Blue Badge Scheme Query

legend76

I'm looking for a bit of advice on this one.

My Father In Law has COPD which often depending on his exertions or the weather can leave him breathless. I believe he is in receipt of DLA or a similar benefit for this.

Often at the weekend we take the in laws out for a run in the car, sometimes to the shops. However, if its busy we sometimes find parking close to the venue is a problem.

Is it possible for him to apply for a blue badge for use when he is out and about in our car for the purposes of being able to park in the disabled parking spaces?

Any help would be appreciated.

Invasion

Is he unable to walk 50 metres before he needs to stop, or is in severe discomfort? To automatically qualify for a BB via DLA he needs to be in receipt of higher rate mobility. Some councils won't give you a BB unless you meet automatic qualifying criteria (unless over 65) others give them out with a doctors letter.

kingfisherblue

In my area, if you do not receive the higher rate of mobility, the council send you to a doctor for a medical. My mum-in-law had to go because she applied for a BB but receives Attendance Allowance, so is too old to receive mobility. She has problems with walking - the way in which she walks, as well as the distance and time taken - and received an immediate response from the doctor - she definitely qualified.

It's definitely worth applying - I know a couple of people with COPD who have a BB

Tally-Ho_2

kingfisherblue wrote: »

In my area, if you do not receive the higher rate of mobility, the council send you to a doctor for a medical.

In that case the Local Authority need reporting to the Local Government Ombudsman as they are acting illegally. The classes of people who are awarded a blue badge without assessment is not just limited to those receiving 'higher rate of mobility' which I take it as referring to the Higher Rate Mobility Component of DLA:

People who do not need to have an assessment

You are automatically eligible for a badge if you are over two years old and either:

• receive the higher rate of the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance
• are registered blind
• receive a War Pensioner's Mobility Supplement

You do not need to have an assessment if any of this applies to you.




[SIZE=+1]The Disabled Persons (Badges for Motor Vehicles) (England) Regulations 2000

as amended by:[/SIZE]The Disabled Persons (Badges for Motor Vehicles) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2007


Tally

kingfisherblue

Tally-Ho, none of this applies to my MIL though, so surely the council were correct in sending her for a medical assessment with a doctor? They probably do award a blue badge automatically if you are registered blind or in receipt of War Pensioners Mobility Supplement, but as I do not know anybody in either of these categories, and neither were mentioned by the OP, I did not refer to them. My point was merely that councils can consider those who do not automatically qualify - perhaps I should have made this clearer.

Incidentally, a few years ago, my council decided to issue BBs to everyone over eighty, just based on age. I don't know if they still do this though.

CUTESMILE

Where I live the local council ask you a series of questions from a list they have on the computer and if you answer them in a certain way then they either award you a badge or don't. This is now done instead of the form you had to complete and send off to be considered if you didnt automatically qualify i.e get hrm or war pension.

You go into a customer service centre and do this.

My hubby got one after doing the above whilst waiting to hear about dla.

They ask how far you can walk, if you need to stop & why? What the actual problem is? If you could use public transport on your own? and a few other questions but cant remember what they were