Blue Badge Scheme

cpontefract

I just wondered if any of you had a blue badge (for disabled parking)

I feel a bit rude putting in for one, as even though my knees are bad, i don't really go anywhere that requires me to walk to far, but Im having problems getting in and out of the car, even when my knees are good as I cant push up off my hands. So the larger space would be so much help.

Do you think its worth a try?? (and £5 for me to have a passport pic done lol)

madwestie

I have a blue badge and find it very useful i walk with a crutch and getting in and out of the car is arkward.
Each county council operates differently but in mine you fill out the form and they ask your gp about your condition.

Tracey

hileena111

I've got one and dont use it all the time.....but it is great when I do need it and the larger spaces are great. Yes go ahead and try for it....I just went to my county council filled in a few forms and heard from them a few weeks later.
Love
Hileena

cpontefract

Wonderful
Thank you everyone!
I have the forms, just need a picture and £2 which doesnt seem to bad considering it would save my little legs on bad days!!
Shall fill it in tomorrow

bubbles

not rude at all, they will contact your GP and ask them to confirm any medical problems and difficulties with mobility. I renewed my last one at the local library via video link, very quick and easy. I could not do without it, without enough room for a truck, I am all crutches and legs trying to get out of the car. Worth mentioning to the GP that you have applied for a blue badge. take care, XX Bubbles.

elainebadknee

Hiya

Dont you worry one bit about applying for blue badge...If youre having mobility problems then you have a need, simple as.
I got mine really quickly and use it all the time, as i have knee problems (just the one but all the same im no nifty any more)....

Good luck

Elainex

cpontefract wrote:

I just wondered if any of you had a blue badge (for disabled parking)

I feel a bit rude putting in for one, as even though my knees are bad, i don't really go anywhere that requires me to walk to far, but Im having problems getting in and out of the car, even when my knees are good as I cant push up off my hands. So the larger space would be so much help.

Do you think its worth a try?? (and £5 for me to have a passport pic done lol)

dreamdaisy

I've had one for years, both knees, ankles and toes are shot to bits and I am on crutches. I need the extra space to maneouvre, and on the rare better days when things are eased I don't use it. You can try for one, they are granted for all sorts of health reasons, there is no harm in applying. DD

cpontefract

Thanks everyone, I went to get my pics done today but ended up walking out as the machine was being a..... pain in the behind lol

Will get things sorted asap lol

flutterbye

I too have a Blue Badge and find it very useful ....I got my photo taken at a local photographer who charged the same price as the photo booths and did a better job than they did.

hileena111

Oh What a horrible experience....cant do right for doing wrong....if you know what I mean.....if he bhad parked in the disabled place and not shown his badge he would have {rightly} got told off but to park in a normal space?????????? Why did he put his blue badge up at all if he was in a normal space? I only use a disabled space if I need it......either I'm very sore and want to get close or I need the space a disabled place gives to get out and lug my stuff with me......but if i dont feel I need to park in a disabled place I dont but dont put my badge up

Love
Hileena

mummyb

Hi, I applied for a Blue Badge two weeks ago after much soul searching about whether I was bad enough for one! I was in so much pain one day and struggling to walk very far, I decided to contact the Council, I don't know what I was expecting, but they offered me an assessment the same day. I was assessed by an OT who asked lot of questions and then watched me walk a few yards. He said he could see I was in pain, but couldn't indicate whether my application was sucessful or not and that I would hear in the post within the next ten days. Six days later my Blue Badge arrived in the post. I was very impressed at the speed this all happened and have already found it to be very useful. Like others have suggested here, I wouldn't use it unless I needed to. My advice to anyone thinking about applying for one of these is just do it, I was a little afraid of the process but on the whole it was fairly straightforward. oh and apart from the cost of the photos it hasn't cost me anything. Good Luck. best wishes, Brenda

elainebadknee

Hi

I wonder why its different in different areas. In my case i saw not my own doctor who told me "sooner or later they are going to have to do something with your knee and dont be ashamed to apply for blue badge". I went right outside after he gave me the number, someone from cumbria county council asked me about six questions, they then sent a form in post few days later, asked for passport photo and my blue badge was in my hands within 10 days...I didnt need assessed or anything...Odd aint it?

Elainex

mummyb wrote:

Hi, I applied for a Blue Badge two weeks ago after much soul searching about whether I was bad enough for one! I was in so much pain one day and struggling to walk very far, I decided to contact the Council, I don't know what I was expecting, but they offered me an assessment the same day. I was assessed by an OT who asked lot of questions and then watched me walk a few yards. He said he could see I was in pain, but couldn't indicate whether my application was sucessful or not and that I would hear in the post within the next ten days. Six days later my Blue Badge arrived in the post. I was very impressed at the speed this all happened and have already found it to be very useful. Like others have suggested here, I wouldn't use it unless I needed to. My advice to anyone thinking about applying for one of these is just do it, I was a little afraid of the process but on the whole it was fairly straightforward. oh and apart from the cost of the photos it hasn't cost me anything. Good Luck. best wishes, Brenda

cpontefract

Ours is similar Elaine!

My aunt has a BB and told me to apply for one (you dont know until you try kinda thing). So i went online, printed the forms off and OH filled them in as i find it hard to write more than 2 lines.
Just been and got my Postal Order and photos and am about to send it off to them.
Informed my gp this morning that i was doing so, & he said not to worry as Swansea council very rarely do any checks. Weird lol

hileena111

Hi
I just walked into our social service offices {close by} and asked how I went about it and they gave me forms to take home.....took them, filled them in and delivered them back by hand {just to be sure not I have anything against the post } and a couple of weeks later got my badge in the post....no assessment or anything....not even sure that they contacted my doc although I put his name down.
Love
Hileena

hileena111

I dont get any benefit.....high or low rate.....the badge is it....but I aM VERY grateful for it

Hileena

cpontefract

you know what I was just thinking, my forms (which are being posted tomorrow) dont even have a space for my gps details!
How random, i could make up anything lol

elainebadknee

PPPeter

I paid about 2 or 3 pounds for mine plus what passport photos cost and i only get ESA and didnt at time of applying for badge.....

Elainex

PPPeter wrote:

If you have the high rate of mobility you get it automatically, here if you don't get that the doctor fills in the form, like I said I had to pay £20 for mine.

hileena111

Here we go again I dont remember paying anything except the passport photos????

Love
Hileena

cpontefract

I found this....

Important changes to the Blue Badge scheme

The following changes will be made to the scheme over the next year:

the maximum fee a local authority can charge for a Blue Badge will increase from £2 to £10
the design of the Blue Badge will change to aid enforcement and make it harder to tamper with or forge
more disabled children and service personnel (eg members of the armed forces) will qualify for a Blue Badge

while i was looking for the forms to download. So it seems prices will be going up!!

katknapp

i have hesitated about applieing as i thought you had to be on the high DLA rating,but now ive read all your posts im going to have a go

Airwave!

Don't forget that if your vehicle is 'Tax Exempt' via the disabled scheme from MWP/DVLA, that a lot of the councils wave the parking charges for their disabled parking bays, this really is a godsend and provides a big service, letting me do things I would normally baulk at.

hileena111

Good luck with your application......you dont have to be on any sort of benefit to apply for it.
I'm not on any benefit.....high or low.....the doc referred me to the gym and when I wa filling in forms she said are you on benefit....I said no...then it slipped out that I had a badge...Oh thats counted as a benefit even if you dont get any DLA or anything monetary so you can have your membership cheaper...I'll remember that in future if a form says are you on benefit

Love
Hileena