Is this how the council are trained to speak to disabled or old people?

[musicposy]

I am in the process of applying for a disabled persons bus pass (lost my driving licence due to seizures which are not yet properly under control). I was looking at the proof of address and none of the things they want I have to hand as the utility bills etc have to be less than 3 months old and everything of mine is online now.
One of the options is medical card. I have plenty of recent hospital letters so I phoned to see if they would accept those.

The woman was so patronising. She wouldn't let me talk at all and just kept spouting what is already written on their form. When I said "it says medical card, is a hospital letter ok?" She just kept cutting across me, "AS I WAS SAYING proof of address must be less than three months old." I gave up in the end because she just would not listen at all, only spout what's already on the website.

What's the point of a helpline if they don't help? And yes, I may have just been unlucky with this one person. But I did wonder if they think disabled or old equals stupid because that's certainly how it felt.

Quite happy to be told I'm unreasonable and to suck it up. But I've lost all my independence, spent half of my recent time inside a hospital, paid an absolute fortune I can't afford on bus fares in the last month and I can do without feeling as though I now deserve to be treated like shit into the bargain.

This is outrageous. On a practical side I would download a utilty bill and print it off

Sorry youre having a shit time. I don't it's how they have been trained to speak some people are just rude.

Wrt the utility bill though I had to do this when I was moving to UC and an online bill was fine they still have your address at the top. Would that work?

I just showed them it on my phone.

Next time ask would she kindly stfu and that there is nothing wrong with your hearing..

Put in a complaint about her. If she spoke to me or the people I support that way thats what I would do.

Thanks, I've gone into my utility bills and there's one within three months so I downloaded that. It's just that all this stuff has taken hours already, forms for DVLA, supporting doctors letters (which need a bus ride to collect - we are very rural) and I just wanted it done quickly and thought I'd see if I could use what I had to hand. I just made the mistake of thinking a helpline would be quick and, well, helpful.

It was good to have a rant though!

You have no reason to believe she spoke to you like that as a result of your age or disability. She may just be a rude jobsworth to everyone.

I would send a copy of a hospital letter in and print out a copy of your most recent utility bill. Do you have a passport? - if so, send a copy of the photo and address page.

If you have a letter from DVLA/DVSA revoking your licence I would send a copy of that too.

Next time ask would she kindly stfu and that there is nothing wrong with your hearing..

Very tempting!

I think she's just a rude arrogant arse. I don't think they train them I think they save the time by recruiting people who clearly already are. Sorry you're having a frustrating time with this on top of a bad time with your health. I once hung up from what sounds like the same person who has now moved jobs at HMRC and phoned again to get a different person which sorted it.

She does sound rude, and I think things like this are shit enough without dealing with that. It's depressing enough, sorry you're having a shit time.

I feel your pain having gone through this re epilepsy (although our local authority were more helpful by the sound of it). When I renewed my free pass, they wanted a specific letter from my consultant saying why I wasn't safe to drive but I just sent them a copy of the last letter the consultant sent to my GP which had the date of my last seizure (I blacked out all the other information as this wasn't their business.) I don't even want the bloody bus pass - I want to drive!

I have also had to surrender my driving licence, so have a nightmare when I get asked for photo ID. The free transport pass is actually very good and I appreciate having it; but it irks me I have to pay for a passport (when I can't afford to go away, or get travel insurance!) and the cost of the passport is expensive anyway.

I called the deed poll people once and had someone talk to me in a very similar way. It was SO rude and condescending that I actually checked the website and my phone again to make sure I was calling the right place. She was telling me something absolutely could not be done by the passport office and reading some script while I was trying to tell her it already had been, and trying to find out what to do next. I then wondered if it was some kind of weird prank TV programme - it was simply so bad I couldn't believe this person could be for real!

By the way, that's not a stealth boast about being asked for ID I don't even drink! I recently had to show photo ID to collect a parcel, I won't talk about it though as no one wants to listen to that rant

Do you get Pip (I recently used this as proof for the door to door bus service).
I think many people think disabled = stupid. Doesn't matter I have a degree I'm disabled so I must be stupid. Although some people will be rude whomever they speak to.

Print out an online bill and make a complaint about her. It's completely unacceptable for her to have spoken to you like that.

Sorry to hear what happened. Your utility company should be able to issue some form of document with the present date if you request it. I just wanted to add that you are eligible for PIP/ attendance allowance, and should look into claiming it as it would help with transport costs. It is not means tested. You could also ask your local chemist to deliver your medications, as I have done that for my mother. If you have seizure alarms or similar equipment at home in your bedroom or bathroom (for example) then you will be eligible for a council tax discount on medical grounds.

Let them talk until they're finished, give it a beat or two of silence until it starts to become uncomfortable and then repeat "...so, is a medical letter ok?"
Its like you're speaking to a small child, you have to keep to your point while letting them run around their little track in between.

I would make a complaint, if I were you, on the grounds of a failure to make a reasonable adjustment and being rude. (LA officials are quick enough to complain if somebody is rude to them) However, I have had similar problems with official agencies, wanting a utility bill with DD's address on - when she doesn't have any, as she either lives in a care home or comes home to stay with us. A hospital letter to her, with an address on it is fine, as far as most government officialdom seems to be concerned!