Blue Badge

maximouse40
maximouse40 Member Posts: 2
in Living with arthritis

Hi I am new on here ! i have severe Arthritis in my left knee and both ankles - recently getting an infection inside my arthritic joint- Jesus that was painful.

I have applied once about two years ago for a Blue Badge only to be told by the assessor that I recovered two quickly from the exercise to qualify.

I just wondered if a letter from the Dr might help to get me through- it is so so painful to walk very far and I need to park as near to the shops as possible.

Has anybody had any success this way?

Look forward to hearing from you!

Comments

  • Chris_R
    Chris_R Moderator Posts: 835

    Hi maximouse40

    Welcome to the online Arthritis Community,so glad you found us.I have never needed a Blue Badge but there are plenty on this forum that have applied and can give you advice. A letter from your GP might help it cant harm your application any way.

    Take a look round the forum and see what you can find out,everyone is very friendly and will help you and encourage you in every way

    Please let us know how you get on Christine

    .

    Need more help? - call our Helpline on 0800 5200 520 Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm

  • N1gel
    N1gel Member Posts: 161

    When I first applied for one in the late 80's(!) I was told you automatically got turned down on your first application.

  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520

    I have had one since 2007, my car has been cluttered since 2002 with various sticks, crutches then in 2011 a rollator so it's pretty visible that I need mobility aids. DD

    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • Mike1
    Mike1 Member Posts: 1,992

    If you put "blue badge" into the search engine in the top left hand corner of the page it will bring up several threads about the subject.

  • JoeB
    JoeB Bots Posts: 83
    edited 4. Jul 2020, 10:13

    The official guidance (for England) is here -

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-blue-badge-scheme-local-authority-guidance-england/blue-badge

    Guidance for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland is also available on the GOU.UK site. They are obliged to follow this guidance - although it is guidance not law chisled into a tablet of stone.

    The era of 'a letter from the doctor' is drawing to a close in favour of what is viewed as more objective assessment. Having said that it might be of some value but GPs / Consultants are entitled to a fee for writing it (assuming that they agree to write something in support) and the council do not have to accept such a letter as incontrovertible evidence.

    https://www.bma.org.uk/pay-and-contracts/fees

    I have a blue badge but often find parking spaces reserved for parents are both closer and enjoy the benefit of a covered walkway. Hence whilst useful the practical value of a Blue Badge is not without significant limitations.

    Arthur

  • Mike1
    Mike1 Member Posts: 1,992

    Blue badge holders can use those spaces reserved for parents and children if the disabled bays are full.

  • JoeB
    JoeB Bots Posts: 83
    https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/comment/669996#Comment_669996

    I didn't know that.

    The disabled bays are almost never full just considerably further from the supermarket and don't enjoy the benefit of cover from the rain. This is true for two of three supermarkets where we live.

    At the GP there are only three disabled spaces so they almost aways are taken as is every other space. It's a problem - particularly for my wife who is even less mobile than I am.

    Nevertheless - thanks for the info.

    Arthur

  • Crookesey
    Crookesey Bots Posts: 119
    edited 10. Jul 2020, 21:19

    As for parking in ‘Blue Badge’ bays in supermarket car parks, even if I had one I wouldn’t use it for this. I often notice large scruffy cars covered in scuffs and dents but without badges parked in these reserved bays, they ought to be re-named [ ‘bone idle xxxxxxx’.]

    Text deleted - pejorative description of a person

    YvonneH

  • Crookesey
    Crookesey Bots Posts: 119
    edited 10. Jul 2020, 21:19

    This post and 2 others have been deleted from this discussion.

    YvonneH

  • Mike1
    Mike1 Member Posts: 1,992
    edited 10. Jul 2020, 21:00

    As for parking in ‘Blue Badge’ bays in supermarket car parks, even if I had one I wouldn’t use it for this. I often notice large scruffy cars covered in scuffs and dents but without badges parked in these reserved bays, they ought to be re-named [ ‘bone idle xxxxxxx’.]

    Everyone forgets to put their badge on the dash occasionally and some of us with very limited funds drive bangers, I used to before my licence was withdrawn by the DVLA on disability grounds!!

  • Crookesey
    Crookesey Bots Posts: 119

    I take your point and have decided to leave the forum, not because of you by the way, it was good until a certain member decided to troll me, keep posting, you’re very good.

  • stellabean
    stellabean Member Posts: 308

    I love to watch people park in the disabled bays jump out of their cars and run into the shops I suppose their disability is they can't read. We tend to park in the quieter parts in the hope no one parks right against the passenger door making it impossible for me to get in. Or so close to the back we can't open the back door, someone did that once and caught their radiator on the tow hitch and showed my land rover out of it's space whoops.

  • Mike1
    Mike1 Member Posts: 1,992

    I used to be incensed by the number of people parking up, displaying their blue badges and running into the shops then to return some time later carrying bags full of stuff. I went through a period of taking photos of the culprits and "their" blue badge serial numbers and then emailing them to the Council along with dates and times. In all such cases they refused to investigate and merely stated that not all disabilities are visible!!

  • Mike1
    Mike1 Member Posts: 1,992
    https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/comment/670209#Comment_670209

    I was unsure what this meant so I had to look up the definition; Trolling is defined as creating discord on the Internet by starting quarrels or upsetting people by posting inflammatory or off-topic messages in an online community. Basically, a social media troll is someone who purposely says something controversial in order to get a rise out of other users. I have not seen any evidence of this on the forum and I am sure that the Mods would have stamped it out straight away if anything like it had been identified or reported.

  • Crookesey
    Crookesey Bots Posts: 119

    YvonneH, is on the job and I can’t undermine her efforts by continuing this conversation.

  • Mike1
    Mike1 Member Posts: 1,992

    Perhaps this sign should replace the current signs on blue badge parking spaces:

    funny-handicap-parking-sign.jpg

    😁

  • 0789blackie
    0789blackie Member Posts: 13
    Hi maximouse40

    I’ve just had my application for a blue badge approved I applied online and mine went on the score I received on my PIP assessment all I had to do was take a picture of the evidence and upload on the online application and a day later this was processed and a decision made you then just have to pay a £10 fee and it lasts 3 years and they post to your address

    Hope this came as useful

    All the best

    Darren
  • TwinCam88
    TwinCam88 Member Posts: 22

    A few years back whilst living in Lincolnshire I was told I didn't qualify for a blue badge but last year on moving to Yorkshire I applied and got one with no hesitation. Stick with it, they make a huge difference.

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