1 in 20 people have a blue badge?

[Oodlesofnoodlez]

So I’ve just had to battle to get a family member a blue badge, they receive high rate of everything and immobile but still a complete battle.

so I’m thinking ‘ok it must be very very difficult to get therefore hardly any must be issued’…. Nope figures from 22-23 show almost 5% that’s 2.6 million people have a blue badge.

surely these figures cannot be correct?

will it be completely impossible to find disabled spaces now we’ve got the badge?

we are in the SE

Not sure where I ever said anything about getting a mobility car for free?

it must be exhausting being so terminally offended that you haven’t even read the thread. Kindly, please focus on your own life.

Technically, yes, I think so. If you are in a disabled space you are supposed to have your badge on display but I'm not sure who checks.
I had to provide a huge amount of evidence to get a badge for mum. You'd have thought 93, frail, advanced dementia, danger to others would do it but still took ages.

Well aren't you a ray of sunshine.

Which makes it even more bizarre - as you can ask for one to be installed… but then not actually be able to use it.

A bit annoying though when parking is already v limited for much of it to become disabled access parking.

You’re clearly not familiar with the criteria as this isn’t true.

We have an aging population. And due to delays to non-urgent care, and the impacts of long COVID, we have seen an increase in people with worse long term chronic conditions.

It does not seem implausible to me that 5% of the population is disabled/ qualifies for a blue badge.

Sorry, yes, you're absolutely right. I was going on the OP saying her family member was 'immobile' and would thus would sit into the correct descriptor.

I ve just applied for one for my mum who is in her 80s, and didn't need to be claiming or prove anything

We can’t get one for my mum who has advanced Alzheimer's, doctors have told us it is aggressive. The council reply was that because it is MH related she is not eligible. My poor dad has to take her to a lot of appointments which means he is having to get to the hospital ridiculously early to try and get a parking space to save them parking a distance away. He is in his late 70’s and is doing a great job looking after her, he loves her so much and doesn’t mind but BB would help massively but the council are adamant she does not need one. It sucks!

DM has one, as does DSD. Thinking of applying for DH. We have quite a small family!

Gosh I’m sorry to hear that, Alzheimer’s is an awful condition for everyone involved x

I have failed to get a blue badge for DM who is nearly blind, has Alzheimer’s, poor mobility and is on attendance allowance - it was easier to get a care package through LA than this! She is 86 too

wow. That’s exactly my point I guess because I have no experience of that stuff I assumed PIP/ disability benefits etc - super hard to get
blue badge in comparison would be ‘easy’ but it doesn’t seem that way. So, If rhays the case then why do so many people have them?! It’s a riddle

Very unfair, makes my blood boil!

www.gov.uk/government/statistics/disability-accessibility-and-blue-badge-statistics-2022-to-2023/disability-accessibility-and-blue-badge-statistics-england-2022-to-2023#blue-badge-statistics

Here's the full set of statistics.

Why has no one helped her to apply for a BB, if she is unable to do so herself?

The council are incorrect. Alzheimer’s isn’t a mental
health condition. It is a physical/ structural disease of the brain. Autism is also a physical issue as it arises from arrested development of the brain.

Lots of people who have BB can walk. They may have difficulty in doing so, or they may walk slowly ect, they are not all in wheelchairs.

And even those in wheelchairs may only use WC some of the time

thank you your reply. I am just about to go in to battle with them about this, could do without the stress of this but I am ready for the fight.

I mean it’s not really that surprising giving our aging unhealthy population.

How do you know who the BB holder is? Unless you have seen the picture on the back of the pass, you have no idea who is getting out of the car.

You should be okay finding a space. I don't have a problem when I take MIL or mum out. Also you can use P&C spaces if they are free.

I'm retired not on benefits. Have a spinal condition which deteriorated. Every step painful. I applied. Omg it was awful. I photographed the consultants reports. Gave them my GP details who had suggested it. They replied can we have a more recent consultant report. Can you walk more or less than ten steps. You use a walking stick. Can you provide the receipt, proof of purchase of the stick.

This went on for three weeks. I then got an email saying my application was about to expire. You cannot respond to these emails only log in via the council website. My husband found me in tears in front of the laptop one day struggling to provide yet more evidence.

I was stunned when I got an email the day before the lapse. Someone must finally have read the consultant reports and realised it was my spine not my hip that was the issue which is what they had assumed.

It's not about getting high rate PIP. You need 8 points in "moving around" or 10 in "planning and following journeys". The latter is what most people with mental illness, autism, learning disability etc quality under.

Physically disabled people who do not score 8 points in the moving around section have to provide further evidence as to why they need a badge.

If everyone on higher rate PIP automatically qualified for a BB, there would never be any spots parking available.