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!!

I am disabled and have a Nimbus/Access card and I'm very happy that it allows me to book free +1 tickets at loads of places, my DH gets to be my essential companion. I found the application process straightforward and quick. Many theatres have reduced cost Access seating available only for those with disabilities and it's completely understandable that they require proof of eligibility to reduce abuse of this concession. The issue I think is in relation to parent carers and it does sound frustrating if +1 isn't endorsed or allowed by a venue.

But surely the lack of classification as a carer doesn't forbid you from going. It just means you will have to pay full-price.

If what you are actually saying is you can't afford to go if you have to pay full price, to be honest, however much I sympathise, thousands of parents can't afford these places so they don't go. Their DCs lose out. Sometimes we just can't afford to do everything. Your DC isn't prevented from going to the place because he's disabled and they won't make reasonable adjustments. He's being prevented from attending for the same reason many kids with or without disabilities won't be going. Mum and Dad can't afford it.

@ObelixtheGaul

I think my misgivings are that money/or the venues profit margins shouldn’t come in to the equation at all.

A carer is a carer, so the box on the card should show that regardless of which venue I visit.

Also if Nimbus are attracting hundreds of venues to use their scheme, and then those venues ALSO decide to not award a carer status, that’s a lot of venues that are excluding people who wish to be recognised as carers for their child with disabilities.

I also think it’s wrong to say to families that your disabilities will only be recognised/catered for at this venue if you sign up for an Access card which requires divulging sensitive information (I was asked for a photo of a doctors letter) to a company. The government have already securely and thoroughly processed this information when DC was given middle rate DLA status.

Of course the companies profit margins have to come into it. I find it bizarre you don't understand this.

@Hercisback1

You are saying that it’s absolutely fine for businesses around the country to change your disability status if it suits them.

I strongly disagree and I think it’s extremely bizarre that you would think that’s acceptable.

The carers discount at places does help us. DS struggles in new places and often we end up leaving sooner, or if he has a medical incident we may have to leave. Only having to pay for him means it is easier to just give it a try.

so far we have never encountered any issues just using his DLA letter/blue badge to get into places. Having a card as an option is fine but it shouldn’t become the only accepted form of proof.

But (forgive me, I am trying to understand), I don't get how not awarding you carer status is excluding your child if it simply means you have to pay full price. Recognising and catering for disabilities I understand. Not doing this actively excludes your child because of their disabilities.

Not giving you carer status doesn't actually mean you can't go specifically because of your child's disabilities, does it? If he is going to a venue where all children under a certain age must be accompanied by an adult regardless of disabilities then he is no more excluded than any other child whose parent can't afford the adult ticket price.

Now if you are saying that the venue won't allow you in unless you are designated a carer, as other DC can go without an adult, that's different.

They aren't changing your disabled child's status though.

They're saying that your child doesn't need an extra adult, because he would already need an adult to access the park.

If you are so concerned about your child's medical issues being shared then the simple answer is to pay full price.

You seem to be entirely ignoring all the other benefits of an access card e.g. people with issues queueing or needing disabled access toilet etc.

I think it's good that companies are tightening up on the rules.

Access to a disabled toilet should never be reliant on someone providing proof.

Agreed.

Not least because if you need a disabled toilet you may well very likely not be well enough to faff around producing evidence

And also because many people are ill for a long time before diagnosis. I was just as disabled (if not more so) before my diagnosis as I am now

I'm confused. Are you saying you are being denied the title of carer, but given the concession with a different title eg companion, plus one etc? Or are you saying your DC needs another person and you're not being given a free/reduced ticket to attend with them?

It doesn't make any difference to your visit if it's the first one. If it's the second that's a different complaint if you're saying another DC of your child's age could access the venue alone but your DC can't due to disability so need you there. Which one is it that you're annoyed about? Because one is unreasonable and one isn't.

Nimbus are saying 100s of venues recognise their card. Actually very few venues use only nimbus access for validating a carer requirement.

For what it's worth, Access/Nimbus has a very clear data protection statement on its website, it is a social enterprise run by disabled people for disabled people. I had no problem sharing my information with them and think they provide a good service. Venues don't have to provide free or reduced price tickets, but I'm glad that nany do, and the Access card is a simple way to prove eligibility.

www.accesscard.online/legal/privacy/#:~:text=Nimbus%20does%20not%20share%20any,as%20outlined%20in%20this%20document.

Yes I'd rather share information once with nimbus who are people trained to do this than with tons of random people on ticket office etc. Over 3 years.

Is ops issue that they got rejected for plus 1? Maybe we can help them with the evidence or questions or maybe they arent eligible.

That’s where my problem comes in. My sister wanted to go to a safari park local to us, they woke up that day and decided to go. But they have changed their policy to ONLY accepting nimbus so even with two very disabled family members they weren’t entitled to the adjustments offered because they dared to want some spontaneity.

That’s were it becomes unfair.

That’s just so wrong @Sirzy

That shouldn’t be happening. It’s should be about facilitating access - not excluding because you haven’t signed up to a card.

So this is is where the access card is handy when you have one apart from in Merlin parks.

once I had DDs card it’s been such an easy process apart from Merlin.

I much prefer than applying each time or drawing her dla letters etc out with me.

we have had really positive experience using ours and it means again apart from dam Merlin we can have some spontaneous including like actually using our and about but didnt know we wanted to go in somewhere until we passed it. Because the card fits easily into my purse it’s just always ok hand.

But it’s not handy if you don’t have one and you wake up and want to go somewhere.

access shouldn’t be limited to planning 7 days ahead incase you decide to go somewhere.

You either have to pay £15 for the whole year (and still know a week in advance the first time) or always plan in advance to apply.

to me that doesn’t help accessibility it hinders it.

I found it an extremely straightforward process. Didn't have to send anything off, I just scanned in DC diagnosis letter and that was it.

This is an issue even with a access card in places
Merlin parks / Blackpool pleasure beach etc all theee places require even with an access card to apply in advance for things like ride access and carers. ( blackpool ) lots of events in London to I need to book and then send the access team and email in which they could take 48 hours to respond to then add a carers ticket.
Merlin parks have nimbus and their ride access passes but also now require you to pre book your space in advance and if they run out when you get there that’s tough.

@nothingcomestonothing

I’m being denied the title of carer which they word as ‘+1 companion’.
I am a parent, but on top of that I need to facilitate communication, help with personal care, help with getting around, help with safety.

More so than parenting - so the government recognises my status as a carer. DC needs that additional support as a carer.

I don’t think ‘concessionary ticket’ should come into the equation. It’s making some venues think ‘ah ok let’s deny this status by specific wording so we don’t have to offer one’. Yet other venues are saying ‘yes we acknowledge you are a carer’.
So ‘+1 essential companion’ will not be ticked on their list of boxes on the card for my DC.

You're dying on the wrong hill.

Concessionary tickets do come into it because they are a business.

If they said they didn't offer concessions to carers at the attraction, would you still go?

I agree with you @Sirzy.

A person with disabilities should be able to wake up and access a venue in the same way as any other citizen.

Especially as the adjustments for the venue exist, but the thing that is blocking your access is that they’ve signed up to a scheme where you need to prove your status again.
And then this scheme may arbitrarily decide (along with the venue) that - actually - they want to deny your status because they don’t want to fund any potential concessions!!