Disabled Parking Bays

will2k3

As far as not all disabled people being obvious about it, thats true. My family is entitled to use disabled spaces, as my younger brother has severe autism. He cannot communicate, and is likely to do things like run off.. its roughly equivalent to the problems of having an extremely hyperactive 2 year old, but in a 17 year olds body (ie. a lot of strength when tantrums come on, and so forth).

We try to leave the spaces free, unless it is one of us struggling to control him on our own (for some people they really are a necessity to get out of the car), yet we've had people question our entitlement to be parked in the spaces, when we are, as he is fairly able bodied despite his problems. All I can say is I wish the people who questioned us could live a day with my brother. Not BEING him, just being WITH him, for one day, would be enough to convince them.

If they want the entitlement, perhaps they'd like to have their children, their brother, or themselves have no chance at all of ever leading anything approaching a "normal" life, in return for it.

Poppy9

Where I live the disabled spaces are always full. A relative who has a blue badge complains she never manages to get a space.

bring1t

but are they full of blue badges?

Poppy9

Yes - For some reason in my town there is a huge proportion of the population with these badges. Age seems to qualify nearly everyone. Never see an OAP without one but a huge number of young people also seem to qualify. A friend who worked for a while as a Housing Officer and had to visit the so called 'Sink Estates' said you wouldn't believe how some of these so called poverty stricken people are living. The houses inside are immaculate with laminte flooring throughout, widescreen or plasma tv's, surround sound systems, sky dishes, dysons, leather sofas, marble ash trays, fully fitted kitchens and outside a brand new car complete with blue badges. Cars are on Motobility - which means they get the higher rate of disability allowance but often these people are just suffering depression or have a bad back. Also the amount of money some people are amassing on benefits is amazing. If you saw Wife Swap you would have seen the young family raking in £31k a year. A working person would need to earn over £40k to bring that home after tax.

I don't begrudge the geniune needy but people who take the P really get me - especially as I work to pay taxes to maintain their lifestyle.

crana999

You can't get the higher rate of the mobility component of DLA (the kind you can get a car on Motability with) if you have only been diagnosed with depression and don't have other disabilities or health problems, as far as I know.

lisyloo

A friend who worked for a while as a Housing Officer and had to visit the so called 'Sink Estates' said you wouldn't believe how some of these so called poverty stricken people are living. The houses inside are immaculate with laminte flooring throughout, widescreen or plasma tv's, surround sound systems, sky dishes, dysons, leather sofas, marble ash trays, fully fitted kitchens and outside a brand new car complete with blue badges.

You cannot live this kind of lifestyle on benefits alone.
Anyone who thinks it's that easy is living on another planet.
We'd all be doing it, if you could have that kind of lifestyle for free.

These people must be either
1) defrauding some insurance company
2) working cash in hand in addition to benefits
3) involved in some kind of criminal activity

It's very easy to make assumptions about where people's money come from.

If you think people live like this on benefits then you are wrong.
For the vast majority it's quite hard actually claiming benefits and they have a very poor lifestyle from it.
There are always a minority who benefit somehow - but not to the extent you describe.
These stories just get bigger in the telling.

Poppy9

You cannot live this kind of lifestyle on benefits alone.
Anyone who thinks it's that easy is living on another planet.
We'd all be doing it, if you could have that kind of lifestyle for free.

These people must be either
1) defrauding some insurance company
2) working cash in hand in addition to benefits
3) involved in some kind of criminal activity

It's very easy to make assumptions about where people's money come from.

If you think people live like this on benefits then you are wrong.
For the vast majority it's quite hard actually claiming benefits and they have a very poor lifestyle from it.
There are always a minority who benefit somehow - but not to the extent you describe.
These stories just get bigger in the telling.

I agree the honest and needy benefit claimants can't because it is so hard for them to find out and claim all the benefits they are entitled to. However the career claimants who have never done an honest days work in their life can. Below are details of the Wife Swop family £37k. If you think this family is unique you are mistaken. Final note they were quite proud they spent £140 on fags!

Benefits breakdown on the Rochdale Observer website:

The Bardsley benefits break down as follows:

Child benefit £4,747.60
Carers' allowance (for a child who has chronic asthma) £5,691.40
Disability living allowance (for the same child) £5,051.80
Disability allowance (for another child with chronic asthma) £3,754.40
Income support (Mrs Bardsley and children) £13,710.84
Incapacity benefit (for Mr Bardsley age 30 who has had depression since his father died six years ago) £4,446.00

Figures provided by the Daily Mail

lisyloo

I don't dispute those figures.
But I do dispoute that you can live the high life that was described in a previous post on £37K if you have a lot of children (unless of course most of the stuff is ripped off).

I live in a lovely "executive area" and I would say you need a household income of about 3 times that to live the lifestyle described unless you are buying ripped off goods or up to your eyeballs in debt.

Bascially I don't think it's possible or sensible to try and guess what money people are getting just by looking at people's lifestyle. There are many reasons why such an analysis may be flawed - debt for starters.
(BTW - I am referring to the post where the housing officer was jumping to conclusions and not yours which is supported by factual figures)

Poppy9

Well I could live on £37k if I didn't have to work quite nicely. Trouble is I wouldn't know what to say to ensure I could claim all the benefits available. I didn't realise until this programme that you could claim extra money because your child has asthma. Is this what the system was set up for? I think it was intended to help those with severely disabled children who incur a lot of extra costs as a result of the childs disability. This mother was so concerned about her childrens asthma that she said it with a fag in her mouth and the kids in the room. Final note this family are now seeking IVF for a 9th child as Mrs B has changed her mind about her sterilisation. She has said she has £4k saved from her benefits towards the cost.

lisyloo

Well I could live on £37k if I didn't have to work quite nicely.

I agree - but my comment was referring to people living with plasma screen TVs, laminate flooring etc, fitted kitchens.
I dispute you could afford that (without getting into debt or buying ripped off goods).

If you can afford it then please let me know how as I'd love to know.
Most of the people who live round me with that sort of lifestyle have 6 figure household incomes.
I am a very keen money saver but I really don't see how you can live the high life on £37K if you have 8 people in the house.

I think it was intended to help those with severely disabled children who incur a lot of extra costs as a result of the childs disability.

I think you are wrong.
Firstly it isn't for children - it's for people of any age.
Secondly there is no requirement to incur any additional costs. You simply have to fit into the rules for disability.

I agree with you that the system isn't right.