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Original poster

1 in 20 people have a blue badge?

237 replies

Oodlesofnoodlez · 07/01/2025 16:54

So I’ve just had to battle to get a family member a blue badge, they receive high rate of everything and immobile but still a complete battle.

so I’m thinking ‘ok it must be very very difficult to get therefore hardly any must be issued’…. Nope figures from 22-23 show almost 5% that’s 2.6 million people have a blue badge.

surely these figures cannot be correct?

will it be completely impossible to find disabled spaces now we’ve got the badge?

we are in the SE

OP posts:
JaceLancs · 07/01/2025 18:20

I have failed to get a blue badge for DM who is nearly blind, has Alzheimer’s, poor mobility and is on attendance allowance - it was easier to get a care package through LA than this! She is 86 too

Original poster
Oodlesofnoodlez · 07/01/2025 18:19

Moonchildalltheway · 07/01/2025 18:17

We can’t get one for my mum who has advanced Alzheimer's, doctors have told us it is aggressive. The council reply was that because it is MH related she is not eligible. My poor dad has to take her to a lot of appointments which means he is having to get to the hospital ridiculously early to try and get a parking space to save them parking a distance away. He is in his late 70’s and is doing a great job looking after her, he loves her so much and doesn’t mind but BB would help massively but the council are adamant she does not need one. It sucks!

Gosh I’m sorry to hear that, Alzheimer’s is an awful condition for everyone involved x

OP posts:
muddyford · 07/01/2025 18:17

DM has one, as does DSD. Thinking of applying for DH. We have quite a small family!

Moonchildalltheway · 07/01/2025 18:17

We can’t get one for my mum who has advanced Alzheimer's, doctors have told us it is aggressive. The council reply was that because it is MH related she is not eligible. My poor dad has to take her to a lot of appointments which means he is having to get to the hospital ridiculously early to try and get a parking space to save them parking a distance away. He is in his late 70’s and is doing a great job looking after her, he loves her so much and doesn’t mind but BB would help massively but the council are adamant she does not need one. It sucks!

BigSilly · 07/01/2025 18:15

I ve just applied for one for my mum who is in her 80s, and didn't need to be claiming or prove anything

JanuaryCrow · 07/01/2025 18:13

TigerRag · 07/01/2025 17:28

High level pip doesn't automatically entitle you to a blue badge in England. It's either 10 points on a particular description for planning and following a journey or 8 points minimum on moving around

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Sorry, yes, you're absolutely right. I was going on the OP saying her family member was 'immobile' and would thus would sit into the correct descriptor.

EsmeSusanOgg · 07/01/2025 18:05

We have an aging population. And due to delays to non-urgent care, and the impacts of long COVID, we have seen an increase in people with worse long term chronic conditions.

It does not seem implausible to me that 5% of the population is disabled/ qualifies for a blue badge.

MMXXV · 07/01/2025 18:03

Sometimeswinning · 07/01/2025 17:56

Because they are for people with mobility issues. I mean this seems far too obvious an answer…

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You’re clearly not familiar with the criteria as this isn’t true.

MidnightPatrol · 07/01/2025 18:03

CoastalCalm · 07/01/2025 17:32

In many cases they are not assigned to the individual though and any blue badge owner can park in them

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Which makes it even more bizarre - as you can ask for one to be installed… but then not actually be able to use it.

A bit annoying though when parking is already v limited for much of it to become disabled access parking.

PickAChew · 07/01/2025 18:01

Oodlesofnoodlez · 07/01/2025 18:00

Not sure where I ever said anything about getting a mobility car for free?

it must be exhausting being so terminally offended that you haven’t even read the thread. Kindly, please focus on your own life.

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Well aren't you a ray of sunshine.

Original poster
Oodlesofnoodlez · 07/01/2025 18:00

PickAChew · 07/01/2025 17:56

Well you don't get a motability vehicle for free. With high rate mobility you are entitled to LEASE a motability vehicle.

Someone with severe learning disabilities might always need someone to accompany them out and about and having the car and/or a bus pass which allows a companion helps to facilitate that but they don't necessarily need a wide parking space or one closer to a building entrance unless their behaviour is impulsive and unpredictable and a walk through a car park or down a pavement either full of people or near a busy road potentially dangerous.

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Not sure where I ever said anything about getting a mobility car for free?

it must be exhausting being so terminally offended that you haven’t even read the thread. Kindly, please focus on your own life.

OP posts:
Sharptonguedwoman · 07/01/2025 18:00

batshitaboutcatshit · 07/01/2025 17:23

Going off on a slight tangent here but I also don't know how things work if someone is elderly but doesn't receive any benefits etc? Can they apply for a blue badge?

I'm only asking as MIL always parks in disabled spaces but doesn't have a BB - she is elderly/ infirm and uses a stick so she does need a bit of space to get out and be near to the destination, but is she in the wrong parking without the badge?

Technically, yes, I think so. If you are in a disabled space you are supposed to have your badge on display but I'm not sure who checks.
I had to provide a huge amount of evidence to get a badge for mum. You'd have thought 93, frail, advanced dementia, danger to others would do it but still took ages.

BrightYellowTrain · 07/01/2025 17:59

Sometimeswinning · 07/01/2025 17:56

Because they are for people with mobility issues. I mean this seems far too obvious an answer…

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Someone with a blue badge because of MH difficulties has also been judged to have mobility difficulties. Mobility difficulties aren’t solely due to physical mobility difficulties.

PickAChew · 07/01/2025 17:56

Oodlesofnoodlez · 07/01/2025 17:30

It all just seems so jumbled.

so you can receive high rate PIP for mobility, so get a mobility vehicle but if the ‘points’ aren’t in the right category you can’t park it anywhere as you may not get a blue badge.

new to all this so it just seems so complicated and confused.

Well you don't get a motability vehicle for free. With high rate mobility you are entitled to LEASE a motability vehicle.

Someone with severe learning disabilities might always need someone to accompany them out and about and having the car and/or a bus pass which allows a companion helps to facilitate that but they don't necessarily need a wide parking space or one closer to a building entrance unless their behaviour is impulsive and unpredictable and a walk through a car park or down a pavement either full of people or near a busy road potentially dangerous.

Sometimeswinning · 07/01/2025 17:56

Kitkat1523 · 07/01/2025 17:21

Why?

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Because they are for people with mobility issues. I mean this seems far too obvious an answer…

BrightYellowTrain · 07/01/2025 17:56

XylophoneXylon · 07/01/2025 17:50

Yes but it used to just be a universal thing in my LA where the only automatic criteria for a bb was high rate mobility pip they have now changed it to be more specific about how the points are awarded. I got 14 for that part so get high rate but the distribution of my points meant they wouldn’t give me a bb

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That must be something unique to your council. In England, the national criteria are set by the government, and it has never been the case that all in receipt of the enhanced mobility component of PIP have been automatically eligible. Only those who receive certain points.

TigerRag · 07/01/2025 17:54

Oodlesofnoodlez · 07/01/2025 17:51

So from everyone’s feedback it seems that each LA is just doing whatever they like in regards to awarding badges 🤷🏼‍♀️

I was told when I questioned this, it's set by the government.

XylophoneXylon · 07/01/2025 17:54

They also charge £10 at the point of application and I had to call numerous times to get that back after my application was rejected !

XylophoneXylon · 07/01/2025 17:53

Oodlesofnoodlez · 07/01/2025 17:52

Wait so they ignored their own criteria? I’m so sorry

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No they had changed it since the last time so I wasn’t automatically entitled. I had to submit a really long form which went to a third party assessor who then called me then made me go to a f2f assessment and they said no I didn’t qualify for one under the LA criteria

Original poster
Oodlesofnoodlez · 07/01/2025 17:52

XylophoneXylon · 07/01/2025 17:51

This is my LA criteria for automatically getting a bb and when I went to see them they still said no. Despite having enhanced rate and driving a motability car !

Wait so they ignored their own criteria? I’m so sorry

OP posts:
Original poster
Oodlesofnoodlez · 07/01/2025 17:51

So from everyone’s feedback it seems that each LA is just doing whatever they like in regards to awarding badges 🤷🏼‍♀️

OP posts:
XylophoneXylon · 07/01/2025 17:51

This is my LA criteria for automatically getting a bb and when I went to see them they still said no. Despite having enhanced rate and driving a motability car !

1 in 20 people have a blue badge?
XylophoneXylon · 07/01/2025 17:50

BrightYellowTrain · 07/01/2025 17:45

F on the planning and following a journey activity is 12 points. It is descriptors d and e that are 10 points. And only e that automatically means someone is eligible for a blue badge.

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Yes but it used to just be a universal thing in my LA where the only automatic criteria for a bb was high rate mobility pip they have now changed it to be more specific about how the points are awarded. I got 14 for that part so get high rate but the distribution of my points meant they wouldn’t give me a bb

HollaHolla · 07/01/2025 17:46

Kitkat1523 · 07/01/2025 17:11

Anyone with pip mobility is entitled to a blue badge…my Dd has low rate mobility and got it no problem because she is entitled

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Not my experience, sadly. I get low rate mobility, but had to really fight to get my blue badge on appeal. Had to go to an interview to tell them exactly the same as what was in the paperwork....

BrightYellowTrain · 07/01/2025 17:45

XylophoneXylon · 07/01/2025 17:40

I had to get at least 8 points on one section and I think I had 6 and then I had to get 10 points under planning and following a journey but descriptor e and f are both 10 points and they only accept the 10 from e and I got my 10 points on f

*edited to add it was 8 points needed on ‘moving around ‘and I had 4 not 6

Edited
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F on the planning and following a journey activity is 12 points. It is descriptors d and e that are 10 points. And only e that automatically means someone is eligible for a blue badge.