PIP freedom pass

ilovepink97

Hi everyone, 

I have been awarded PIP for mobility and daily living and scored 12 and 13 points respectively. 

I was wondering if I can apply for a freedom pass but will that not allow me to learn how to drive? I do not have a license but was hoping to apply for the freedom pass but there’s a section where it says u need to give up your license or something like that. Like I don’t know how to drive but what if I want to in the future if I feel I can deal with my disability more 

my question is can you still have a drivers license or learn how to drive and still have a disabled persons freedom pass? 

I have fractures in both feet, osteoarthritis, and complex PTSD and receive PIP. All my conditions are diagnosed. 

JessieJ

Hi @ilovepink97

You meet the criteria, so I would say, go ahead & apply. 

I can't remember reading on the application that you had to give up your driving license when I applied, in fact, a current one was down as a form of proof of ID, I actually used mine for that.

poppy123456

ilovepink97 said:

Hi everyone,

my question is can you still have a drivers license or learn how to drive and still have a disabled persons freedom pass? 

Yes of course you can. You'll need to check the criteria for the disabled bus pass for your local Authority. Enhanced mobility doesn't always automatically entitle you to the bus pass. All areas are different and in my area if you score 12 points for following and planning a journey, this doesn't automatically entitle you to the pass.

surfygoose

Same here. I believe the 12 points in my area qualify me for the companion part of the pass so I can have my carer travel with me, but to get the pass at all they needed proof that I either had a learning disability or would be unable to have a driving license. We have proof that I have epilepsy and that I would be denied a driving license on the grounds of my autism and how it affects me. It wasn’t difficult, they accepted straight away, just wanted proof to be sent.
That would be different if it’s the physical mobility though moving around part I think, as I think that may be like the blue badge that 10 points moving around automatically qualifies but send the extra proof if 12 points for following journey. Again blue badge was also straight forward as long as sending the evidence, they then just posted it straight out.
I don’t know about different counties though or what evidence you have.

poppy123456

surfygoose said:

That would be different if it’s the physical mobility though moving around part I think, as I think that may be like the blue badge that 10 points moving around automatically qualifies but send the extra proof if 12 points for following journey. Again blue badge was also straight forward as long as sending the evidence, they then just posted it straight out.
I don’t know about different counties though or what evidence you have.

For the BB 8 points in the moving around part automatically qualifies you. In England 12 points for following and planning a journey doesn't automatically qualify you. You need to score 10 points for 1E.

For the bus pass my daughter would qualify under the learning disability, with a companion. Though we didn't apply because she never uses public transport. I have a BB and she doesn't go out without me so no point in applying for that either.

surfygoose

Ah thanks for explaining to them better than me poppy. I got the point numbers wrong. I have the 12 for following and planning a journey so I didn’t know what the exact points were for the automatically qualifying. I just knew what they ask for my buss pass and blue badge and that it comes through ok.

L_Volunteer

Do you feel able to reach out to them to find out what your exact points were for @surfygoose? Just thinking they will have the clearest picture of their own thought process

surfygoose

It’s ok I know what my points are for @L_Volunteer. I was just making a mistake trying to help with the advice for the person who posted on here and Poppy then explained it properly to them. I think I said 10 points instead of 8 and Poppy corrected me. Poppy is a good expert for advice, she does a very good job helping people.