Refused a Blue Badge for Disabled Mum

[Bambooshoot]

My 88 year old mother has just been refused a blue badge (In case anyone is concerned, she has been to the doctor for other matters but got a full check up and is 100% cleared for driving in terms of eyesight and mental ability)

She is very much in need, as standing/walking for any length of time is extremely painful for her hips, and she is not able to shop online (we’ve tried, it is just too alien for her, she’s too scared of being scammed). She does her supermarket shop at 4am so can get a parking space close to the shop, and the effort knocks her out for a couple of days. She can’t shop for things like shoes or a winter coat in the town centre though, since the parking is so far away. She is missing the library, if she can’t park outside there is nowhere nearby so she can’t park and walk back - we gave her a kindle but she doesn’t really trust it, and just wants to see her friends in the library!

I don’t want to be grabby, but I would have thought the blue badge system was intended for people like this, as her quality of life is severely affected by not being able to access the town centre and the facilities she needs? Or am I missing something and blue badges are only given to people on death’s door? Basically, should we appeal the rejection and does anyone have any experience of doing this if so??

I would appeal, yes
Horrible country we live in when an 88yo is treated like this

I got MIL one with no problems when she was struggling to walk

You need to appeal and at the same time ask for some evidence from her doctor to back it up. It really does sound like she qualifies for one on the limited amount of information you’ve given. It’s mad, imo, she’s been turned down. Good luck.

Yes, you should appeal this decision.
Send a GP letter which says that she has poor mobility and stamina.

Watching with interest.. had exactly the same problem with elderly neighbour

An 88 year old neighbour was granted a badge with a letter from her doctor.

You definitely need to appeal, make her sound "worse" than she is (I don't mean lie, just make sure you say things like "can't walk at all without pain" rather than "can walk 100m" etc.)

When she goes for the assessment make sure she doesn't try to disguise her problems (as many people do when they get older).

Get her go to apply for it on her behalf. My friends gp did this without telling friend as she has severe fibromyalgia and uses sticks to walk.

She got a phonecall to check details and was asked to send her picture in and then the badge arrived a few days later.

Did you provide any supporting evidence from a health professional? The sort of thing you have highlighted ie.that it’s impacting on her capacity to shop,socialise etc are important..I know they have been tightening the criteria but I’m sure you could still make a case .

Ps I think you have to appeal within 4 wks of refusal. If she has said she can walk more than 80 metres (I think it’s that distance)this may be why it’s been refused.

Contact Age U.K. They should be able to advise you.

Did you send a GP letter?
You need one if not claiming high PIP.

I was provided with a Blue Badge after submitting piles of paper work from all manner of professionals inc a podiatrist (arthritic feet) chiropractor (arthritis in lower back) arthritis in knees (1 TKR) and hips. All this with Covid has wrecked my ability to walk more than 20yds.
Here our GPs have nothing to do with the scheme, it's the local authority that issues them.

Check out the rules and follow the system - most people miss out because they haven't. An automatic entitlement only comes with the higher mobility rate of PIP, and she is too old to claim that, so many councils turn down anyone like her. She has the right to be assessed by one of THEIR medical staff, and if she is providing the evidence from her GP that she needs a BB, they should arrange for an assessment (they often don't take the medical evidence alone). Just explaining why you need one simply won't work - for reasons that are very obvious, they tend not to be very trusting of people just saying they need a badge. It can be useful to get her local councillors involved as well.

I now have a BB but before I got PIP I had to fight to get one and insisted on a medical in addition to the evidence of my GP and 2 consultants because they wouldn't take their word for it! More recently when renewing they were taking more than 3 months to renew my badge, which would have meant that I was left without a badge (and unable to work!) and told me flat that it would be at least five weeks after mine ran out before I got my new one - one email to the local councillor got it issued in three days!!!

Yea definitely appeal. Sounds like she should have one based on your post.

Make sure your description of her difficulties is representative of her worst days. Even if she can walk further on a good day it's not relevant as on a bad day she needs the badge!

They should have stated a reason for refusal so check what letter says as this will help you appeal. If they haven't request this information in writing.

If you provided evidence and you feel it wasn't properly taken into account highlight this.

And lastly remember you can reapply if her mobility gets worse so even if appeal is not successful go back again!

Do you have a letter from the gp or a consultant explaining the mobility issues? Get that and then appeal the decision.

Have a medical professional read the details that were put into the application - mobility is the key element
If there are good days and bad days then the bad days need to go into the details

Also take a step back - Is there an existing allowance such as DLA/PIP/Attendance allowance? - where appropriate they justify the mobility need for a blue badge

That is awful @Bambooshoot She should be entitled to one purely based on her age! I mean, I know some 88 y.o. people are healthy and have good mobility, but most will not be like this, and will benefit hugely from having a blue badge.

Appeal it. Ask at the doctors if they have someone who helps with applications. My father was successful when we had help from doctors, our initial application was turned down.

That same thing happened to my dad, we were advised to appeal and fill in the form with what he can do on his 'worst' day. I was far too open the first time round - yes he can walk the length of a tennis court (he'd be gasping at the end but I wanted to be truthful!).

My mum is 90 and doesn’t get a blue badge. But my dad is 86 and does - arthritis, ankle replacement surgery, awaiting knee replacement surgery. He needs a stick. He provided evidence from the hospital and it was approved by the council within days.

As so many PP have said, go back to her GP for evidence of her lack of mobility and appeal. Be aware though, that it may make things easier sometimes but not always. Demand outstrips demand every day of the week depending on the location.

My mum got a Blue Badge. She sounds very similar to your mum in terms of her mobility (from what you described here), however my DM had had a couple of falls and the involvement of the local falls team. I filled the form in on her behalf and didn't send any supporting evidence (GP letter, report from fall's team etc). The LA did contact DM to ask for the name of the OT from the Falls Team, but before we'd replied, DM got a letter from LA saying the badge had been approved.

We didn't exaggerate or lie on the form but described in as much detail as possible how DMs mobility affected her when she was out - for example how in a carpark she needed to stop and rest for a couple of minutes after 20m walk & couldn't move out of way of oncoming cars etc.

Oh wow, thank you all so much for replying! It is awful to hear that other people have struggled to get the badge despite being clearly in need, but the fact that appeals have been successful gives me hope.

The weird thing is, my mum had help from my brother to fill in the forms on application so I assumed it would be ok - he is a qualified doctor (anaesthetist). I can only think my mum was trying to put on a brave face for him and overestimated what she can do. I will tell her to get a letter from her actual doctor though, she has been quite recently so the fact of not being able to walk very far would be well recorded.

I will also contact AgeUK, would never have thought of that, so thank you again!

Not here you don't. It's an assessment with the OT along with medical evidence, but generally they are not too much interested in what the GP has to say, it's all about consultant letters and medication.