OT Assessment for Blue Badge

sunnyone

formaldehyde_perfume wrote: »

Not at all. As my condition is (probably) genetic, I will have it for life, therefore I fit the BB specific criteria. The severety of the symptoms a person has from the condition is very variable and therefore someone who has less problems with walking but still finds it difficult to walk and would probably fit LRM catagory yet would still be entitled to a BB under their rules.

Each case should be looked at on it's own terms.

Also, all I did to get my BB was to write a form online and send a photo and admin fee. I was asked for permission to contact my GP, which I gave, but my GP has never mentioned it and I have never to her. I assume by this fact that they contacted my surgery to get my notes and confirm my story with diagnosis's and medication. It is besides the point, but I do have a very sympathetic doctor, and I am very grateful, but why shouldn't all GP's be sympathetic to their patients health worries?

the diffrence between high and low rate mobility FP,is that low rate has nothing at all to do with walking but is for supervision only and normally its given to people with MH problems etc. who need someone with them when they are outside.

Richie-from-the-Boro

A Flock Of Sheep - Urging two different standards, said : """ I don't see why the Council discretionary criteria for a Blue Badge shouldn't be more relaxed and flexible than the Automatic DLA right to a badge"""

Figures vary but the Audit Commission Feb 2011 - 16,535 blue badges, still in operation, even though their registered holders had died. 2.5m blue badges in circulation in the UK, each individual badge holder benefits by about £100pa, there are 2.5m badge holders that's about £300m per annum the taxpayer is stumping up for the BB, and 50% of BB holders at any one time have a problem getting a BB parking place.

Unfortunately the current BB scheme is not fit for purpose, no wonder they are in demand from the black market they are so easy to copy / forge / change expiry date / get duplicates for etc. Its precisely the uncontrolled discretionary nature of the current system that leads to accusations from BB & DLA haters alike. They target the disabled as lazy, fraudulent liars. The press pick it up and spread the word, the government decide you can walk without legs / see without eyes and hear without ears.

Look we've seen here in recent weeks posts where individuals have :

- badges with no photographs
- badges with amended dates in black felt nib
- badges with no anti-tamper covering etc

The DfT put the "monetary benefit of having a badge" at £5,644 for a regular badge user in London and £2,174 for a regular user in a city outside London.

The facts are its changing, and it needs to, otherwise someone at a later date will make BB status even more draconian than it will be under the 2012 reform. Start dealing with reality, its precisely the lax out~of~control nature of the previous BB adhocracy that led directly to BB holders being targeted by the general public, whining about how it used to be is an exercise in futility, most BB misuse is the fault of the BB holder, arguing for the status quo is arguing for the misuse to continue.

How it used to be [ how it is now ] is most BB offices do their own thing, in many cases apart from big towns & cities they haven't a clue or don't care. LA ' committees ' long ago used their powers to vary the original European BB initiative so that there is no commonality between different local authorities, in fact one a couple of weeks ago on this very forum had huge differences between the three different areas in the same county authority, there is no doubt in my mind that ' discretionary criteria ' and its supporters almost killed the BB, and led us to the mess the scheme is in today, and the severity of the new, soon to be introduced qualifying criteria.



- the above graphic from the BBFI

Anubis_2

My blue badge has a photograph and has done for the last few years. I was assessed years ago and my BB is now awarded on the information and medical reports they hold as I have just had one renewed for three years a couple of weeks ago, which took 8 days to reach me from re-application to getting it through my door.

I thought the photo's were compulsory, but obviously not - I don't know why, because they should be!

LadyMorticia

*attempts to read all of the posts since I last posted*

I have brain fog.:o This may take a while.:o

A_Flock_Of_Sheep

I'd like to know how they have dreamed up the sums...

I don't get through anywhere near £2,000+ let alone £5,000+ in parking concessions a year with my Blue Badge.

I use mine mainly at the Supermarket where parking is free to all anyway. If I use an off street car park in the City then I have to pay even though I have a badge.

Perhaps they should remove other perks from the scheme such as waiver of the London Congestion charge. It is this that I think makes the badge attractive and possibly puts the value up in London.

The toll bridge concession is actually only available to Blue Badge holders that actually get HRM DLA and is not open to discretionary badge holders.

It states on that weblink that the misuse is generally people "lending" badges to friends and family. This proably can't be stopped even with a new scheme. People "lend" books, DVD's and computer programs, CD's and MP3s to each other which is also misue of said articles and is also illegal but that doesn't seem to get debated on MSE as much as Blue Badge misuse.

Richie-from-the-Boro

Anubis wrote: »

My blue badge has a photograph and has done for the last few years. I was assessed years ago and my BB is now awarded on the information and medical reports they hold as I have just had one renewed for three years a couple of weeks ago, which took 8 days to reach me from re-application to getting it through my door.

I thought the photo's were compulsory, but obviously not - I don't know why, because they should be!

- you are quite right - it is compulsory .. .. but : -

An individual asked for the photo to be removed due to the colour of their skin, and did not want the skin colour showing through the windscreen. Shows how stupid the issuers were, the photo-side [ reverse ] is never displayed, in fact you risk a fine for displaying the badge the wrong way round - Big Grin -

Local staff making interventions and varying the rules is often times for the right ' caring ' reasons, of course its precisely that lack of standards that led us to this point. The only people who should be afraid of the BB changes are those who won't qualify, and if they don't qualify then they should not have had them in the first place and were only able to get one because the application system and subsequent zero control and monitoring in the 30 year old rickety system was a joke.

Perhaps now only the truly deserving will get an issue and we can get the chav abusers who target the disabled as lazy, fraudulent liars off the backs of those who need the gift the BB brings.

bifold

Anubis wrote: »

My blue badge has a photograph and has done for the last few years. I was assessed years ago and my BB is now awarded on the information and medical reports they hold as I have just had one renewed for three years a couple of weeks ago, which took 8 days to reach me from re-application to getting it through my door.

I thought the photo's were compulsory, but obviously not - I don't know why, because they should be!

Cancer patients are exampt photos,Its a chemo/hair thing,should the patient photo have real hair,no hair,hat or wig?
As a cancer patient I would be happy to have a yearly BB which would cut down on the number of badges being misused.

Richie-from-the-Boro

A_Flock_Of_Sheep wrote: »

I'd like to know how they have dreamed up the sums...

I don't get through anywhere near £2,000+ let alone £5,000+ in parking concessions a year with my Blue Badge.

I use mine mainly at the Supermarket where parking is free to all anyway. If I use an off street car park in the City then I have to pay even though I have a badge.

Perhaps they should remove other perks from the scheme such as waiver of the London Congestion charge. It is this that I think makes the badge attractive and possibly puts the value up in London.

The toll bridge concession is actually only available to Blue Badge holders that actually get HRM DLA and is not open to discretionary badge holders.

It states on that weblink that the misuse is generally people "lending" badges to friends and family. This proably can't be stopped even with a new scheme. People "lend" books, DVD's and computer programs, CD's and MP3s to each other which is also misue of said articles and is also illegal but that doesn't seem to get debated on MSE as much as Blue Badge misuse.

I'm not having a pop at you, but you said the taxpayer did not pay and argued for Council discretionary criteria.

I'm saying the taxpayer does pay and the council(s) discretionary criteria is largely (1) responsible for the wholesale fraud and the (2) way the press and chav abusers target the disabled and (3) the reason the politicians and treasury are able politically to get away with coming down on BB users with a great clunking fist.

PlasticMoose

A_Flock_Of_Sheep wrote: »

Perhaps they should remove other perks from the scheme such as waiver of the London Congestion charge. It is this that I think makes the badge attractive and possibly puts the value up in London.
=

While I agree it puts the value up, I'd be in real mess without the exemption. I work in the zone and for various reasons I find public transport hard enough on a good day - on a bad day, impossible, which would mean me being unable to go to work. Having to pay the charge would totally eat up my DLA mobility, and while some might argue that it should/could be used for that, that would also mean no money there for helping to run the car in the first place, or doing things like replacing the wheels on my chair for more suitable ones.

Richie-from-the-Boro

bifold wrote: »

Cancer patients are exampt photos,Its a chemo/hair thing,should the patient photo have real hair,no hair,hat or wig?
As a cancer patient I would be happy to have a yearly BB which would cut down on the number of badges being misused.

We have discussed this before, no one can see your photo for the reasons I've given. If they could we would have to have a collection here on MSE to pay your fine for you