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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Sealife Centre, disabled ticket, tesco ticket

100 replies

SleepingStandingUp · 22/07/2018 17:02

Aibu to think that I could use my Tesco entry ticket for the 3 year old and then get in for free as an essential carer for him?

Will they allow this do you think or would I need to pay full price for him to get in free as an essential carer?

I bought a ticket to use before he turned 3 but didn't get chance and I don't have enough tesco vouchers for a second one

OP posts:
user139328237 · 22/07/2018 18:41

@Storm
That is not at all what people are saying. They are saying that it is cheeky to expect a free carers ticket for a child being accompanied by one adult who would need to be accompanied on the grounds of age whether or not they were disabled. In cases where an additional adult is needed it is of course appropriate to ask for a free carers ticket, but when the number of adults in the party is not effected by the disability it is morally dubious to expect free admission.

SomethingNastyInTheBallPool · 22/07/2018 18:41

Sometimes the disabled child may only be able to cope with the place they are visiting for a short visit so it is reasonable the family as a whole pay less.

This is definitely true of us. And only a small proportion of the rides are suitable for my DD.

SomethingNastyInTheBallPool · 22/07/2018 18:42

user, you really are talking out of your arse.

Storminateapot · 22/07/2018 18:43

Oh I know what you are saying user, your attitude is fucking disgraceful. I have nothing further to say to you, you disgust me.

user139328237 · 22/07/2018 18:44

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Zintox · 22/07/2018 18:44

My dd is autistic does this mean I can get a carers ticket for places? I had no idea.

Thankfuckitsfriday1 · 22/07/2018 18:45

We went to the sealife centre and couldn’t do this.
We have a compass card (means free entry for 1 carer) as my sons autistic and 3 years old.
But they told us we couldn’t use the free ticket as well as the free carer with the card so had to choose one.

(I’m assuming he has a disability)

Thankfuckitsfriday1 · 22/07/2018 18:47

Zintox- yes to some places you do, we have what’s called a compass card here which means free entry to swimming, sealife ect but I think other places have the equivalent you’d need to ask the council.

I’m sure sure if taking a DLA or diagnosis letter would also work

PureColdWind · 22/07/2018 18:48

I have always got free carer tickets when i have visited places with my son who has autism. Sometimes he gets upset and we have to leave places early or can't fully enjoy it. If we haven't paid full price it makes it less of a big deal to leave early. Of course he would have needed an adult with him anyway as a small child but its not the same thing as my son is more likely to encounter difficulties at a venue.

Also, there are so many difficulties we have compared to parents whose children don't have any issues - its nice to have a benefit that makes life a little easier so I don't feel at all guilty about it.

Thankfuckitsfriday1 · 22/07/2018 18:50

User - if they are disabled their age doesn’t not come into it. That’s what the carer entry are for. It’s not “disabled but only over 8 or disabled enough to have 2 people accompany you”. What an awful way to view it.

My son 3 and I get free entry as his carer and because he’s autisic he gets through the entire place within 10 minutes and I can’t affprd 45 quid for 10 minutes. I couldn’t afford to take him without it.

OrchidInTheSun · 22/07/2018 18:50

Yes, Zintox - you can get a carer's pass for quite a lot of things. I had one for Merlin (so an annual pass for DS and a carer's pass for me). Even if (shockingly) the person you're caring for is a child

If anyone would like to swap autism for a carer's pass, do send me a PM Hmm

OrchidInTheSun · 22/07/2018 18:51

Also - there is a thing called a Max card which gives discounts at lots of activities

Spikeyball · 22/07/2018 18:54

We have done children's farm type places where adults have to pay and ds has lasted 15 minutes compared to the several hours everyone else spent there.
He never lasted more than 30 minutes in soft play even though you were allowed 90 minutes.
I expect getting less than other people is seen as perfectly acceptable. It is only the possibility of having more that is seen as wrong

PinkyU · 22/07/2018 18:54

It’s not about the disabled persons ability to access the activity without a carer it’s about the (likely) enhanced role the carer would be doing within that environment, it’s NOT a day out for the carer, it’s more stress, more planning, more care (lifting/feeds/behaviour or anxiety management/carrying more aids etc) it’s ending up asking to sit in a meeting room/cupboard/mop cupboard instead of accessing the activity because in reality your child just wasn’t able to manage it for more than 10 minutes.

But sure I’ll pay £10-30 for the pleasure of all that.

borlottibeans · 22/07/2018 18:56

Are there a lot of Sealife shareholders on this thread or something?

Of course it's not cheeky for the parent of a disabled child to ask if an accommodation for disabled people is available in her specific circumstances. Jesus.

IsBrexitOverYet · 22/07/2018 18:57

Hi op yanbu to try! But I’m not 100% sure on the rules.
Can I pick a few brains? How do you “prove” to the attraction or max card issuer that DC is disabled, etc. I teach a LB and have worked with him in playgroup too, who has ASD and would love to go to Legoland but his DM can’t afford and she knows they’d only be there minutes. (Sorry for hijacking the threat OP, have a great time at sea life!)

user139328237 · 22/07/2018 18:58

@storm
It is not disgraceful as you put it to believe it is not up to individual private companies to subsidise disabled people because they experience higher costs in areas that the particular company are not in the slightest involved in.
Where a person would face an additional direct cost visiting ab attraction due to their disability the company should have a duty to minimise it (such as through free carer admission when the carer wouldn't be required of a non-disabled person of a similar age and through free parking for Blue badge holders) and that all buildings should be accessible as far as reasonably possible. I also believe companies other than those whose main purpose is catering should be barred from imposing bans on external food and drink as this imposes unfairly on the disabled who are much more likely to have a restricted diet for various reasons. But I think it goes too far to expect any discount on admission where there are no direct increased costs.
Whether the current benefits system is adequate for the majority of disabled people is a completely different issue but the solution isn't to expect a small percentage of private companies to take the vast majority of the impact.

goldrobin24 · 22/07/2018 18:58

Hi there, I have experience with this. You can get a free carer ticket if your child is disabled and you have the correct documentation. If you google the support website & type in carer ticket it will come up with the documentation you need. Purchase the ticket for the 3 year old and if you take that proof they’ll happily provide you with a free carer ticket on the day :).

If you just mean as in the adult carer of a child without disability then no you wouldn’t get a free ‘carer’ ticket. Unfortunately only under 3’s go free. If you have any other questions I can try to answer.

Plantlover · 22/07/2018 18:58

As a carer I thought you needed to be claiming carers allowance to get in as carer?

4GreenApples · 22/07/2018 18:58

I think the best thing to do would be to email them and ask what their policy is in this scenario. Not cheeky to ask at all if you have a disabled DC.

PinkyU · 22/07/2018 19:02

Brexit - some places will ask for proof of disability/medical condition, typically they accept DLA letter, proof of receipt of carers allowance, diagnosis letters. That type of thing.

Depending on the parents financial situation there are some charities available that provide vouchers for short breaks for disabled children/young people and their families, is that something you could suggest or that the family may consider?

like7 · 22/07/2018 19:04

Plantlover: I understand it as: anyone can be the 'carer' - grandma, friend, auntie as well as a parent. Anyone who is accompanying the disabled person as a carer.

PinkyU · 22/07/2018 19:06

User - there is no expectation. It is the company’s choice and discretion to recognise,the often, extreme difficulties families affected by disability can face and offer an allowance to mitigate those and I for one and grateful that they do.

like7 · 22/07/2018 19:06

We would take our child's DLA letter with us as proof, if needed. To be honest it was only needed once if I remember as it was quite obvious.

TheFairyCaravan · 22/07/2018 19:07

Fucking hell I thought I was postingon MN however it seems I’m mistaken and I’m in the Daily Mail comments section. Some of you should be really ashamed and need to go and give your heads a wobble, ffs.

Our nearest zoo was giving free entry to serving armed forces members over the weekend of armed forces day so DH (RAF) asked if I wanted to go. I said there was no point because he gets in free anyhow, being my carer, so we can go when it’s quiet. I don’t give a flying fuck if people begrudge me of that. I’d swap my cheaper days out for a life time of disability tomorrow.