Nice People Thread Part 9 - and so it continues

vivatifosi

lemonjelly wrote: »

Fun fact - blue badge fraud is the biggest volume of fraud in the UK currently.

My mum desperately needs a new blue badge as hers expired a couple of months back. The new forms are just awful. She couldn't complete herself as too complex and I couldn't help initially as too much on my plate when DH was very ill.

It will be good if new system cuts fraud, but I suspect that those with the gall to commit it will continue to do so while some frail people will be put off. I already know of people in mobility ECVs getting parking tickets after their badge expires but while waiting for assessment.

In mum's case, and I suspect many others, she underclaims benefits that she is entitled to, then doesn't auto qualify and has to wait for assessment.

lostinrates

Well, was that the longest mortgage transfer in history, surely. Started on May, went through today.

Because we got the mortgage for the amount we needed in may we have some money left over the amount we can pay directly as an overpayment.

Very tempting to use as cash flow to throw at another problem here, but of course, adds six months to our mortgage over all........

mystic_trev

vivatifosi wrote: »

My mum desperately needs a new blue badge as hers expired a couple of months back. The new forms are just awful. She couldn't complete herself as too complex and I couldn't help initially as too much on my plate when DH was very ill.

It will be good if new system cuts fraud, but I suspect that those with the gall to commit it will continue to do so while some frail people will be put off. I already know of people in mobility ECVs getting parking tickets after their badge expires but while waiting for assessment.

In mum's case, and I suspect many others, she underclaims benefits that she is entitled to, then doesn't auto qualify and has to wait for assessment.

Same here viva, the Badge expires as they don't send you a reminder. We only found out it had expired when my brother got a parking ticket.

As you say the renewals a bloody nightmare and no way most 91 year olds (in my mothers case) could fill it in. It took me about four times online to get most of it filled in. That was three weeks ago and we're still waiting for the form to arrive for Mum to sign it. I expect they'll also require another photo along with all the other forms of identity they want! Talk about jumping through hoops :mad:

SingleSue

lostinrates wrote: »

My GP said not to tell them about the good days. That to me feels wrong. And yes, fraudulent.

Thing is, while I KNOW there is a lot of fraud about these things I also wonder now is sometimes that people are in need of something but just don't fit that criteria.....

I've decided (mainly by inaction) not to apply until I have no choice.

Sounds like me....

I keep being told I should apply for one but at the moment, I don't feel like it is the right time.

SingleSue

I get around the problem by having a wheelchair for the longer trips, means we can park in a normal car park and just push there rather than looking for the disabled spots....obviously, as I cannot self propel (dodgy shoulders), this does require having to have someone with me for the more in depth shopping trips (or indeed, any trip into the town centre, I can't walk the distance from the nearest car park to the high street!)

lostinrates

SingleSue wrote: »

Sounds like me....

I keep being told I should apply for one but at the moment, I don't feel like it is the right time.

Hang on though, doesn't more walking actually cause more damage later on for you and James? IMO that changes it slightly, and you should!:)

Doozergirl

I saw this the other day and thougjt of bugslet. Perhaps I should post it!

http://m.theweek.com/article.php?id=251909

I'm rubbish at making links look interesting, but it considers Forrest Gump's mega run across America three times

lostinrates

silvercar I checked today, yes my parents had white limestone every where you want white.

Neither can remember which local supplier they went with.

While I don't like this one linked it also shows less dark.....so people are still producing them
http://fires-fireplaces.co.uk/fireplaces?product_id=119

( I'm looking for a woodburner for our study and fireplace stuff for our cheese room .......)

vivatifosi

lostinrates wrote: »

Hang on though, doesn't more walking actually cause more damage later on for you and James? IMO that changes it slightly, and you should!:)

Another point worth considering with a degenerative condition is that badges take quite a while to process, I think it is about two months, poss longer, for Mum. So if, for example, you knew you were going to be particularly bad in winter, it's worth applying a couple of months before, so you have it when you need it.

bugslet

Doozergirl wrote: »

I saw this the other day and thougjt of bugslet. Perhaps I should post it!

http://m.theweek.com/article.php?id=251909

I'm rubbish at making links look interesting, but it considers Forrest Gump's mega run across America three times

Oooo I love things like that, taking something fictional and seeing if it's possible ( the only reason I support space exploration is because of a wish to find the Klangers and the Soup Dragon),

I can't remember how many miles the ultrarunners were doing for training, but IIRC, they would run to and from work, a distance of say 10 miles each way, so based on that, Forrest could easily do it.:D