Disability Badge

[taichiperson]

I thought I'd ask about the criteria for a disability badge on behalf of my mother, who is 81. She has a chronic long time problem with her lungs after having whooping cough as a child, and scarring in one lung as a result. It means she has always had a cough (I can't recall the name of the condition, sorry) and gets short of breath when walking. Although she has managed very well over the years, now she's older it is becoming more than a problem.

We take her on holiday every year, and this time she has been very restricted in the distance she can walk without getting tired and short of breath. She's managed pretty well really, but we wondered whether we could get a blue badge so that it's easier to drop her off and pick her up when out and about. What are the criteria please, and how can we apply?

[waterboatman]

Ask her doctor to recommend her for a Blue Badge. It will be needed by the authorities to issue one.

[murraymints]

get forms from local library simple to complete ..at that age and with restricted mobility/respiratory probs should be fine...don't be brave on the form though ..say that walking is an issue because of respiratory issues..

[murraymints]

they do not always contact GP boaty..but ask for that info as well as meds...

[Baldric]

http://www.bluebadges.co.uk/content/blue-badge-criteria-13.html

[murraymints]

if you google blue badge application form for your county you can download them too

[waterboatman]

I know minty, but it does speed things up.

tai, on the form, give the information for her worst days, the days she can't do much at all. That's the information they need to assess her application. A lot depends on how far she can walk on the bad days.

[taichiperson]

Thanks all. I'm pretty clueless when it comes to distance - how far she can walk etc. It's not so much the distance as the speed. She can go pretty far as she's determined, but slowly!

[murraymints]

then err on bad side and say she can't walk any distance without considerable effort

[taichiperson]

By the way, although her doctor obviously knows about her condition, that's pretty much it, as she doesn't trust doctors and doesn't visit - last time was New Year 2015 when she had a chest infection. She's not on any prescription meds and manages her condition herself.

[waterboatman]

You will be asked how far until she is short of breath. Ten yards? 20 yards?

It's one the most important questions you will be asked.

[waterboatman]

A doctors appointment is a good move, explain to her why, and tell the doctor why too. I suggest you go in with her.

[woofgang]

https://bluebadge.direct.gov.uk/directgovapply.html

https://www.gov.uk/blue-badge-scheme-information-council

[silliemillie]

Does she get any form of DLA?

[chanel5]

The information I will give you applies to Northern Ireland, and I don't know about other areas of the UK. for my disability badge, I downloaded a form from the website of the DVLA (Driving and Vehicle Licensing Authority). I filled it in, and asked my GP to sign it, which she did. Then it was sent to the DVLA and the badge was issued in about six weeks. It has to be renewed every three years, but that is just a formality. The final say is really with your doctor. I hope this helps. good luck, your Mum should really have a blue badge, it would be a great help to her.

[taichiperson]

Silliemillie - no she does not. She's very sensitive about her condition and gets cross or upset when the chemist asks her about some of the decongestant pills she buys; 'Is this for your own use - have you used it before?' I've just broached the subject of the badge with her and she's not particularly happy with the idea of being registered disabled.

[chanel5]

I should add in response to the previous answer, that it does not matter whether she gets DLA or not. I don't get any form of benefit and wasn't asked about it.

[taichiperson]

Thankyou chanel5. I've put it to her and let her mull it over. I've said it will be a help to myself and my husband too, as she was pretty indignant - change is not easy for her.

[taichiperson]

Thankyou too wateboatman - I've discussed it with her and hopefully she will see it as a positive move!

[EDDIE51]

My wife has a blue badge, the conditions are pretty strict , you must not be able to walk more than 20 meters unaided. The conditions have been made tighter recently.

[taichiperson]

Thanks Eddie - that may rule us out. What might be classed as unaided I wonder - she does use a walking stick, but more for confidence than necessity.