Blue Badge application changes are a big mistake
RECENTLY, I was requested by a friend who is over 80 years old to assist her application for a Blue Badge on-line on behalf of her autistic son, who is over 50 years old.
The application online proved futile because my iPad does not have scanning or printing attachments.
I telephoned the Blue Badge department to request a form to be posted to my friend. The response was, “We don’t send Blue Badge forms out anymore.”
I asked how they expected an elderly lady accompanied by her disabled son, to travel to the department to complete this task. The operative replied, she didn’t make the rules.
I was told I could attend the department to facilitate the application on my friend’s behalf as long as I had all the relevant documentation.
This brings into question, confidentiality, and discrimination.
Moreover, how do we decipher how elderly and disabled Blue Badge applicants are risk-assessed when travelling, given public transport or dial-a-ride does not cater for onboard unforseen circumstances, unpredictable behaviour or door-to-door services.
Equally we live in a society where the elderly are robbed, mugged and stabbed and often the disabled are ridiculed and both are easy targets.
Perhaps the individuals who decided to change the Blue Badge postage options might want to consider the safeguarding policies? These come under the community care act 1982.
Let’s not forget that at the centre of this is an elderly caring mum with poor mobility, who is saving the government a fortune by caring for her son, which is no doubt affecting her health and wellbeing with the added stress of trying to resolve the Blue Badge issue.
This is the difference between a postage stamp and discrimination to both these parties.
Is this an error of judgement by those who rung the Blue Badge changes? In my opinion, it certainly is.
I will of course action this application and support my friend, but what about the many others who are in similar situations who don’t have support or transport.
Yes it can be said the mobility component of Personel Independence Payments can be utilised to pay taxi costs, but this is only part of the problem, not the answer.
J Whelan, by e-mail