Blue Badge issue period at odds with DLA award period — Scope | Disability forum
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Blue Badge issue period at odds with DLA award period

abstractLucas
abstractLucas Community member Posts: 76 Connected
My son's blue badge has expired, and we need to renew it.  He has an award of high rate mobility dla, which expires when he turns 16 in ten months.  I have asked our local council (Bristol) if I can apply (on his behalf of course) under the OTHER criteria, rather than using the passporting function of his DLA award.  They have refused, saying that under the legislation they aren't allowed to assess him under the other criteria if he has a current HRMCDLA award.  The reason I want to do it this way is because I have to pay a £10 admin fee and jump through various hoops relating to ID, address etc, and I will have to do it all again in ten months when the new badge expires.  Can I insist that they assess him under the other criteria (substantial and permanent disability resulting in his being virtually unable to walk)?
(For info - there is no doubt that he meets the criteria or that PIP will be awarded)

Comments

  • ScopeHelpline
    ScopeHelpline Community member Posts: 207 Courageous
    Hello @abstractLucas,

    We've had a look into this for you but haven't been able to find anything which suggests that it would be possible to be assessed under the other criteria whilst a current high rate mobility DLA award exists.
    We wonder if the local authority could exercise some discretion though and grant the badge for three years if there is no doubt that your son will qualify for enhanced PIP mobility when he moves over? In order to qualify automatically for a blue badge under PIP you have to score 8 points or more in the moving around activity. If it's clear that he will qualify then it's worth asking the local authority to exercise their discretion based on the information they already have regarding your son. We can't promise that this approach will work but it's worth trying.
    Let us know how you get on with this and whether your council are able to be a bit more flexible with this.

    Best wishes
    Scope helpline
  • Mawgwr
    Mawgwr Community member Posts: 5 Listener
    Hi, have had no probs ourselves in this respect, but know one or two that have! It appears that in one instance the local authority were much more interested in collecting the extra money & we're adamant they were not going to issue a badge. So, my friend casually mentioned that his brother was a journalist on the local paper (which he was) & how much the paper really liked having a go at the local authority, esp, when it was a negative story. The guy behind the desk went & asked his boss & hey presto!  within 15 mins the application was being processed! MOST / ALL councils HATE negative publicity & will avoid it wherever possible. Just mention the words: Papers, Radio & TV & it frequently works a treat. There is one other thing you could mention & that involves your MP! One MP's letter generates at least a box / lever arch file of paperwork & the LA will generally bend over backwards to avoid it. Failing that: Take them to court! You can be doing several of these young at the same time, so it shouldn't take too long to get where you have the new blue badge.  Good Hunting! 

    Regards. . . .

Brightness

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