Applying for a blue badge

Do you need the higher rate mobility or is the basic rate enough?

You dont need ang benefits, to apply, in my LEA.

The last time I applied via post and no problem but every other time, because I am not wheelchairbound I had to go to the Civic Centre for an hour's interview and walk a few yards for the retired Occupational Therapist. The previous time I did explain I lifted each leg out individually and needed to open the car door fully but it fell on deaf ears.

Because I was not given one, there was no indication why and I was not allowed to appeal or reapply within a year. I did not think that to be fair.

ElaineI

DH got his fairly easily. Was assessed by physio employed by council who sanctioned it (had consultant's letter) and said he would not have to re-apply. Been a great help as he can't walk far.

Remember that the badges expire after three years, so you need to renew before expiration otherwise you will have to go through the application process again.

BlueSky

Do you need the higher rate mobility or is the basic rate enough?

You dont need to be on any benefits but if you claim any level of PIP mobility component you will qualify for a badge without having to go through a medical.

I’m a bit concerned by some of the posters on the thread thinking they may be excluded from applying if they’re not on benefits, and also by those who seem to be experiencing difficulties in certain areas of the country. To be clear, you don’t need to be on any benefits to apply for a blue badge. If you claim the mobility component of PIP, either standard or enhanced rate, you will automatically qualify for a blue badge and a copy of the award letter/assessment scores from DWP is usually all the evidence you will need to submit with the application form. The length of the PIP award may be taken into account - Blue Badges are usually issued for three years and if the time remaining on your mobility component award is less than this they may need further evidence of your ongoing condition.

The criteria for issue of a blue badge should be standard across all councils and application is usually online or by post since Covid. On application you will be asked to provide details of any relevant medication that is taken/relevant treatments you receive or are due to receive, and healthcare or associated professionals that have been involved with the treatment of your condition. You will also be asked if you want to upload/attach supporting documents - this could be PIP awards, prescriptions, diagnosis letters/correspondence between professionals that treat your condition.

If you cannot walk or find walking difficult, you will also be asked questions around how your condition affects your walking, how far you can walk without pain or other symptoms and whether you use any aids/adaptations or require help from another person.

If you have a non-visible (hidden) condition - heart condition, COPD, for example - you will be asked questions around how journeys between your vehicle and destination are affected by your condition, and again if you use any aids or require assistance from another person. If you have a condition which involves bowel/bladder urgency or you have a stoma, you need to state this and explain how you are affected.

It’s important to remember that the Blue Badge is essentially issued on grounds of limited mobility and your medical condition must demonstrate such a limitation in order to qualify.

All councils should be able to provide clear criteria for qualification for a badge and if the application is turned down you should receive a clear explanation of the evidence used to make the decision and why the application was turned down.

You are entitled to appeal against a decision, but you must do this within one month of the decision, and supply further evidence to which the council did not have access to, or otherwise did not consider in their original decision.

There is further information available on the Blue Badge scheme at www.GOV.UK.

Excellent post Pammie!

I’m a bit concerned by some of the posters on the thread thinking they may be excluded from applying if they’re not on benefits, and also by those who seem to be experiencing difficulties in certain areas of the country. To be clear, you don’t need to be on any benefits to apply for a blue badge.

That is what the admin person from the Council has told DH when she sent the refusal.
She said she would refer him to an occupational therapist for assessment and sent him a very long application form to fill in to be able to proceed.

My first application required an assessment. After that I my health continued to deteriorate and iy became easier.

What I would advise is to state the condition of your mobility on your worst days.

In my local authority there are two routes to getting a blue badge. If you get PIP Mobility is the easy way, though as I recall you need specifically certain elements of it. If you don't get PIP you have to explain your difficulties and you will need a supportive letter from your GP, but that isn’t always enough. There may be an assessment.
My husband could do with a blue badge as his angina makes walking any distance impossible, but he wont qualify here.

I am surprised Attendance Allowance comes into it, as there isnt a mobility component to that as such, unlike PIP.
It seems to me quite wrong and unfair that different authorities have different criteria or routes.
When we visit anywhere eg National Trust properties, there is still a way to walk even if you can park in the disabled car park.

Thank you Pammie1 your information is spot on. As you say the criteria should be standard across all councils and as the application is online via Gov.UK it should not matter where you live. Some on here seem to have had difficulty with their applications and still seem to think it is about what benefits you are on. It is as you and I know and accept based on medical needs and benefits should not come into it. Thanks again for the very clear and precise information which many will find very helpful.

Cabbie21

In my local authority there are two routes to getting a blue badge. If you get PIP Mobility is the easy way, though as I recall you need specifically certain elements of it. If you don't get PIP you have to explain your difficulties and you will need a supportive letter from your GP, but that isn’t always enough. There may be an assessment.
My husband could do with a blue badge as his angina makes walking any distance impossible, but he wont qualify here.

I am surprised Attendance Allowance comes into it, as there isnt a mobility component to that as such, unlike PIP.
It seems to me quite wrong and unfair that different authorities have different criteria or routes.
When we visit anywhere eg National Trust properties, there is still a way to walk even if you can park in the disabled car park.

There is absolutely no requirement to be on any benefit to qualify for a blue badge - it depends entirely on your condition. And I haven’t seen Attendance Allowance mentioned specifically because as you say it would not qualify you as it has no mobility component. I did mention Disability Living Allowance (DLA) as this does have a mobility component and is paid for under 16 year olds and would qualify you in the same way as PIP. To be clear it’s only the mobility component of these benefits which would qualify you for a blue badge - higher rate mobility for DLA and either standard or enhanced rate for PIP. I would have thought Angina to the extent where it makes walking any distance difficult would have qualified someone for a blue badge and if you’ve been advised you won’t qualify, apply anyway and provide medical evidence if you can.

To the poster who said she has been advised by the council that her DH needs to be on benefit to qualify - this is wrong, you absolutely do not need to be in receipt of any benefit to apply for a blue badge. You need to contact the council to clarify what’s happening.

I didn’t think I would get a Blue Badge but thought I would give it ago after my dr said he would support me.. I just listed my chronic medical conditions and the pain that I have when walking. It took awhile but I got it with no assessment or snything so I think it must depend on where you live. Recently I applied for Attendance Allowance and was awarded it within 4 weeks of applying. Once again I believe it was nodded through on my medical conditions.

I successfully applied for a blue badge and AA for my mother, who died before Christmas, and since then have successfully applied for both for my father. I worked on the lines of painting the darkest position possible whilst still telling the truth (as at least in the AA firm you have to consent to them contacting the GP if necessary).

We live in a London Borough. When DH got his disabled freedom pass they wanted him to give up his blue badge. Took awhile to explain the he would still need the blue badge to park at a station and not all hospitals etc were accessible by public transport if you can't walk. I think aloy of people who issue benefits to the disabled have no idea of what life can be like for disabled

Ten years ago I found it very difficult but last time renewing was easy.
The Attendance Allowance was extremely difficult.

It was a very stressful experience. It really is about mobility but this is hard to assess so depends on the assessing team, often unfair. It is life changing though. But don’t assume too much if you see someone leaping out of a car. Sometimes my husband drops me at the door / seafront / and then takes the car to park as near by as he can, using the badge. That way I only have one walk to do not two. So it looks like a sprightly 76 year old is using the badge but he is hurrying back to a crock 72 year old.

Obviously different countries of the UK and even different Councils have different criteria.

GPs are no longer involved at all here, nor are hospital consultants although a letter of diagnosis can be provided as supportive evidence of a condition.

Mum had Parkinson's disease and got one quite easily. Was a life saver.

Yes no problem just uploaded a copy of my pip letter and got within a week

I have had my blue badge now for about 4 years and found it very simple to do. I had to send a copy of my repeat medication prescription and I also included a letter from my physiotherapist. I was then asked to go for an interview at the local office, was asked a few questions about my mobility and asked to walk as far as I could without pain which wasn't far. Interview over, all very easy. She then wrote her report and I had my blue badge after about 2 weeks. When it was up for review after 3 years I applied online, answered their questions agin and that was it. I think I had to pay £10 each time but well worth it.

I think I had to pay £10 each time but well worth it.

They're free here but impossible to get one since the rules changed!

It's easy compared with filling in my son's PIP forms

My husband applied, couldn't walk anywhere even in the house without crying out in pain. He applied, including stating the distance he could walk, which was very little. He was refused and when he asked to see his form and the reason for refusal, it was because someone had altered the distance on the form to something much further, which disqualified him from being eligible ?. He asked his GP for support, and she stated in clear terms in a supporting letter, that hubby could not walk, needed all the support he could get, including the Blue Badge. Hubby appealed and then received the badge about 3 weeks later. We suspect that the council dept involved are under pressure to discourage car use and parking in Bristol, as our Mayor is extremely anti-car, trying to get everyone to walk or use the non-existent bus service.

I well remember how difficult is was getting my late husband a Blue Badge, I never thought we would get there! They wanted him to go for a physical assessment.. What I could not make them understand was he could only get there if he was having a good day, and then he would not need a blue badge!!! When he had a bad day (90% of the time) he could not even get out of the house! I finally got the message across and they accepted written confirmation of his condition from his doctor, but it took months!