Blue Badge Scheme

bspm1

K80_Black wrote: »

As someone who fits the 'cannot undertake any journey' descriptor - it means without significant help and support. The same way that those who 'cannot take nutrition' do not die of starvation, those that 'cannot undertake any ourney' don't always stay at home.

Hope that clears some things up.

No, it doesn't clear it up for me.
So, if someone has a blue badge, let's say to go shopping, they will be able to walk around a supermarket (unless physically disabled) so why do they need a blue badge to enable them to park closer?
Not wishing to start an argument, or cause a fuss but I am genuinely intrigued.
If not being able to undertake any journey without causing distress please tell me how having a blue badge helps?
Is it to enable the carer to park closer to a store as the person being cared for might not cope with walking across a car park for whatever reason? Surely if that is the case the same can be said about walking around a store.

K80_Black

bspm1 wrote: »

No, it doesn't clear it up for me.
So, if someone has a blue badge, let's say to go shopping, they will be able to walk around a supermarket (unless physically disabled) so why do they need a blue badge to enable them to park closer?
Not wishing to start an argument, or cause a fuss but I am genuinely intrigued.
If not being able to undertake any journey without causing distress please tell me how having a blue badge helps?
Is it to enable the carer to park closer to a store as the person being cared for might not cope with walking across a car park for whatever reason? Surely if that is the case the same can be said about walking around a store.

Those with mental illness may need to retreat to a safe place like their car if they become distressed. Trying to get through a busy car park in the middle of a psychotic episode for example is very difficult and dangerous, even with a carer.

calcotti

TELLIT01 wrote: »

I caught the tail end of a news item about people legitimately displaying Blue Badges but still getting tickets. Apparently some LA's only allow Blue Badge 'rights' to those issued by them. Anybody visiting from outside their area has to abide by 'standard' parking controls.
Apologies for the vagueness of this as I don't know which LA it was.

That seems so ridiculous I thought I'd see if I could find anything about what the rules says. I found this leaflet (couple of years old)
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/781801/blue-badge-rights-responsibilities.pdf

A Blue Badge will help you to park close to your destination, either as a passenger or driver. However, the badge is intended for on-street parking only. Off-street car parks, such as those provided in local authority, hospital or supermarket car parks are governed by separate rules.

So user is expected to drive into a car park and then check the rules which if they are displayed at all will most likely be in very small print quite high up on a lamp post!

bspm1

K80_Black wrote: »

Those with mental illness may need to retreat to a safe place like their car if they become distressed. Trying to get through a busy car park in the middle of a psychotic episode for example is very difficult and dangerous, even with a carer.

Fair enough so explain how someone using public transport would get around this? I still do not understand why blue badges are available to people who do not have mobility issues.
I am sure someone having a psychotic episode is extremely frightening for the person involved and their carer, I know nothing about mental health issues (didn't think I could call it mental health anymore so I have learnt something).

calcotti

bspm1 wrote: »

Fair enough so explain how someone using public transport would get around this?

Presumably they might not and could easily become housebound.

poppy12345

K80_Black wrote: »

As someone who fits the 'cannot undertake any journey' descriptor - it means without significant help and support. The same way that those who 'cannot take nutrition' do not die of starvation, those that 'cannot undertake any ourney' don't always stay at home.

Hope that clears some things up.

No, it doesn't clear it but thanks. This is taken from this link.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal-independence-payment-assessment-guide-for-assessment-providers/pip-assessment-guide-part-2-the-assessment-criteria#mobility-activities


Any journey’ means that in order to satisfy the descriptor on any particular day the person must not be able to manage to undertake a single journey. If the person can manage to leave the home to undertake a journey once then on that day the descriptor is not satisfied, even if they are unable to undertake other journeys during the same day. Being able to complete a journey at night time only however, is not considered to be completing a journey to an acceptable standard. Therefore, in these instances, this descriptor may be appropriate.

If a person can't undertake any journey because of OPD then why would they need a BB?

K80_Black

bspm1 wrote: »

Fair enough so explain how someone using public transport would get around this? I still do not understand why blue badges are available to people who do not have mobility issues.
I am sure someone having a psychotic episode is extremely frightening for the person involved and their carer, I know nothing about mental health issues (didn't think I could call it mental health anymore so I have learnt something).

They can't get around it. That's why my half price bus pass is particularly insulting. This is why we get extra money from the government to pay for a few taxis to appointments and things. People who receive the mobility element of PIP do have mobility issues, even if it's not as obvious as someone with a physical ailment.

K80_Black

poppy12345 wrote: »

No, it doesn't clear it but thanks. This is taken from this link.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal-independence-payment-assessment-guide-for-assessment-providers/pip-assessment-guide-part-2-the-assessment-criteria#mobility-activities


Any journey’ means that in order to satisfy the descriptor on any particular day the person must not be able to manage to undertake a single journey. If the person can manage to leave the home to undertake a journey once then on that day the descriptor is not satisfied, even if they are unable to undertake other journeys during the same day. Being able to complete a journey at night time only however, is not considered to be completing a journey to an acceptable standard. Therefore, in these instances, this descriptor may be appropriate.

If a person can't undertake any journey because of OPD then why would they need a BB?

I don't see what you're struggling with here. I cannot complete any journey without my carer (and a whole host of other things, for that matter). The fact that I need a carer to go with me is why I receive PIP and will soon be entitled to a blue badge. It doesn't mean I literally cannot leave my house at all. I thought the 'taking nutrition' analogy was clear enough, and cannot think of a better one.

poppy12345

K80_Black wrote: »

I don't see what you're struggling with here. I cannot complete any journey without my carer (and a whole host of other things, for that matter). The fact that I need a carer to go with me is why I receive PIP and will soon be entitled to a blue badge. It doesn't mean I literally cannot leave my house at all. I thought the 'taking nutrition' analogy was clear enough, and cannot think of a better one.

My point here is that for descriptor E if you leave your house once then that particular day doesn't count for that descriptor. So if a person leaves their home once per day for 6 days out of 7 even if it's with another person then they most likely won't score points in that descriptor. So to score points in this descriptor a person must almost be housebound because of OPD. If a person is housebound because of this then what's the use of a BB going to be to them?



My daughter never ever leaves the house without someone either and has never done this in her life and she's 18. She claims Enhanced mobility and scored 12 points in following and planning a journey because she needs someone with her everytime she goes out but she won't be entitled to the BB because she scored 12 points.

K80_Black

poppy12345 wrote: »

My point here is that for descriptor E if you leave your house once then that particular day doesn't count for that descriptor. So if a person leaves their home once per day for 6 days out of 7 even if it's with another person then they most likely won't score points in that descriptor. So to score points in this descriptor a person must almost be housebound because of OPD. If a person is housebound because of this then what's the use of a BB going to be to them?



My daughter never ever leaves the house without someone either and has never done this in her life and she's 18. She claims Enhanced mobility and scored 12 points in following and planning a journey because she needs someone with her everytime she goes out but she won't be entitled to the BB because she scored 12 points.

Until recently, the 12 point descriptor included 'for reasons other than psychological distress' - which was shown to be discriminatory to those with mental health issues and dropped. I think they kept the 10 point descriptor about psychological distress to avoid having to bump everyone on that one up to 12 points and give them high rate mobility - unless you're suggesting it's somehow right that someone who can leave the house at all (supposedly) is somehow entitled to more points than those who cannot leave at all?

I agree that the wording of that particular descriptor is ambiguous, but it's purely because the government used to think it was somehow different for the mentally ill.