Temp blue badge or similar

[wizzler]

My lovely DM is 83
3 weeks ago she fell and broke her pelvis. She is at home and getting by with zimmer frames etc
She is very independent and I think in a couple of months will hopefully be back to full strength, but in the meantime it would be really helpful to have a temporary blue badge.. but I don't think there is such a thing

I had booked a couple of days in the Dales in may for a mum and daughter trip and if she is fit enough to go it would be brilliant if we could park close to where we need to be

Has anyone any suggestions? She won't qualify for a blue badge in the longer term and it takes 12 weeks to get one

Bump

I have wondered this - DH currently very affected by long covid and we are hoping this is temporary, but could do with accessing such things for the time being…

Apply for the Blue Badge, hand in back if/ when she doesn’t need it in the future. I apply for a lot of Blue Badges for people at work. They don’t usually take 12 weeks. As she doesn’t get any disability benefits she will be invited in for a face to face assessment. They won’t award if they don’t think she meets the criteria.

With long covid it’s less clear cut. Has he been diagnosed for over 6 months and does he have a consultant who would support the application. Unfortunately a BB is for a life long conditions and the evolution of Long Covid varies so much from person to person. I have had clients who qualify. Again he would be invited for an assessment but in this case I think they would also want support from a medical professional.

I would just apply - my son's took about 10 days to come through.

I asked about this when my DM had had a fall and was told by the council absolutely not- that if they did this for everyone who was temporally in need they'd never manage the admin of it.

Plus blue badge is for long term not short.

Bear in mind you only need a blue badge on public roads. If you are visiting tourist attractions then just park in the disabled spaces. If anyone questions it then your mother is obviously, visibly in need of the space.

I’m sorry and I appreciate that OPs Mum is in need but my Mum was a wheelchair user with a Blue Badge and frequently had spaces blocked by people without badges because they “needed” them. IF the criteria is Blue Badge or registered disabled for the space then nobody else should use it.

As above I had surgery last year and found that English Heritage /National Trusts were perfectly happy for me to use their disabled spaces, and borrow their mobility scooters. Just emailed in advance to arrange. I think it’s only conçu run parking that you might struggle with, but unless she’s got a long term health condition she may not get the badge. Depends on area too, my London council is notoriously tight, DMs far less so

In my area if parking in a Disabled Area you must display your BB & Time of Arrival Disc or pay and display or you will be issued a ticket even it is obvious or not that you have a disability .

Definitely apply for the blue badge.

I have to be really honest, I think you may be a little optimistic thinking of going away in May. My Mum had similar issues at a much younger age (70s) and it took her a lot longer to recover than anticipated, there was no way she would have been up to a short break away with sitting in a car etc. But obviously I hope that’s not the case for you and your Mum and I wish you both all the best.

If you are going together then you will be able to drop her close to where you are going and then go and park.
It's more hassle for you but that way your Mum will be ok. You can take one of those light weight chairs for her to sit on while she waits.

Surely that's ok for a temporary situation. I've done the same with my parents.

@abigailsnan but surely that's just public roads /car parks where you can get issued a ticket. At a stately home or supermarket car park there is no enforcement so anyone who needs can use them.

I agree that there should be a temporary blue badge, valid for a maximum of three months. Various elderly relations soldiered on, but eventually applied for a blue badge and got it. If they could have had one to try, or upon release from hospital, it would have been very helpful.

I often do something similar for myself, if we go out for the day ie have DH drop me off somewhere I can sit. My condition is very much long term, but as I can initially walk reasonable distances I wouldn't qualify.

FIL managed to get himself a post-operative Blue Badge when he had a planned hip replacement. He was surprised the application was successful, and didn't renew it when it expired. It turned out that he needed further operations, so it was needed for most of that time.

I applied for one for MIL a bit later, and it did take almost the full 12 weeks to arrive. At the time she was a long-stay hospital patient with no capacity to answer questions about her condition, so no face to face interview took place.

They probably can if there is no enforcement, doesn’t mean they should.
I got a bloke with a stick and no blue badge chucked out of the last disabled space at a NT property so I could park with my Mum. Due to her circumstances and the specific car park if she didn’t use a disabled space we would have had to leave. I asked him nicely and explained but he said he had a bad leg so I spoke to staff and they told him to vacate the space.
I have every sympathy for OPs Mum and anyone else in a similar position but as far as I’m concerned no blue badge no disabled parking - it’s usually labelled as Blue Badge Holders not disabled

Thanks everyone.
I don't think she will qualify for the badge long term, and she would be horrified at the thought of parking in a disabled bay without one!

I think I'll just plan carefully where we are going and maybe organise a wheelchair ( at the moment she is using zimmer frames in the house)

Thanks for all the comments..