When I renewed my blue badge a few years ago, the form was about 4 pages long, two of which didn’t apply because I’m on the maximum mobility component of DLA. My blue badge needs replacing, so I went to the Warwickshire County Council website to print out an application form. The form is now 16 pages long! Again, I can ignore most of it, but I still have to print it all out.
Not only is the form longer, but the Council is no longer satisfied to just have copies of proof of identity/proof of address. They now have to be certified copies. So now I have to take my documents along to my bank to get somebody there to confirm that, yes, it’s me and I do live at that address.
And the admin cost has gone up. When I first got a blue badge (2006 or thereabouts) it cost £2. Warwickshire County Council is charging £10 to cover admin costs.
Basically, what should have been a simple task has turned into another example of (local) government making disabled people jump through hoops to prove they’re disabled and need help.
Yep, I’ve just had approval on my first blue badge, it required a photo, certified ID and proof of address (Surely my council should actually know who pays the council tax!) and I need to send them a £10 cheque… I did find it a hassle yes but it’s the first thing on my list sorted so I’m really happy too.
My GP has signed off the form for free presciptions, driving licence surrendered, I’ve paid to get LDN off-label, the council housing waiting list application took a long time but is in the post and the PIP application only came through a few days ago, going to get some help thru an organisation MS nurse told me about!
A very kind GP told me I was coping really well (likely to be PPMS) BUT warned me that if I struggle, it might be when all the paperwork is done. I think that was pretty good of him as I guess not only do you get hit with a diagnosis but the absolute mountains of paerwork that you just cannot ignore keep booting you up the bum to get on with it!
Hi, yes I thought it was a faff getting a certified copy, I work beside an ex police officer who was happy to certify the copy for me, having seen me walk and struggle in the office, he even said that someone like me renewing a blue badge shouldn’t be that much bother! You don’t need the bank though to certify your copy, a police officer would do, a teacher, pharmacist, accountant, they don’t need to know you in a professional capacity either, e.g. a teacher who was a friend would do. Cheryl:-)
Carole, you are so right on that one, one of the reasons I’m getting help on the PIP form… I even struggle a bit with a pen now so the state od paper forms is NOT pretty by the time they’re completed
Yes, l faced the same with Warwickshire CC. l have had a blue badge for years and a orange one before that. l get HRM/DLA and l thought l could fast track some of the pages - but no - they actually phoned me to say they needed all the ‘relevant’ documents. l said l had my disability for 31yrs - did they think l had improved. Do they know something that l don’t.
They returned the forms and l had to go through it all again. But l did send the same photo as last time as l had 4 from the photo booth. Just goes to show that they do not take that much notice. The increase from £2 to £10 is a bit much - and for progressive illnesses - like ours- l would have thought we could have a life membership badge!!
The first thing do do is to take note of the fact that the badge is actually issued by a single private contractor, even though the payment goes to your council.
Next, print off the form, fill it in in pencil, check for the tricky questions that ask the same thing twice in a different way, then get all the documentation ready as scans.
I covered my bets, e-mailed the council department dealing with Blue Badges, and asked if I could apply online. They said yes, I could, the application went to the contractor, who passed the details to the council, and when the council said yes, the council contacted me for payment andwhen they got that they told the contractor to issue the BB. And if you have followed that, you can see what a complicated process it has become.
So I completed the form, attached the scans of documents and photos as required, and mailed it off. I then mailed copies of the scans etc to the council BB dept, saying that I was not sure if they had attached correctly. My assumption was that if the scans were wrong, they would get back to me. Less than a week later, the council mailed me for the £10 - and I could pay that online as well.
I think that the big trick is to print the form off first, and then get all your documents as scans ready to send. Then fill in the for, and away you go …
