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 ?

@Itsamission25 sorry! Wasn't the clearest. I think you are in the right and YANBU at all.

I have shrunk down and photocopied my sons DLA letter and my carers allowance letter and keep them folded up inside my purse so they are always there if I need them. I also have digital copies on my phone.

I think proof should be asked for otherwise things will be abused by people who just want a cheap or free ticket or a 'perk' of being disabled.

I know someone who purchased their whole family sunflower lanyards for their journey through the airport so they could fast track and avoid queues, board first etc. nobody has a disability or reason to use a lanyard. The worry of potentially being asked for proper evidence would stop twats like this.

I'm also confused. I had to fill in forms on GOV.UK, then send additional evidence to the council.

I also didn't have to send payment.

I agree with the idea of issuing an access card with the PIP letter. I don't like having to carry the letter around, and it is stressful that everything seems to have different requirements. e.g. to get theatre discounts/ take a carer in Wales you need a Hynt card, which is different to what you need for other access cards. They all cost too, and even if it's only a few quid it adds up. A simple wallet card in the PIP letter would solve it, given that you need to show proof of PIP/DLA to get it in the first place usually, not a diagnosis letter. This could also have a note to allow free carer entry, as currently a lot of places ask for a specific carers card. As a disabled adult I do usually need someone to go with me to access the world, but it's not just one specific carer - it's as likely to be a friend as it is my dad. They don't all have cards. I've usually managed to argue the point though, but it's stressful.

OP, I actually think Radar keys are overall a good thing. Yes, they are readily available, but most non-disabled people wouldn't buy them, or even know they could. Whereas they are more likely to just use an accessible loo when they don't need it if there isn't a Radar lock. In my experience Radar loos tend to be cleaner, less likely to be abused, and the key just lives in my wheelchair bag. There are some downsides, such as for visitors to the UK, and the problem that there's often not a latch on the inside so anyone else with a key could just walk in.

Whenever I had booked a carer ticket for something a letter from DWP with mine/my sons name on has been fine. I haven't been asked often, most places just take your word for it in my experience.

The Americans with Disabilities Act has teeth. As does the requirement for federal buildings to be accessible.

It's not perfect, but it's less of a joke than the UKs half hearted lip service.

@Morph22010 in they instance it might work but considering in our country a paramedic did not get any jail time for attempting to rob a dead lady whilst on duty I really doubt we would do much about someone getting a ride access pass at legoland for pretending to be disabled.

What?! We haven't even managed to apply for a blue badge yet (despite dc needing it) because the application is so complicated and the evidence they ask for is manifold! We certainly haven't been given the option of a chat with someone on the phone, send payment and bingo!!

I called the council blue badge team. She asked me what my mobility problems were, I told her. She said I could have a blue badge and the payment would be £10. This was 4yrs ago. She also told me about PIP (I'd not heard of it before then) and suggested I should apply, which I then did (and got) but I got the blue badge first.

@nokidshere thats very rare !
most people defo have to send evidence

Off topic but I often get death stares off old ladies on the bus when they can't put there shopping trolleys in the buggy area as I've got the pushchair lol

Why is it lol that old women can’t put their shopping trolleys there? Haven’t you got any compassion for elderly people who struggle with their shopping? Where do you think they are supposed to put their shopping, on their lap? You sound very unpleasant.

I wish our council was like that. I just got a flat no.

The irony of having a motability car but not always being able to park it isn't lost on me

Thankyou. I'd never heard of an access card before this thread, but then a lot of the best disability related advice has come from other parents rather than professionals. I'll look into it and apply. School and Camhs have both said ds is obviously autistic. We went all the way to tribunal trying to get dla for him 5 years ago and we were turned down. I've got more evidence now but the whole experience of the application and tribunal was so awful that I'm reluctant to try again. He is on the waiting list for an asd assessment but it's going to be at least another year. When he had an assessment with camhs they had to abandon it because the assessment was upsetting him and the same happened with the intervention the school was trying to do. So I'm worried that we'll wait a year and the same thing will happen again.

That is utterly ridiculous! What on earth sort of criteria do you have to fulfil to get one then?

My son has a hidden disability, he's autistic. I have no problem with showing evidence of that if asked because it's the only way you can stop CF's taking the piss. I agree that it shouldn't be necessary but unfortunately current times dictate otherwise x

That is utterly ridiculous! What on earth sort of criteria do you have to fulfil to get one then?

For an automatic entitlement in Scotland you need to have 12 points on the 'planning a journey' section of the mobility component or 8 points on 'moving around' - my points for enhanced are 14 but made up from both sections. Tried the council but you have to have severe mental impairment or pass the OT assessment where they make you walk 20 meters and if you can do it, regardless of how you are at the end of it, you don't get a badge. It's really rough.

Also because my points are mixed, so are my disabilities. Physically I can walk small distances but I need to rest after it. Resting means the transition is broken and often very difficult. They don't care. They don't listen. I have given up.

I'm actually very considerate and always move up, stand up etc to accomdate other people where possible, especially the elderly. But when I've got on the bus first and then receive death stares for using the designated buggy area with a young baby and a full on pushchair that can't just be easily folded up and pooped into a rack, yeah it pisses me off.

That was at @Inkblue

You’ll be old one day if you are lucky.

If you're a regular bus user, why wouldn't you have got an easy fold buggy?

Autism is. Great example here. My son is diagnosed but many many others aren't because, if they are lucky, they are in the system but waiting years for assessment and diagnosis.

What do they do? Not take their kids to theme parks because they don't have a piece of paper explaining they can't queue?

My son has autism so what is he supposed to show 🤔

@grandmaintraining I'm not a regular bus user anymore, because half the time I can't get on so I choose to walk instead, which also has health benefits ! The time I do use the bus is when I have my autistic ds with me who can't walk far into town.

I was criticising your lol comment and delight at old women being made to feel uncomfortable. This on a thread about disabilities. It might not occur to you but chances are that quite a number of those old people have disabilities such as arthritis, osteoporosis and so on.