My Mum, who will be 86 in June, has had her application for renewal of her Blue Badge turned down. She has had it for more than 10 years, after her hip replacement which made it difficult for her to walk . Since then she has had two knee replacements, and now suffers breathing problems due to problems with vertebrae in her back. Patently her ability to walk has not "improved" in the last ten years, and anyway there is no question of her driving herself.
It seems that Councils have been encouraged by the DfT to use outsourced "Mobility Assessors" to assess people's ability to walk, rather than rely on GPs. The DfT is very pleased because the number of successful applications has dropped since they were introduced. What a great "result". Greenwich Council didn't provide any kind of detailed explanation as to how my Mum failed (which the DfT says they should do). I've challenged them on that and they immediately replied that we have the right to get the MA's report - however we have to pay a tenner, and wait up to 40 days (whereas the appeal is supposed to be lodged within 28 days). I have asked for an extension of the appeal, so we can ask for her GP to address the basis on which the Mobility Assessor turned her down.
But you know, WTF??? I understand that there is misuse of these things, but taking one away from a 85 year old who has had one for ten years??
Any advice, especially from those with specialist knowledge of the Council in this area, would be much appreciated.
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Make sure you get the appeal lodged in time explaining that the details will follow once you have THEIR expert's report upon which they have relied to refuse the renewal.
I was wondering how common it is that such older people have their existing blue badges taken away. It seems to me a pretty unpleasant thing to do to people who are reaching the end of their lives.
It's just like ATOS I'm afraid, regardless of what they say, they have targets to keep to and fail as many as possible.
I know it's frustrating (trust me I've got 30 appeals into ATOS at the moment for my clients) but its the world we currently live in.
Go to the local (and national) press with a suitable picture of your poor old Mum struggling to walk to the shops and tell them your story with the real names of people who have refused her application. Details/dates of operations and a quote from your GP would be helpful.
Got to stop these fascists before they take control.
You and your Mum and paying these jokers wages.
Working in a LA at moment-----find out who the Leader of the Opposition is in your council (Tory Liebour it dosnt matter) ask them whats going on they will defo take it forward and make some noise (if they are any good that is)------------they all hate bad publicity when it generated by the opposition----i have seen it in action.
Leroy - that is appalling. My commiserations. And of course I worry about the same thing.
GH. Yes you are right. My Mum is a typical British lady of her generation, doesn't like to make a fuss. Fortunately her son takes after his late father, a stroppy bugger :-)
I hit them with a couple of Freedom of Information requests on www.whatdotheyknow.com, to uncover how these Assessors are working, what targets they have been given, and what the consequences have been for Blue badge applications.
Thanks for the advice everyone.
The main thing I want to say here is that if anyone else has this problem, and would like to see a copy of the appeal letter which my brother wrote (with good support from our GP) just ask. We have heard of a 92 year old lady who has just had her renewal refused. What is going on is not right, especially as I have established that the number of blue badge applications was going down before they brought in these private contractors.
Can you believe that?
Well, they have picked on the wrong family. We'd already been in touch with Clive Efford to alert him about the untransparent process, (on behalf of everyone else) and he had replied that he will take it up with all concerned. So now of course we have told him about this staggering development.
My question for now is. If we want to go to the media..which media tend to focus on issues like this, in your experience?
Do these people never stop to think "one day, I too will apply for a Blue Badge?"...
As you are obviously aware the application is more relenent to new applicants and ask for proof of everything again, I found everything but her birth certificate but took paperwork to thier office hoping that in view of the lack of time they would accept alternative proof of age and took her medical card and a few other documents. Needless to say they would not accept paperwork without original birth certificate, when I reminded them of the urgency they told me it was irrelevant as it took up to 8 weeks to process anyway. They said out of thier control they only collect paperwork as now handled by central government office.
I eventually got the Blue Badge at the end of February ! not a very good experience with the councils customer services.
Generally also looks like the News Shopper might be interested.
Anyone seen any telly programmes that tackle things like this?