Blue Badge criteria

Muttleythefrog

Dear members,

I recently applied for my first blue badge via the government website. I waited until I got a new PIP award so I could get a decent length one following the new added hidden disability criteria changes. I got that PIP awarded 2 weeks ago, for 3 years, and again I was awarded standard mobility due to the 10 point scoring descriptor 'cannot go on journeys due to overwhelming psychological distress'.

Today I received a curious letter from my local council saying they do not dispute my difficulties but they require further specialist evidence of my relevant difficulties in order to determine if they can award the blue badge. They talk of problems expected to last at least 3 years being required and say things like supportive GP letters will not be considered but that if I had the problems I claim there would be specialist input. Further they go on to claim I sent an address proof which did not match my application and they want another - I had supplied my recent Council Tax bill.

I have responded to them and re-supplied my documents. There is definitely no mismatch of address on any document/application and I have sent them my application data document (supplied by government website) to show the details I submitted and the documents. I have re-supplied them with the required documents that I provided which includes in full my recent PIP award letter and statement of entitlement.

I really don't know what has happened - I have asked them to look at a possible data breach/mismatch of application data. There is some indication staff may be processing these things via email at home.

My question to members - can a council ask for more evidence as to blue badge entitlement when you can provide incontrovertible evidence (DWP PIP documentation) that you meet the criteria for what I had assumed was considered automatic entitlement?

Regards!

Browntoa

Yes they can , we don't have visibility of councils vetting procedures for blue badges and each council is different ( my local council seems fairly lax , my mum has one without the need for any further verification  whilst a friend in a different area has all kinds of obstacles )

poppy12345

Muttleythefrog said:

My question to members - can a council ask for more evidence as to blue badge entitlement when you can provide incontrovertible evidence (DWP PIP documentation) that you meet the criteria for what I had assumed was considered automatic entitlement?

Regards!

Although all local councils have their own rules the national rules for England are the same in all parts, for those that automatically qualify.

For those that don't automatically qualify the rules will be different for all local councils.

Under following and planning a journey you must have scored the points in activity 1 descriptor E (can't undertake any journey because of OPD) If it was 1D you scored the points in then this does not automatically qualify you so yes they would be right in asking for more evidence.

See link for confirmation. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/blue-badge-can-i-get-one/can-i-get-a-blue-badge

Spoonie_Turtle

In the OP "again I was awarded standard mobility due to the 10 point scoring descriptor 'cannot go on journeys due to overwhelming psychological distress'."

Sounds like 1E to me.

Very strange, because 1E does come under the automatic qualification according to that page on gov.uk.

Maybe your council hasn't updated their guidance? Maybe worth checking. (Edit: a quick Google search shows one council that's missed off the mobility descriptor 1e, and another council whose old guidance from 2010(!!!) is freely available, but nothing newer *sigh*)

The bit about expecting difficulties to last 3 yrs is very odd, because your award is for that length of time. (Presumably a shorter PIP award would result in a shorter expiration date on the BB anyway; 3yrs for a BB is standard but it's not the only possible duration.)

Unlikely that it's relevant but how did you send your supporting documents?

Muttleythefrog

Thanks to the 3 of you for comment. To confirm, yes definitely Mob 1E as described - screenshotted above as I'm starting to doubt myself lately..lol

I did look at the neighbouring council website which has more info and they suggest they look for further evidence (in very similar language terms as put to me by my council) if applying on grounds of hidden disability but it was unclear if that related to those who don't have the relevant descriptor or do, or either.

Their own website seems up to date with the new qualification criteria so I quoted it to them directly to confirm I automatically qualify. 

How did I send supporting docs? As scanned pdfs (except for the passport style image) to the government website application system. The pdf document you are supplied at end confirms what the attachments were as it shows an image of the first page of each. But I am curious they claimed a mismatch of address because I have my application details and I give my address correctly... I supplied a very recent updated council tax bill which gives correct address and also my PIP award letter of a couple weeks ago and even my marriage cert (suitable proof of ID) give the same address. So I really wonder if they were sitting at home processing this fuelled by cider or if there has been some electronic failing. If it is the latter I hope I've overcome it by resupplying the docs in an email to the relevant council department.

What I will do is surely get to the bottom of this and give update. If they do insist on further evidence I am tempted to throw at them a barrage of reports sitting in my scanned medical documents file and let them spend a day reading them for whatever information they see as relevant..lol. The irony is the blue badge is meant to make the lives of disabled people easier.... having just been through the very costly and time consuming (including 46 pieces of uploaded evidence) application for my wife's settlement in the UK I hadn't anticipated the blue badge application would be the one causing me grief...on International day of Disabled People!

Spoonie_Turtle

Very odd indeed! As PDFs people working from home should have no problem viewing them (although WFH you'd hope people would have all the relevant software they need to do their job anyway).

The only further evidence required should be if it's not an automatic entitlement. I'm almost certain there will be government guidance, presumably from the Department for Transport, which would be something else to throw at them ... Oh, here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-blue-badge-scheme-local-authority-guidance-england/blue-badge#determining-the-eligibility-of-individual-applicants

The timing of course is the ironic icing on the cake. Unbelievable that they've managed to mess up something so simple!

Muttleythefrog

Quick update - they've approved my application. No other comment was made in relation to my evidence and there was not even acknowledgement of my email.

Why they archaically use post I do not know - seems very backward and even their letter isn't easy to understand for instruction. I would therefore conclude they've just had some idiot processing my application in the first place.

Now the problem of paying online - their website isn't allowing addresses to be input due to a postcode search failure. 
Ever feel you're jinxed. 

Browntoa

Payment was an issue for my mums as well , the website wouldn't allow me to change the address from hers to mine as the billing address. It went through anyway with my card and her address

DerektheDonkey

Op, I am a bit late to the party based on your update however I was going to say this.

I know from your other posts that you are in he process of moving from deepest darkest up North to Cornwall, might you have waited and applied to Cornwall County council who may have had different rulings?

I also read that you see cars as a privilege and that you do not drive. Who will make use of the badge on your behalf? Particularly after you have moved.

Happy to help. Good luck.

poppy12345

DerektheDonkey said:

Op, I am a bit late to the party based on your update however I was going to say this.

I know from your other posts that you are in he process of moving from deepest darkest up North to Cornwall, might you have waited and applied to Cornwall County council who may have had different rulings?

I also read that you see cars as a privilege and that you do not drive. Who will make use of the badge on your behalf? Particularly after you have moved.

Happy to help. Good luck.

I'm assuming you didn't read their updated comment. OP has had their BB approved.

Even if they move in the future, they will still be able to use their BB, if it's in date. A move to a different local council doesn't mean you have to apply for a new BB.

Not being able to drive doesn't mean a BB can't still be used. Providing they are in the car the badge can still be used, for their purpose.

DerektheDonkey

poppy12345 said:

DerektheDonkey said:

Op, I am a bit late to the party based on your update however I was going to say this.

I know from your other posts that you are in he process of moving from deepest darkest up North to Cornwall, might you have waited and applied to Cornwall County council who may have had different rulings?

I also read that you see cars as a privilege and that you do not drive. Who will make use of the badge on your behalf? Particularly after you have moved.

Happy to help. Good luck.

I'm assuming you didn't read their updated comment. OP has had their BB approved.

Even if they move in the future, they will still be able to use their BB, if it's in date. A move to a different local council doesn't mean you have to apply for a new BB.

Not being able to drive doesn't mean a BB can't still be used. Providing they are in the car the badge can still be used, for their purpose.

I know all that, but thank you.,

I'm assuming you didn't read my opening comment that said "  I am a bit late to the party based on your update however I was going to say this."