Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Anyone applied for a blue badge under new rules?

81 replies

Hairyheadphones · 30/08/2019 16:58

I applied for a blue badge under the new invisible disability rules today for my DS who has ASD/ADHD.

Has anyone else applied? I imagine there will be a huge influx of applications and it will take a long while to hear. I didn’t manage to pay as the servers were too busy but I was informed that my application had been submitted.

OP posts:
MyDcAreMarvel · 30/08/2019 18:30

It's only limited mobility that need to be close
That’s not true my ds cannot safely walk across a car park.

tryingtobebetterallthetime · 30/08/2019 18:32

Perhaps some blue badge spaces could be regular size but closer? People with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis frequently need fast access to a toilet but don't need a wider parking bay. I have felt the familiar panic many times trying to find a parking space then desperately trying to avoid an accident during a longish walk to the building.

These conditions are invisible disabilities. I so appreciate the signs in some public toilets in the UK that say not all disabilities are visible.

Moondancer73 · 30/08/2019 18:33

I've just applied for my mum. We've heard back about the application. She has to go for an assessment, despite sending letters from her GP, social worker and various other medical info. The assessment is on October 3rd so there's a fair backlog already

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

SEN
Underhisi · 30/08/2019 18:34

Not being able to walk safely is limited mobility.

IHaveBrilloHair · 30/08/2019 18:42

I do have anxiety, really badly, I'm still not sure why it would require a blue badge.

NoBaggyPants · 30/08/2019 18:42

The common problem that everyone has identified is a lack of spaces. That is the fault of the car park providers, not the person with the disability. So rather than trying to argue that one disabled person is more entitled than another, shift your focus to the source of the problem, campaign for more appropriate spaces.

Boyskeepswinging · 30/08/2019 18:45

I don't understand how it will help with anxiety either. Surely if you gee yourself up to drive to the car park only to find all the disabled spaces are being used, would that in itself not make you more anxious? And given how few disabled spaces there are round here and that they always seem to be occupied, then surely that is going to make you more anxious? Surely mathematically you've more chance of success parking in a non-disabled space?

Confuzzlediddled · 30/08/2019 18:52

The lack of spaces is definitely an issue, we went to a seaside resort last week, having bought wristbands in advance for a theme park. We had to abandon the trip as the theme park in question has removed all thier disabled spaces. I questioned why with the car park attendant who said he had seen 300 people with "those things" already and they can't give everyone a special space... This was before 10am and I don't think there were more than 300 people in total parked never mind that number with blue badges. Because I couldn't get a wide enough space to allow me to exit the car, and enough space at the rear to lift my scooter out on its hoist we couldn't stay. We then went to the seafront where we could park for 4 hours. If there are a significant number of additional badges issued it will make problems like that worse as there will be less spaces to go round in comparison to the badges issued.

Mishappening · 30/08/2019 18:54

I applied with a very visible disability - they turned me down as I was "in insufficient pain"!! It blew my mind - how the hell do they know how much pain I am in? I was told by friends before I went to make a meal of it and make a fuss about the pain, but it felt wrong to me - I was in lots of pain, which makes me walk very slowly - but failed to wince enough!

dancingthroughthedark · 30/08/2019 18:54

I have severe agoraphobia. I rarely get out of the house but when I do the car I am in becomes my secondary safe space. I am unable to go out alone . I f I had a blue badge and the person taking me out was able to park closer to shops or the doctors for example I would be able to do more for myself instead of relying on others all the time. The car becomes my safe space, I need to know exactly where it is, When I have a panic attack which I do quite regularly when out knowing the car was right outside would help me enormously. I was looking forward to today's change in ruling but on looking at my local council website it states I must tick a particular box on the PIP assessment and although I have PIP I don't tick the right one.

Twopencepenny · 30/08/2019 19:02

It is ridiculous that they are not building more spaces to meet this demand as standard.
Of course warranted in some situations such as bad ASD etc but how many wheelchair users are going to be unable to park due to people using their space?
Anxiety can be crippling but is sadly so common these days (18% of the population?)
It’s a tough one but this is not going to end well.

Notnownotneverever · 30/08/2019 19:05

I really hope people will really think about where they park though. There is enough dangerous parking on double yellows with blue badges as it is. I am glad more people can access disabled spaces, etc but the parking on double yellows is often (but not always) dangerous.

Rufusthebewilderedreindeer · 30/08/2019 19:26

One of my children has ME/CFS, they do very much have good and bad days and 99% of the time (in their case obviously) they would not need any help or the use of a blue badge

But i do worry that if it gets worse or they have a very bad day that they would struggle and because the pain and difficulty can fluctuate it would be very hard to get a badge

I think its generally a good thing, although more spaces would be useful if more people are to have a blue badge

Samcro · 30/08/2019 22:56

i think sadly a lot of people are going to be disappointed, when they either find out that they are still not able to get a BB, or because they can never get a BB space.

x2boys · 30/08/2019 23:24

I don't think they are going to just give them to anyone you are going to need proof etc ,my son has severe autism and learning disabillities, his mobility is fine ,we don't need extra space for mobility side but being able to park in the centre of town rather than a multi storey car park where he freezes and gets very upset etc would make life a whole lot easier also being able to park nearer to shops ,as he has no.sense of danger would make things safer

pp12 · 01/09/2019 20:16

Yes I applied and was accepted within a few days. I gave them lots of medical terms, letters a a4 page of medicine I take.

Don’t lie on the form but fill it in as on your worst day.

pp12 · 01/09/2019 20:17

I should add I have limited mobility unable to walk farther fan 25 meters and in chronic pain.

FredaFox · 01/09/2019 20:41

This does worry me as my mum has very limited mobility so her badge is a godsend, I'd be concerned about lack of spaces when she needs them

MyDcAreMarvel · 01/09/2019 20:43

Freda thousands of people are currently not able to park in blue badge spaces that need them due to the old rules.
Your mums needs are no more or less important.

x2boys · 01/09/2019 21:17

There needs to be more spaces not people arguing who has the greater need,my son has no physical disabillities but while can run as fast as the wind straight under a car as he has zero awareness of danger this doesn't mean his need is less .

domton · 01/09/2019 22:14

My worry is that if you introduce more reserved spaces, I can see the applications for badges going up. I have a condition that flares, and walking is very, very difficult when it's really on one. I don't have Blue badge as I've never applied, and when I am well it's fine. When I'm not, I either go without out walking is just too painful, or I choose my supermarket carefully and park as close as I can.

If all the close parking spaces are reserved then I'll have to get a badge as it would be too difficult to manage without one.

Hiredandsqueak · 01/09/2019 22:24

I applied for dd as she gets the required number of points in the right category in PIP now she is sixteen. It stated she qualifies on the application so expect to be issued one. It will be helpful on bad days when everything is too much hopefully.

x2boys · 02/09/2019 09:22

I have been told that the criteria is still.very stiff apparently ,and you will.needs a lot of evidence ,my guess is that it will.go off need rather than diagnosis much like DLA/PIP.

Sirzy · 02/09/2019 09:32

I think it needs to. As long as the bar is set at a reasonable level.

Realistically most people with the conditions listed probably don’t need a blue badge but that doesn’t change the fact that for those who are worst impacted when it comes to getting out and about it will be a godsend

Rufusthebewilderedreindeer · 02/09/2019 09:46

Realistically most people with the conditions listed probably don’t need a blue badge but that doesn’t change the fact that for those who are worst impacted when it comes to getting out and about it will be a godsend

Absolutely

I also agree with x2boys as well

Swipe left for the next trending thread