Blue Badge application

melbury

Just wondered if the criteria to get a blue badge has been changed recently.

Completed the application to renew my OH's blue badge which runs out soon and have received a letter saying that they cannot renew it as he does not qualify.

We are totally confused about this and can't understand why as there was no problem when he originally applied.  He gets standard rate PIP mobility as he was awarded 10 points (for the planning and following journey).  

This is what we don't understand, quote from the letter:

"Unfortunately you have applied for a Blue Badge concession under the category of

Personal Independence Payment (Moving Around) but the evidences show that you

are not in receipt of sufficient points in the appropriate sectors to be awarded a

badge under this category."

Has it been changed whereby you have to get the 10 points in the Moving Around category?

His health has deteriorated since then as he has severe breathing difficulties and balance problems.

We just can't understand why they would award it without question three years ago and then refuse it now.

Any advice would be appreciated.

CosmoChic

Eight points under Moving Around qualifies you for a Blue Badge.  Ten points under Planning A Journey will qualify you only if the points are awarded under descriptor 1E (overwhelming psychological distress).

If your husband's physical condition has worsened, perhaps a PIP review would be useful to establish his eligibility under the Moving Around criteria? 

The guidance was updated in August 2019.  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/blue-badge-can-i-get-one/can-i-get-a-blue-badge

poppy12345

If he doesn't automatically qualify under descriptor 1E for his PIP award then he can still apply for the BB but an assessment maybe needed.

I wouldn't advise reporting a change of circumstances for his PIP award until you either get some further advice or if you understand the PIP descriptors and the criteria fully then have a look yourself. If you think he can score more points for a higher award or at least 8 points in the moving around part then yes but a change of circumstances could be risky.

melbury

It was just so straightforward last time, no queries whatsoever.  I just don't see what difference it should make as to which descriptor you qualify under.  Surely if you are awarded 10 points for standard mobility that should be sufficient.  I can't understand why the government changed it. From what I have read it is supposedly to make it easier for more people to get a badge, but how can mental health be more deserving than balance and breathing difficulties?

We do have the respiratory consultants letter and results of lung function tests - would providing those to the Council help?

poppy12345

The BB rules for England changed in August 2019 to add the following and planning a journey descriptor. Other than that they haven't changed at all and there's a standard criteria that all councils follow, for being automatically entitled. Anything outside this then all local councils have their own criteria.

The reason he doesn't automatically qualify is because he didn't score the correct points in the correct descriptor.

My daughter claims Enhanced mobility and scored all 12 points in following and planning a journey but because of this she doesn't automatically qualify for BB.

For the moving around part, providing you score at least 8 points here then you automatically qualify.

When he last applied for the BB was he claiming DLA high mobility? the rules are different here.

Regarding apply through the other route, then all you can do is send in what evidence you have, he may need an assessment though before a decision's made.

Spoonie_Turtle

melbury said:

It was just so straightforward last time, no queries whatsoever.  I just don't see what difference it should make as to which descriptor you qualify under.  Surely if you are awarded 10 points for standard mobility that should be sufficient.  I can't understand why the government changed it. From what I have read it is supposedly to make it easier for more people to get a badge, but how can mental health be more deserving than balance and breathing difficulties?

We do have the respiratory consultants letter and results of lung function tests - would providing those to the Council help?

It's not.  You can get a BB if you score 8 or more points under Moving Around, the actual walking part of it.

This suggests your husband may have problems with moving around and perhaps (perhaps - it depends just how much they affect him) the PIP award may not have been entirely appropriate, maybe he needed to score points on the moving around part too.

What was his mobility award before, where did he score points?

melbury

poppy12345 said:

The BB rules for England changed in August 2019 to add the following and planning a journey descriptor. Other than that they haven't changed at all and there's a standard criteria that all councils follow, for being automatically entitled. Anything outside this then all local councils have their own criteria.

The reason he doesn't automatically qualify is because he didn't score the correct points in the correct descriptor.

My daughter claims Enhanced mobility and scored all 12 points in following and planning a journey but because of this she doesn't automatically qualify for BB.

For the moving around part, providing you score at least 8 points here then you automatically qualify.

When he last applied for the BB was he claiming DLA high mobility? the rules are different here.

Regarding apply through the other route, then all you can do is send in what evidence you have, he may need an assessment though before a decision's made.

No he never had DLA, he was awarded PIP standard rate mobility for planning a journey descriptor D.

Do the council's carry out assessments themselves then?

poppy12345

Then he didn't automatically qualify with his PIP award. Yes, they do assessments.

born_again

melbury said:

Do the council's carry out assessments themselves then?

Ours did (do not know if they still do given covid), but it was a wait of a few months pre covid.
As Mrs got her BB before we applied for PIP.

swingaloo2

My husband has a blue badge for the last 4 years but he needed to be on the higher rate of PIP mobility to qualify under the rules of our area.

poppy12345

swingaloo2 said:

My husband has a blue badge for the last 4 years but he needed to be on the higher rate of PIP mobility to qualify under the rules of our area.

The rules for those that automatically qualify apply to all local councils (England). See link. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/blue-badge-can-i-get-one/can-i-get-a-blue-badge

If there's a local council that doesn't have those rules then anyone applying should point them in the dirrection of the standard criteria.

For those that don't automatically qualify then local councils have their own rules.

For those living in Wales/Scotland and N. Ireland they maybe different but there's a link for those in the link above.