Update on calls for people in NHS queues to get Blue Badges | UK | News

The UK Government has been encouraged to consider changing the Blue Badge Scheme to help people facing long waits on the NHS for major surgery. Conservative MP Alicia Kearns He suggested exploring the possibility of GPs having the power to issue temporary Blue Cards to patients with significant mobility difficulties. He also suggested that these badges be reviewed every six months.

Blue Badges help people with physical disabilities or health conditions that affect their ability to walk by allowing them to park closer to their destination. Permit holders, whether drivers or passengers, may park free of charge in designated disabled parking spaces and may also be exempt from additional parking restrictions.

In the question he presented to the Parliament regarding these badges, Ms Kearns wrote: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he would consider the potential benefits of allowing GPs and hospital consultants to issue temporary blue badges to patients with severe mobility impairments and long NHS waiting times for major surgery; such badges will be reviewed at six-month intervals.”

Responding, MP Simon Lightwood explained that Blue Badges are intended to help people with different disabilities and health conditions, but that the Government has no plans to change the current system.

Accordingly wrote in the Daily Record: “The purpose of the Blue Badge program is to help individuals with significant and persistent mobility problems caused by visible and invisible (‘hidden’) disabilities access products and services by allowing them to park close to their destination. Blue Badges may therefore be issued to an individual with a disability who is expected to endure in some form during the three-year badge issuance period.”

“As set out in the legislation, the program is managed locally by the relevant local authority, who are responsible for determining and implementing administrative, evaluation and implementation procedures that they believe are in line with applicable legislation. The Government has no plans to change the way the program is managed at a local level.”

Who automatically qualifies for the Blue Badge?

According to the government, you will automatically qualify for the Blue Badge if you are over three years old and meet at least one of the following criteria:

• You receive Personal Independence Payment (PIP) because you cannot walk more than 50 meters (eight points or more under the ‘walking around’ activity of the mobility component)
• You are taking the mobility component of PIP and have received 10 points for the E descriptor under the activity ‘planning and following journeys’ as you will not be able to undertake any journeys as this would cause you severe psychological distress
• You receive a higher rate of the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
• You receive the War Veterans’ Mobility Supplement
• You have received lump sum benefit under tariff levels one to eight of the Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation) Scheme and have been documented to have a permanent and significant disability that results in the inability to walk or very serious difficulty in walking.
• You are registered as blind (severely visually impaired)

If your score in PIP’s ‘planning and tracking journeys’ activity is 10 points below the E descriptor, you may still qualify for a Blue Badge, although this is not guaranteed. This is true even if your score is higher, like 12. You will need to provide evidence supporting your eligibility, which will be assessed as part of your application.

Other ways to qualify for the Blue Badge

Others may qualify for a Blue Badge if one or more of the following apply:

• Walking is dangerous to your health and safety
• You seriously struggle to plan or keep track of a trip
• You find it very difficult to walk due to pain, shortness of breath, or for long periods of time
• You regularly have intense and overwhelming reactions to situations that cause a temporary loss of behavioral control
• If you have a child under the age of three with a medical condition, this means they must be accompanied by major medical equipment at all times
• You cannot walk without help from someone else or without using mobility aids
• You can’t walk at all
• If you have a life-limiting disease, that is, you cannot walk or find it very difficult to walk and you have your SR1 form done
• You have a severe disability in both arms and you drive regularly but cannot use pay and video parking machines
• You have a child under the age of three with a medical condition; This means they should always be kept near a vehicle in case they need emergency medical treatment.
• You continually pose a significant risk to yourself or others near vehicles, in traffic or in parking lots
• You are often extremely anxious or fearful of public/open spaces
• You find it difficult or impossible to control your actions and are unaware of the impact you may have on others

How to apply for the Blue Badge?

You can apply for the Blue Badge in England, Scotland and Wales. via GOV.UK. However, if you are in Northern Ireland the process is different. Click this link for more details.

The cost of obtaining a Blue Badge is £10 in England, £20 in Scotland and free in Wales. Your local municipality will determine your eligibility once they have all the required documentation.

It may take 12 weeks or longer for your application to be processed. If authorities determine that you do not meet the requirements and you think some facts have been overlooked, you can request an investigation.