Blue Badge

Everyday living
1

Hi

I have one bad relaspe (july) where my left side went number, was dragging leg behind me. I am ok now, but do get tired and where before i would not use my car and walk down the road to supermarket and carry bags home or on bus i find i can not do that now as i am a bit tired and left arm a bit weak, and after awhile (havent measured distance) my toes go numb and find i am using my car more.

I look ok you wouldnt know there is anything wrong with me, but i myself feel it.

would i be entitled to a blue badge.

2

Hi anon

Do you get DLA? If so you should be able to get one. If not, I can’t remember what the qualifying criteria is - I think it’s something like if you can’t walk more than 20m without sever discomfort, though I’m not sure. The best way to know would be to enquire at your local council.

Dan

3

HI, If you look on your local council website it tells you what the criteria are.

Think it’s being centralised but try local authority first to cut down on fraud. Think if you find it difficult to walk 100m then you’re

entitled. Remember it’s at your worst. You can apply online then your doctor will fill something in. They used to cost about £2

but it’s gone up to about £10.

Worth a try. Jen x

4

Say to them if true; “while hobbling along the High Street I keep near to the shops. This aids me in two ways; I am less likely to fall into the road and I can stop and look in shop windows to get a rest.

It’s also an ideal example you mention that you can no longer carry shopping

I find it very difficult; in fact it’s getting nay impossible to carry my shopping about then back to my car. I cannot buy anything in a glass container/bottle as if I fell over it would probably smash.

Don’t say what you used to do concentrate on what you cannot do. Only say things that are true; don’t try and embellish things; I know you probably would not but had to say it. The times I’ve seen people get in awful mess by saying something that was not true.

Do you claim DLA; think your not eligible?

12 things that don’t affect your right to claim Disability Living Allowance.

  1. You’re getting any other benefits - Disability Living Allowance will be paid on top.

  2. You’re working.

  3. Your partner works.

  4. You have savings.

  5. You have not paid any national insurance contributions.

  6. You don’t consider yourself to be disabled - Disability Living Allowance is for people with long term health problems which affect their everyday activities.

  7. You’ve been told by a doctor, nurse, care worker - or anyone other than a welfare rights worker - that you won’t get Disability Living Allowance. Eligibility for Disability Living Allowance is a legal question, not a matter of medical - or any other - opinion.

  8. You live alone and no-one is providing care for you.

  9. You already have someone, a partner for example, providing care for you.

  10. You don’t want anyone to provide care for you.

  11. You’ve been turned down before. Once you’ve looked at the information in our you may decide you could put forward a stronger case if you applied again.

  12. You do not want to spend money on personal care: you can spend Disability Living Allowance on anything you wish.

Disability living allowance five minute physical health test for adults

Step one

Look through this list of some (but not all) of the everyday activities that are relevant to DLA:

· Walking outdoors

· Walking outdoors alone in unfamiliar places

· Preparing a cooked main meal for yourself

· Moving about indoors

· Taking medication

· Eating and drinking

· Staying safe if you’re alone

· Communicating with other people

· Getting out of bed in the morning

· Getting into bed at night

· Sleeping

· Using the toilet

· Washing, having a bath or a shower

· Looking after your appearance

· Getting dressed and undressed

· Social and leisure activities

(Shopping and housework are not generally counted as everyday activities that are relevant to DLA).

Step two

Choose one of the activities above that you have some problems with. For example:

· you might have problems using the toilet because you have irritable bowel syndrome which causes abdominal pain and urgent diarrhoea, so you sometimes don’t make it in time

· you might have problems going outdoors alone in unfamiliar places because a visual impairment makes it difficult for you to see obstructions or cross roads safely

· you may not be able to prepare a cooked main meal for yourself because arthritis in your hands means you can’t peel or chop vegetables.

Step three

With your chosen activity in mind, answer the True or False questions below. If your condition varies, so that the answer is sometimes true and sometimes false, then choose true.

· I can do it, but it hurts.True or False?

· I can do it, but only slowly.True or False?

· I can do it, but only using a special technique of my own.True or False?

· I can do it, but I need someone with me just in case things go wrong.True or False?

· It’s not safe for me to do it. True or False?

· I can’t do it at all. True or False?

Step four

If you haven’t answered True to any of the questions, try the test again with another activity from the list and so on, until you’ve found a statement that is true or decided that there aren’t any.

Step five

If the answer is True to any of the questions in relation to any of the activities listed then you may be entitled to Disability Living Allowance, because they are all reasons why you might ‘reasonably require’ help or supervision, even if you don’t get it or want it.

Whether you are actually eligible for Disability Living Allowance, and at what rate, will depend on how many activities you have problems with and which ones they are.

If the answer wasn’t true to any of the questions it doesn’t mean you are definitely not eligible for Disability Living Allowance, you should try to get advice from DIAL http://www.dialuk.info/ who will come around your house and help with the forms. Or Benefits and work http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/ who give excellent advice costs £19.40 per year. The DLS give excellent free advice http://www.dls.org.uk/advice/factsheet/factsheets_download.html it is essential you get help.

Ring 0800 882200 Benefit Enquiry Line to get the forms. If awarded this gives you automatic right for a blue badge also any payments will be backdated to this phonecall.

Good luck

George