AIBU Proof of disability is fine ?

[Itsamission25]

My previous post was about an incident regarding daughter ( 9 in wheelchair ) being refused the wheelchair space on a bus in favour of a toddler in a stroller and a sleeping baby in a stroller.
anyway, I have tried to gain some online support regarding the company and also put in a complaint with the bus company but this has caused a debate about invisible illnesses.
apparently companies should not be allowed to ask for evidence of disability ? I find this a bit odd. There is certain things that annoy me now about this for example how anyone can buy a disabled toilet radar key, how sunflower lanyards ( I think ) are readily available for anyone so lose there authenticity I find.
now my daughter has a wheelchair - yes and has a physical medical device that is visible, however we still need to show evidence for things like blue badge / parking. Carers tickets / ride access at theme parks etc.
surely this is correct, I have never had an issue with needing to. If you took away the rights of companies or organisations being able to do this surely everything would just be abused ?

I have a Blue Badge and a PIP letter and heaven knows what else. If I had to show proof, I could, and have no problem with it.

As for people awaiting dx, well, I don't know. It took years to get my own dx and I had to struggle until then. I think most people would see a gp within a month or so, and could ask for a letter for "indications of disability" or something while they wait for a referral?

Hmm now if only there was a symbol we could attach to ourselves, say a black triangle, so the public knew we were disabled if it wasn’t immediately obvious to Joe bloggs on a bus. Maybe we’d get this badge to sew onto our clothes once we’d proven ourselves worthy of it by undergoing dehumanising assessments just like the ones we have to do to get a pittance of support from the government to allow
is to survive.

Would that be ok for you OP?

How old is your child? I got the companion symbol for my 12 year old without having to request specifically just from evidence I sent in but the younger the child I understand they are less likely to give as all children of that age need an adult to accompany, so you’d need to be able to show evidence over and above that they just need an adult with them

It’s an online form you complete and add the attachments to rather than an email

I think your experience demonstrates the difference between clear physical disability and maybe less obvious (as in, not a wheelchair user) or hidden metal and ND conditions.

Not really what you would expect from a company marketing themselves as 'one of the county's leading providers on disability-related advice and support to professional organisations and is recognised as a lead authority on accessible ticketing in the UK.'

Plenty of people have disabilities but don't get any benefits.

I don't claim any. I don't really need to as I am well paid. And I have a rare and hugely misunderstood condition so can't face the stress of even trying to jump through the hoops.

doesn't mean I am not disabled though. I am pretty much bedbound. Can't wash my hair myself. (Thankfully I can work from bed. )

Really? I spent 5 years being gaslit by doctors and told I "wasn't ill" because my "blood tests were normal".

I had a rare and disabling condition all that time.

Exactly. I too have been told there's nothing wrong because I have a normal MRI scan. Yes normal for me. (I have 2 rare brain conditions which don't change over time)

I only got a referral for something after complaining. Despite consultant saying otherwise I was still told there was nothing wrong. I was sick for months.

They're 10. I have another child on the diagnosis pathway (aged 8) so my argument was that a parent with NT kids should be able to take an 8 and 10 year old out by themselves, I needed an extra pair of hands as if one started to need 1:1 care/ran off/ got violent who would look after the other? So by virtue of the (hidden) disability I was at a disadvantage compared to other families. As a PP mentioned, the Access scheme doesn't always work well with hidden disabilities.

You can apply for an access card which will have symbols on which are individual to your own disabilities. Most large venues now ask for this if you want to go in the wheelchair area at concerts, you usually are given a free carers ticket too.