Can I get a Blue Badge with a recent diagnosis of Psoriatic

shazzyb

Hello All

I'm extremely new to the forum and it's great having a place to go with any strange questions (I'm sure I'll have quite a few).

I have been recently diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis after noticing a serious decline in my ability to walk over the past year or so.

My GP had put this initial to my being overweight (I am... no arguing there and hopefully a bit of weight loss will help someway to easing the pain). I have now formally been diagnosed and this after a rather long journey of aches and pains.

I've got to the point where I'm now getting myself into some serious debt trying to get to work (I work in Central London and it costs a fortune to park and quite frankly my wages aren't good enough to swallow the additional cost of parking which is nearly £40 per day plus congestion charge). I regularly travelled on public transport but just can't do it regularly now and find I'm in excruciating pain getting up and down the stairs etc.

I have been advised by my occupational health department at work to seriously consider applying for a blue badge.

I must say my walking has now got to a point that I can't walk at all without being in considerable pain and discomfort and the thought of being able to use a disabled parking bay near work/station would be bliss)... I just wondered:

A... what my chances are (I don't receive any benefits)

B... would I even be considered as I've only just been diagnosed

C... is there any help I can receive towards my travel costs (as I say this is something I've never considered before and I'm completely in the dark as to what I can and cannot claim/do).

I love my job and can cope with it subject to a few minor changes, but I can't keep forking out paying for parking to get into work.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

ShazzyB

[Deleted User]

Hello ShazzyB and welcome to the forums.

I was sorry to read that you are newly diagnosed, but you have come to right place for support and possibly some answers. You certainly have a few questions that need answering.

I was surprised how expensive it is to live in London, and of course it is important that you continue to work for as long as you can.

You may get the information you are looking for on our web site
financeshttps://www.arthritiscare.org.uk/living-with-arthritis/financial-support-and-arthritis. Please do take a look.

You will also find that there are a lot of people on the forums who have been or are going through the same issues as you who will be able to support you and give you possible ideas also.

Please do keep in touch and keep asking those questions.

Good luck

my best wishes
Denise

stickywicket

Hello and welcome, Shazzyb

I'm sorry about the diagnosis. I've had RA for many years and learning to live with it is both tricky and ongoing. Please feel free to come here any time you just need a bit of support for whatever reason.

Now then, Blue Badges. They are issued for disability not on diagnosis. Some people, once on the right meds, can manage very well indeed with little or no disability whereas others struggle from the start. Arthritis has its own agenda and rules :roll: They are also not issued on the basis of financial difficulties. I think Mod Denise's link might be of more use to you there.

This is the '.gov' site dealing with BB eligibility. https://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/blue-badge-scheme . Even if you think you might not qualify it's worth a go. But remember the badge only allows you to park for 3 hours at a time. Would that be OK for you if you need it, essentially, for work? Definitely worth asking, though. Good luck!

Numptydumpty

I think the three hours limit only applies if you're parking on yellow lines. Otherwise you can park for as long as you need to, unless there's a sign saying there's a time limit.
Perhaps if you got proof from your doctor to support your application it would help?
Good luck
Numpty

stickywicket

Numpty's quite right. The three hour rule applies to roads. Private car parks eg supermarkets can, in theory, make up their own rules but don't usually so if your place of work has its own disabled parking spot that'd be great.

dreamdaisy

BBs can be awarded to people without mobility issues (so therefore without the bulky equipment to unload from a vehicle which is why the extra space is required). I have a rollator which is unwieldy, to see others getting out and strolling with ease into a venue irritates me as I struggle with my kit. The only way to find out if you qualify is to apply. DD

Airwave!

I expect new claimants would apply via the PIPS system? However once you get a Blue Badge you may find that all is not so rosy? Due to the number of people who have them you will find that there are no spaces in the area you need to be, if you can find double yellow lines with no other restriction on them you only get three hours which means for a day at work that it isn't enough time. There seems to be some discretion applied by councils across GB, not always in our favour, there are parking charges still to pay at many council car parks and if you can find a disabled space a council will often charge yearly, I visit many different counties and most will charge £10 a year. Could your firm find a space for you or let you work from home or another nearer office?

I find that everyone uses disabled parking bays, contractors with a white van (I need to load my van and I need my tools mate!) Mums with kids, those that don't want to walk and those that couldn't care less, very frustrating! I just park behind and they have to wait.

The Motability is excellent but it is not the only way to use the money in your favour, certainly I wouldn't drive in London or even think about a car for inner London. A Uber taxi might be a good spend or an electric hire car? The use of a BB is perhaps not so straight forward as you first think?

GraceB

Hi, Would you be eligible for assistance via Access to Work? They may help with travel costs to/fro work.

As for the Blue Badge, you can apply whether or not you are on a disability related benefit. They're more easy to get if you are on a disability related benefit as it's an automatic entitlement - well it is here in Kent. If you aren't on a disability related benefit then they can be given on a discretionary basis. Complete the form as if it's your worst day re how far you can walk.

If you consider yourself to be disabled you should tell your employer as they have a duty under employment law to make "reasonable adjustments". That could include allocating you a parking space, providing a specialist chair, allowing you to work from home for some of your working hours (depending what your job is) etc., etc.

GraceB

dreamdaisy

I remember me and my late Ma being unable to find a BB space (the fact we both had one was neither here nor there) so, applying excellent logic, we parked in one of the myriad empty M&B spaces; after all she was my Mum and I had once been her baby. DD