Applying for Blue Badge

[DahliaMacNamara]

Does anyone have any tips on how to fill in a Blue Badge application form for someone with dementia? Do I complete it in the first or third person, for example? MIL has zero capacity to do it herself. I'm even wary about handing it over to sign in case she rips it up to stop me stealing all her money. There's no digital copy of a passport photo I can upload to apply for it online.

She does have a number of physical problems due to falls and operations, meaning her ability to walk far is limited, but she hasn't lived at home for some months now, and it's hard to judge distance when it's only up and down hospital corridors or to and from the car park.

I would think you could just ring the Council and ask them. When I applied for my mum's she was didn't have dementia so it was all in the first person but I found the local council really helpful when I had queries.

Does someone have power of attorney/court of protection deputyship for her?

There is a POA, but only for finance, which I feel muddies the waters a little.

I did one for DMIL a few years ago and I think I filled it in using the third person.

Like the PP said, you can always call the Council and ask for advice.

You can definitely apply on behalf of someone else. I do it as part of my job for people who can't do it online. I take a photo of them using my phone and give my contact details. I would say always think of their mobility on their worse day, and if you've got any medical letters that are relevant, use those too. I've never yet had an application rejected!

I applied for my OH. It went through on the nod because he had Parkinsons and it must have been a diagnosis that immediately passports you to the badge.

Look it up on Age UK - they have got it all sussed - and if it still does not answer the question then you can ring their helpline.

Thanks all. Got it ready to send off now. Fingers crossed. It'd be really helpful to have somewhere suitable to park on the odd days she's calm enough to go out, or simply needs to be taken to appointments. Though from what I had to write, you'd be forgiven for thinking it might be safer never to let her be a passenger. It would be safer.

Does she get attendance allowance? I think it is very straightforward if she does, if she doesn't it might be worth applying. I got it for a relative with dementia.

She's not at home at the moment, so I don't think she qualifies for AA, since all her care is undertaken by the NHS. Hospital advised us to hold off on that one anyway.