People are missing out on Blue Badge ‘lifeline’
CONCERN FOR THOSE WITH NON-VISIBLE DISABILITIES
PEOPLE with non-visible disabilities are far less likely to have their application for a Blue Badge approved in Nottinghamshire, new figures show.
The Blue Badge parking permit scheme was extended in 2019 to include people with non-visible disabilities such as autism, Parkinson’s disease, dementia and anxiety.
But a BBC Shared Data Unit and Local Democracy Reporting Service investigation has exposed the stark difference in approval rates for people with non-visible disabilities and those with physical disabilities.
While Nottinghamshire County Council approved 90 percent of all Blue Badge applications it has received since August 30, 2019, it has only approved 21 percent of those from people with non-visible disabilities.
Despite this, the county council says its system is “fair and consistent”.
A council spokeswoman said: “When considering Blue Badge applications, we follow Department for Transport guidance to ensure our processes are consistent, fair and robust.
“In each instance, we assess the application, evidence and any professional reports and make a decision based on the information available.
“If an application is refused for any reason, a statement is included in the refusal letter along with details of how to appeal the decision.
“We receive very few such appeals.
“In some instances, applicants have submitted a hidden disability form in error – in these cases they are invited to reapply under the correct scheme.
“Our staff complete significant training under the oversight of trained social care professionals, allowing them to fully recognise and understand the implications of living with a hidden disability.
“By strictly following the Department for Transport’s guidance, we are confident our system is fair and consistent.”
Addressing the number of applications approved in the city, Nottingham City Council said it was “in the process of updating logging systems”.
A spokesperson said: “We assess all applications on their own merits following Department of Transport guidance, using expert assessors to help reach a decision in some cases.
“If people with non-visible disabilities register and are eligible for a blue badge then we will be very pleased to provide them with one.
“As well as the 174 we have approved under the non-visible disability category, we have approved a further 1,698, or 34 percent of the total since August 30, 2019, which relate to walking disabilities but may also involve a proportion of people who also have non-visible disabilities.
“We are in the process of updating our logging systems but at the moment we are unable to extract this information and so we believe there may be a statistical anomaly in these figures.
“We would encourage anyone to check the criteria and if they are eligible for a Blue Badge to apply online at nottinghamcity.gov.uk/
information-for-residents/transport-parking-and-streets/parkingand-permits/disabled-blue-badges or call us on 0115 876 1966.”
But James Taylor, executive director strategy impact and social change at disability equality charity
Scope, said: “Councils need also to understand the devastating impact their negative decision can have.”
The removal of accessible parking bays next to shops and amenities “overnight, without any consultation” to allow for social distancing during the Covid-19 pandemic had also had a “massive impact” on disabled people, Scope said.
The data was obtained through Freedom of Information requests made to all 216 upper-tier councils in the UK.
Of the 109 councils who gave a full response to the request, 92 had lower approval rates for applications from people with non-visible disabilities.
Tim Nicholls, head of policy and public affairs at the National Autistic Society, said: “A Blue Badge can be a lifeline, helping you to get out and about in ways others take for granted.
“The changes to the rules last year were a big step in the right direction. But these figures suggest that people with non-visible disabilities, like autism, could be missing out.”