What do I say.
a person I know has reported a neighbour to the council for fraudulently claiming a blue badge, he as a physically active full time job, plays sports, jogs, and walks all over with his family yet it’s over 6 months since the council was informed and he still has a blue badge. What do I say to the person who informed the council? How long do they take too investigate this? Sorry for going anonymous but I’m sure you’ll realise how controversial this subject is.
Mmm difficult situation. Sadly people do abuse the blue badge system. I guess your neighbour could contact the council again! Maybe they are investigating? Don’t know how long the systems take - but they can take time. This person could have what is called a hidden disability!
Perhaps it’s a hidden disability, as there is quite a strict criteria to get a badge which does include an assessment if you do not have the correct points with PIP.
The badge holder sustained a head injury but returned to work, as I wrote he isn’t showing any signs of mobility problems and walks into town and back daily to go to work and all over town regularly without any assistance taking his kids around, plays football, goes jogging, stands in the kitchen every night cooking dinner for a family has a physically demanding active job, carries heavy sacks home regularly, I know that there’s invisible disabilities like cardiovascular problems but his lifestyle rules those out, along with neuromuscular or skeletal problems. The only thing I can think of is that he could have seizures but think that might impact his job and prevent him from going out alone. But the fact is that he walks hundreds of yards unassisted daily along with the activities at work. It actually does stink of fraud as we know that doctors have to believe you about your symptoms no matter how ridiculous they sound so a GP might have been conned into agreement that he has disabilities, for instance If I say I’ve got horrific headaches they cannot prove I haven’t. You can only prove a positive, I can prove I can swim but can’t prove I can’t unless I’m prepared to drown.
I had heard it has changed recently. That some mental health conditions are taken into account. So the person who reported doesn’t know how that person has to manage their life. I don’t have a blue badge but I see people parking in blue badge spaces without a badge. At least he has one. I think there is a way can check that it Is his and not for example his wife or mother’s I would be more bothered that he is claiming other benefits. Which as he has been reported I am sure it is being dealt with
I’ve said it before. Blue Badges should be for people with mobility issues not hidden disabilities. There aren’t enough parking spaces. The difference being, people with mobility issues can be independent while people with hidden disabilities are usually with someone who is driving. People using another person’s Badge should be heavily fined.
It gets to me when I see someone park up and just walk off, when we assessed for PIP we have to score top points to get the mobility side, thankfully I did, I’m a wheelchair/scooter user, but the point is, if you can walk for 20 meters they deem you fit even, now I know that their giving out for hidden disabilites, ok far enough, but then they should scrap the ruling on far a person can walk, we’ve got MS for goodness sake, it an’t going anywhere, infact it’s gonna get worse. the bit about people getting fined for using someone elses badge is law, but they have to have the people to check these things out. As far as this person goes, the one you’ve posted about, if he’s had a head injury, he posilbly have times when he isn’t so good, now I’m only saying this because a neighbour of ours their son was kicked in the head by a horse when he was 18mths old, he’s now 16, yes he can walk, move about ok, but he has times of high fatigue, so they qualify for PIP and a badge, it’s just a thought.
On the surface, yes it looks like fraud…but without all the facts we cant make judgement.
Boudsx
I agree. Some make assumptions without knowing facts. It could be fraud. I think the people have got time to be watching what other people are doing life is hard enough!
I think I’ve said everything everyone has said about this, but when someone goes on and on about it you get to a point where you know you can’t add anything more. They even keep saying that he has probably claimed pip and can’t seem to understand how difficult it would be to get it fraudulently, unfortunately they know people that are taking the pea of the benefit system so assume that others are too. I’ve said that they have done as much as they can and it’s now up to the council, that they should leave it up to them. And no his lifestyle hasn’t changed since his accident apart from no longer driving, his activities are the same as they have always been, work, sports and socialising. We know the impact of fatigue better than most, when we cherry pick household jobs, like it took me a whole day to clean out the cutlery draw last week, when I crash out and can’t finish my drink after grocery shopping, it’s understandable that I cannot get how someone can hold down a physically demanding job full time then go home and play football for a couple of hours, and cook dinner every day. Yes he maybe has blagged a blue badge, but I can’t do anything about it.
I think the person who reported him is nosy. Like mentioned above the blue badge could be for any member of his family. If you have a disability or illness that affects your daily life you can get PIP and work. The person seems to know alot about this person, do they follow him? mentioning work and where he goes Sounds a bit odd to me!
It really does seem the criteria has changed, I know someone from our street in London who has Autism he told me that was the only medical term he used when he applied and the council gave him the Blue Badge. He walks perfectly well, seems unfair but they must have there reasons.
jackD
And that’s my point, you don’t have to have a walking issue, that’s why think they should scrap it.
Yes they’re nosey, no they’re not watching them because they live so close so any activities inside the house are obvious. No nobody in the house has a disability. I’ve read though the the descriptions of who qualifies for a blue badge and nobody in the house qualifies, they are all physically active sporty people, without mental health problems or special needs. And yes blue badges should be kept for people who have physical disabilities including cardiovascular issues and no there isn’t enough disabled bays and yes why can’t someone with autism walk more than 50 metres unless they are at the very extreme end and can’t be got out of the house without difficulty or suffer from agoraphobia in which case where the bl**dy hell are they going.
It can take a year. they have to gather evidence. I know someone who sadly got caught by DWP for fraud they had been following him for six months they said. He has RA, and good and bad days, and someone reported him for walking to his car from his house. that was the only evidence they had on him. walking from his car to his house, or to his job.
the only thing they could get on him was his wife had forgot to contact them on a change of circumstances which was simply that he had been put on a new drug a cancer one i think matextrate or something. had showed a very slight change of improvement. after he was grilled by fraud people he had a warning and lost his DLA.
a month later he was taken to hospital very ill with something cant remember its name are cellulitis. he was there for six weeks.
His RA stopped responding to the drugs, and he for 3 years he was very sick.
If he had reported the change he would have been ok.
How close can you live near to someone unless you live in their bed with them. I live next to people and i rarely see them as i have more to do with my life.
this guy is clearly suffering. He used to drive he is now not driving you said he has to walk everywhere so why does he need a blue badge? If he is not driving a car how do people know he has one? Unless its in his partners car. we dont know the true story.
something is obviously wrong with him physically. MAYBE he is walking more as he was advised to do so by his doctor. doesnt mean he wont have a fit or something. maybe his head injury gives him fits.
ALL I KNOW is to get a blue badge you have to go through a huge deal.
My husband had a blue badge with COPD. because he struggled to breath and from car to shop was painful but he could walk normally. just couldnt breath properly.
anyway depending on how bad the fraud is and how busy they are its a big job to catch people. I think the person watching should get a life. they have done the deed now they need to leave it to the authorities and leave this poor guy alone, who obviously has had a bad time of it but is still trying to work and be with his family.
The problem with life, is that it’s way to short and harsh. So you have to use your time and energy wisely. Control the controlables… - Can we stop him having a blue badge if it’s fraud, NO. - Can the authorities, once reported, stop him having a blue badge if it’s fraud, YES. Let someone else use their energy and time worrying about it. And lastly… - if it isn’t Fraud, should the doubters feel bad, YES. - if it is fraud, should the justice seekers feel good, YES.
Even people with MS Relapsing Remitting can sometimes get a badge and so they should the numbness the pain etc etc The staying in because it’s too hard to go out. However, some symptoms are still there when in a remission. I don’t have a blue badge if Or claim any benefits. I am lucky my hubby can support me. I don’t claim or have a badge because of judgmental people. I take my little dog for a walk I play with my grandchildren I am one myself, I try not to be. You see people briskly walking away from the car. I have to consider one of the people may have Alzheimer’s which is difficult some days to get them from a to b I think your neighbour is right to air their concerns to the authorities and you posting this has led to all our differing opinions
there are different types of agoraphobia, not just afraid of open spaces which most people think of.
way too much judgment going on here considering those of us with badge get judged as not needing one due to us not looking ‘sick’ 
its actually sad
Exactly, then people don’t get the help they need because they are being judged. The person reporting is definatly a nosey neighbour and sounds like a stalker too. If they are doing fraud they would get found out. I just don’t get why people go through extreme measures to find out what people are doing, almost sounds like jealousy (my opinion) I agree with Crazy chick they need to get a life! I am so glad my neighbours are not like that.