letter. When I checked up it is the council here at least who decide and you can find it all on the gov site. Rediculous that a council worker can over rule a doctor who would usually have a fair idea of their patients ability.

You definitely need to challenge this although councils don’t move quickly unless forced to. Have a word with your local paper and see if that can sting them into moving
 
My first BB is due for renewal in October, when I applied I had to do the form as normal and then had to be seen by a doctor who was not mine in a nearby town 5 miles away, I knew it was going to be difficult so parked as close as I could and went in very slowly, I was made aware by a friend that the place is littered with CCTV so I was extra careful. The Doc could see it was difficult for me and instead of going to his office I refused and he had to do it in the waiting room, the criteria around here seems that if you can walk unaided 100 yards then you do not need a badge, obviously, there are other reasons a for a badge but I cannot speak to those.

I can on a good day zip around the supermarket, but I have to move fast as I can before the pain kicks in, 5 minutes at the most then I'm done and need to sit for a good while before I dare move again.

I also think we should be given a blue badge to carry with us as a long queue can be very painful for mobility sufferers but we have to stand with everyone else, or perhaps in a supermarket grab an assistant and get them to open one of the many unmanned tills, places seem to think if they put in a ramp then they've done, no, there is more that can be done.
 
Departments can be very sneaky. A pal of ours has a chunk of one foot missing and had a blue badge for many years.

Some time ago they decided to review things and he was 'invited' to an assessment which took place on the top floor of a building with no lift. He took his time and struggled to the assessment at the top.

His application was rejected because he made it to the room. ☹️
 
Barstewards, problem is the number of applicants.
 
I did notice on the gov site it says you qualify if you have to use elbow crutches now, when I originally got mine it was a shortest distance without causing pain. I know they did get a bit silly handing them out twenty years or so back and they got a backlash for it. You should be able to get it pushed through somewhere though Bill as I seem to recall a stink being kicked up when they refused then took ages reviewing someone with a terminal illness.
 
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nabsim said:
I did notice on the gov site it says you qualify if you have to use elbow crutches now, when I originally got mine it was a shortest distance without causing pain. I know they did get a bit silly handing them out twenty years or so back and they got a backlash for it. You should be able to get it pushed through somewhere though Bill as I seem to recall a stink being kicked up when they refused then took ages reviewing someone with a terminal illness.
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I was at the dump getting rid of some garden waste a couple of days ago and saw someone throwing some elbow crutches out. Thought maybe I should try those, but far too slow to get out and they were gone.
 
Friend of mine. Ex bomb disposal. Lost both legs above the knees in an explosion. He has pip and blue badge. The thing he laughs about is that on his false legs he does the London. Marathon Also the Colorado Death Valley marathon plus others. I also know a few golfers who have the bb. but can walk round a 18 hole golf course. Brian
 
Not all disabilities are visible. TBH any ex servicemen deserve one if they ask AFAIC.
 
Carrotts said:
Friend of mine. Ex bomb disposal. Lost both legs above the knees in an explosion. He has pip and blue badge. The thing he laughs about is that on his false legs he does the London. Marathon Also the Colorado Death Valley marathon plus others. I also know a few golfers who have the bb. but can walk round a 18 hole golf course. Brian
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Not everyone who has a Blue Badge should have one but taking snapshots doesn’t give a true picture either. With my elbow crutches I am out and about with the dogs quite a lot although have to watch type of terrain and not long distances. If I went to a shop and bought stuff though I struggle to carry anything. Ask you mate how he goes on walking home half a mile with a couple of bags of shopping
 
As my post said he who had lost both legs laughs about the blue badge. I am a member of BLESMA. British limbless ex service mens association. As he also is. We know loads of limbless people and a lot of them agree with him that they have a blue badge and they will honestly say they are not handicapped in things they do. Also a lot of people who have both legs are more disabled then those that don’t. Curious as to how many people who use these forums know/ support Blesma. I am a limb loss veteran so there are somethings that I do know about. Not many but some. Brian. Ps. Some people support help the hero. I agree. But let’s not forget those that didnt come home.
 
Thanks for the heads up re Blesma, I'd never even heard of it, I have a Friend and his son who both served, both came home thankfully unharmed physically.

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Blesma, The Limbless Veterans, is an armed forces non profit charity supporting limbless veterans in the UK for the duration of their lives. We are proud to provide rehabilitative activities, welfare support and financial help for amputees. Find out more, including fundraising ideas and events.
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