Applying for blue disability badge

[Yellow Fang]

I was applying online for a blue disability badge for my stepfather. Blimey, what a palava! (btw what is a palava? [actually, I am not very interested]) National insurance numbers, proofs of ID, proofs of address, medical summary, list of medical problems, list of medications, list of treatments, photograph. There were about a dozen sections. A lot of older people are not very good with computers. My mother's friend, who died recently, never managed to get one. In addition to that, I was nearly scammed of £39, because someone had set up a fake blue disability webpage. It was only because my bank refused to make the payment that I was not scammed. It is better to go via the government website I think.

 

[Drago]

And the best bit is youll have to domit all again in three years time!

Mrs D has MS, a progressive disease for which there is no cure, and every 3 years has to go through the same old rigamarole...

 

[glasgowcyclist]

btw what is a palava? [actually, I am not very interested])

I'm going to tell you anyway! 😅

PALAVER (noun)
1733 (implied in palavering), "a long talk, a conference, a tedious discussion," sailors' slang, from Portuguese palavra "word, speech, talk," from a metathesis of Late Latin parabola "speech, discourse," from Latin parabola "comparison" (see parable). A doublet of parole.

In West Africa the Portuguese word became a traders' term for "negotiating with the natives," and apparently English picked up the word there. (The Spanish cognate, palabra, appears 16c.-17c. in Spanish phrases used in English.) The meaning "idle profuse talk" is recorded by 1748. The verb, "indulge in palaver," is by 1733, from the noun.

 

[Drago]

A palaver is a set of clothes you wear to bed.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

A palaver is a set of clothes you wear to bed.

No, a palaver is another word for a jumper. Although maybe you wear a jumper to bed...

 

[Drago]

It is surprising chilly at night doon here among the heathen.

 

[mickle]

If you qualify for PIP a blue badge is automatic.

 

[Drago]

Mrs D does, the full 12 points for mobility, buts its still a PITA form filling exercise, proof of ID, proof of address, and just to rain on our parade our local  twits council don't accept the same forms as the government website advises, eg, they dont accept DL as proof of address, etc.

Even for PIP claimants its a ridiculously bureaucratic exercise.

And the best bit? You cant apply for a renewal until within 8 weeks of the old badge expiring - if you do they'll simply ignore it and leave you dangling- but it can take up to 12 weeks to process the application! They couldn't organise a good s*** between the lot of them.

 

[Accy cyclist]

If you qualify for PIP a blue badge is automatic.

If I remember rightly, you have to have been awarded 10 points for the mobility component of PIP to automatically qualify for a blue badge. Anything less and you can apply for one, but they might/could turn you down. I was entitled to a blue badge for two years, but thought my 10 points wasn't enough, till I looked at the government website. Through me being lazy and just telling myself I wasn't entitled to one I missed out on two years of easier parking.

 

[Accy cyclist]

If I remember rightly, you have to have been awarded 10 points for the mobility component of PIP to automatically qualify for a blue badge. Anything less and you can apply for one, but they might/could turn you down. I was entitled to a blue badge for two years, but thought my 10 points wasn't enough, till I looked at the government website. Through me being lazy and just telling myself I wasn't entitled to one I missed out on two years of easier parking.

Just looked it up, you need a minimum of 8 points on the moving around/planning a journey section of PIP to qualify for a blue badge.

 

[Dave7]

I got mine after Long Covid got me. At the time my Doctor told me she didnt believe Long Covid actually existed. I was taken into hospital and they confirmed it, they contacted her and next thing I got a "to whom it may concern" letter putting it in writing.
I sent that off and got my blue badge.
So.......perhaps a letter from the Doc would help? They will charge you upwards of £15 to write it but if it does the trick......

 

[gbb]

Must admit, I dont remember it being a palaver when my wife became eligible for one. She was awarded.full PIP and that no doubt eased the whole process but...it should be hard, its.probably one of the potentially most abused systems out there. Imagine the reality if it were easy ?

 

[Drago]

It should be rigorous, but is should not be as difficult and bureaucratic as it is.

 

[annedonnelly]

I was applying online for a blue disability badge for my stepfather. Blimey, what a palava! (btw what is a palava? [actually, I am not very interested]) National insurance numbers, proofs of ID, proofs of address, medical summary, list of medical problems, list of medications, list of treatments, photograph. There were about a dozen sections. A lot of older people are not very good with computers. My mother's friend, who died recently, never managed to get one. In addition to that, I was nearly scammed of £39, because someone had set up a fake blue disability webpage. It was only because my bank refused to make the payment that I was not scammed. It is better to go via the government website I think.

This, always with anything official.