To be utterly, utterly appalled by Nimbus/Access card registration?

[JelliedFish]

Personal information about my child’s disability is sensitive. I’ve already shared documents/proof with DLA.

In order to register for an Access card, I need to share details again. Photographic copies of doctors letters etc are requested.

Surely the government DLA/Carers allowance letter is sufficient proof already?

Then we come to the +1. This is very ambiguously worded, but it seems that different venues have different criteria as to what counts as a ‘+1’. Meaning that some venues acknowledge you as a carer, and others don’t. Therefore some give you free entry as a carer, and others don’t offer this as they have specific wording to ‘wriggle out’ of acknowledging your role as a carer.

But my biggest problem is that they try and persuade you to pay £15 to register with them!

So surely, they are making a business out of people with disabilities?? Why do you need to ‘prove’ your disability again for their business?

This just seems so wrong to me!!

You are not wrong about this. I have the card for one of my children and the +1 but the process to get through it was unusually invasive. The venues requiring the card accept nothing but the card, the card is gate kept by a cost to purchase, its gate kept by a company requiring highly sensitive documents about individuals.

It takes ages to get as well so a unplanned trip out to a venue is out of the question unless you already have the card.

Unlawful??
Scamming???

You are totally and utterly ridiculous

The nimbus card is optional, you can chose to apply separately at each venue you chose to access. We have a RAP card for merlin theme parks, this was free, but we have to take my pip paperwork along each time to get the free carers ticket, we chose not to pay fir the nimbus card and still get the same support options from merlin. They make this really clear on their website, that you don't have to get a nimbus card.
The £15 just covers admin - in context it probably covers half an hour at minimum wage plus postage costs to send you the card, it's really not excessive I don't think, and we get DLA /PIP payments to cover extra expenses we incur due to disabilities such as these

That comment about DLA is incorrect/an over simplification. To get DLA a child just needs to require a certain amount more care than a child of the same age. As younger children generally require higher levels of care it is harder to evidence that you are providing x hours more everyday, but it is possible. What isn’t possible is getting the higher rate mobility component for under 3s or the lower rate one for under 5s. This seems fair in my family’s situation but not for certain other conditions. Taking a baby out is a one person job. Taking a baby out who has myriad bits of heavy, bulky life-saving equipment could very easily be a two person job or they require more care than a standard baby.

Thanks for this perspective.

The Children’s Act 1989 requires all local authorities to keep a voluntary register of children with disabilities in their area to help them plan services. In many local authorities if you add your child to this they will send you a card that states that your child is on it which you can use to gain access for a free carer for that child to many places.

What venues only accept a card you have to pay for as proof of disability?

@LeopardLoop

How can an Act REQUIRE them to keep a VOLUNTARY register. Contradictions in terms.

£15 for three years seems reasonable for the admin involved in checking details and liaising with all the companies that accept the card. Why would anyone do that for free? It seems to make things much simpler for many people, but if you don't want to pay the fee you just have to deal with each venue separately yourself, which may cost a lot of time and hassle if you visit a lot of places. If it's not worth it for you don't do it.

The LAs are required to keep one. It is voluntary to go on it.

We have an access card and it's very good.

I have applied since DS became an adult. When he was younger we would have gone places as a family, or taken him to places he wanted to go, so I or DH would have been there in the role of "parent" and not "carer" so free entry not appropriate, I didn't think.

Now he is an adult, we do accompany him to places he wants to go that ideally he should go himself with friends etc, but he is as he is and has very few friends, so it falls on us to go with him, so we appreciate the financial assistance the card provides us.

I don't object to paying for the card, I assume the people who work for Access get paid? It has to cover it's costs somehow, otherwise it wouldn't exist. And it gives the ability to go anywhere in the UK, and also abroad, and show one card that says everything they need to know without having to get into explanations etc , which itself can mean you are disclosing personal information.

OP - if you don't want one that's fine, don't bother, but there is nothing wrong with the scheme.

@LeopardLoop , ah I see. Thanks.

In what way are they preventing you accessing the day out OP? You have the card they just don't consider you entitled to +1 discounts - you aren't prevented from going you just have to pay a full entry price for yourself like any parent has to supervising their child.
Your child presumably gets the discounted entry due to their disability, can you elaborate why you also need a discounted entry ticket, other than to make it more affordable for you? Loads of parents are prevented from accessing days out due to the affordability of entry tickets, disability or not.

Really helpful in understanding, thankyou.
The only thing id say is lots of parents of eg younger children find they don't get as much out of a day out as they'd like to given the cost, its really common. I think the venues probably think by discounting entry for the disabled individual they've mitigated this, but it sounds like its not quite enough.

OP there really is nothing wrong with the access card.

But you seem concerned about what counts as a carer - is that for a particular venue or was it rejected for the access card?

Is there a reason? Is your child very little? Or do they not meet criteria?

They won't do it on diagnosis alone (as different people are affected by disability in different ways) but they might with a doctor's letter or dla evidence for example.

Is there a specific issue you're worried about as we might be able to help. Ive found in general the disability community is really quite open to supporting people.

Blackpool please beach only give free carer tickets if you have a nimbus with a plus one, you can do the free application just for that venue though, if you want a free carers ticket that is. They clamped down and because the majority of family days out do involve bringing a parent and child so I less your child needs 1 to 1 they say it's just part of a family trip. I fought hard with nimbus back and forth to evidence my under 16 needed a plus one, the mere fact that I couldn't even use the toilet if I didn't have another adult with me for then managed to swing it.

I have no issue with the nimbus card though, it cost £15 for 3 years and I was happy to pay, and to hand over the information needed. I guess if you are not happy, don't apply?

• It is a scheme you have to seek our and apply for, not mandatory.
• On the first page of their website it says £15 for 3 years. This is not hidden.
• If you have decided not to go ahead, you can ask them to destroy all personal data.
• Great that you have dla. Many of us don't. I didn't when I applied for the access card based on one child's mobility needs and only diagnosis at the time. We got the queue symbol, which was so valuable to go to busier theme parks over the past couple of years. We now have several more diagnoses covering both children and applied for dla months ago. As the waiting lists are even more months, we still have bugger all progress and would be able to show no dla award paperwork if we showed up somewhere. Will probably try for the +1 at some point soon, as we have had to leave few places early now due to overwhelm, so it does get expensive when you miss half the day
• Disability is more expensive and it is all monetised. We have had to pay for the disability push chair, the special shoes, the educational resources with child being out of school, the specific food brands etc. It's one of the reasons for dla existing.

Most places don’t actually discount disabled child tickets anymore, certainly fewer than say 20 years ago, but most do now allow free carers.

The difference between a family with a disabled person and a family with young children is that the family with young children can wait a few years if they don’t feel they will get as much out of the day. Even if many families with a disabled member waited the issues would be much the same always. They will never be able to go and stay for the whole day.

So my issue is with the part of the card that states ‘+1 essential companion’. The term ‘carer’ is not used and I think this is deliberate. It is one of the ticked boxes on the card.

They are saying my son has no need for an +1 essential companion (carer) so that will be unticked on his card.

Yet, the government defines me as a carer.

Here is the difference between a carer and +1 essential companion.

The main difference between a carer and a plus one essential companion lies in the level and type of care provided.

“Carer:

• Comprehensive care: Carers typically provide a wide range of services, including personal care (bathing, dressing, grooming), medical assistance (medication reminders, monitoring vital signs), and household chores (cooking, cleaning, laundry).
• Professional training: Carers often have formal training or qualifications in caregiving, such as Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) or Home Health Aides (HHAs).
• Employed role: Carers are usually employed by a care agency or directly by the person they are caring for.

Plus one companion:

• Social support: Plus one companions primarily focus on providing social companionship and emotional support. They might engage in activities like going for walks, playing games, attending events, or simply having conversations.
• Non-medical role: Plus one companions generally do not provide any medical or personal care services.
• Informal role: Plus one companions are often friends, family members, or volunteers who are not employed specifically for caregiving purposes. In essence, a carer offers a broader range of services and often has professional training, while a plus one companion primarily provides social support and companionship. The specific needs of the individual will determine whether a carer or a plus one companion is more appropriate.”

Why are you so bothered? If it doesn't suit you don't apply, move on.

But I am not my sons carer. I am an essential companion.

You are BOTH.

If it said "carer" it would then not be available for a lot of people.

Essential companian is a better term than carer. For example my teenager doesn't need a "carer" but needs someone with her.

But that's just terminology.

It sounds like the real issue is that they rejected you for the +1?

Im genuinely wondering if we/they can help you - they need the right evidence. Is it something you want to explain her (you don't have to) or is it worth contacting them again?

They have to have evidence that someone needs a +1. It could be that there's a mistake or your child is too young or you don't have the right evidence.

It sounds like it's the fact you've been rejected for plus 1 is the issue here - not the card.

Nimbus haven't got any more qualifications to decide whether someone meets the threshold than anyone else. They are trying to establish themselves as a 'gateway' service, but they're actually shutting the gate.

Disabled people are entitled to reasonable adjustments. Who are Nimbus to decide what those reasonable adjustments are?

A similar thing is happening with ADUK and assistance dogs. Assistance Dogs are dogs that mitigate the disability of their handler. ADUK are trying to become the 'authority' on what is an assistance dog. The law already does that.

The problem is when it comes to children they are often with an adult as part of the day to day, family day about etc. I had to prove my child needed a one to one career which meant without an extra adult, the venue could not be accessed. Nobody it taking away that you are your sons carer, and the +1 isn't particularly relevant as most venues accept your own evidence, or ask for none at all, but in the very select few who do insist on a +1 before giving a free ticket, you either apply or pay full price

And actually the younger the child is the less likely you are to get +1 as they already have a parent with them, for the vast majority of things. That doesn't make you less of a carer, it just means the 'companion' is covered