Disability Living Allowance & Blue Badge

Before I went in to Hospital for the operation I thought it would be a good idea to fill in the forms for Disability Living Allowance and also for the Blue Badge parking scheme.

I duly downloaded the DLA form of some 30 + pages and filled it in, signed it, and left it for Jane to post the day after my operation. For those of you who are unaware of the scheme, it is in two parts. The first part is a care component which is graded in 3 levels for those who require assistance or care with their daily living due to their disability. The second part is the Mobility component which is 2 levels, and if you are awarded the higher level you basically get  £54.05 a week which you can then give up and instead have a mobility scheme car supplied.

Brilliant I thought, that'll help out !!

But that was short lived

I have just found out that I'm not eligible as I'm over 65 years old !!

You couldn't write the script if you tried !!

So I'm on the scrap heap of life according to the Government.

I've spent 40 odd years running a business and paying taxes, probably putting considerably more into the system than most people, only to be told I'm to old.

As I'm an amputee I now have to sell my car, purchase and automatic, and get it converted with dual accelerator pedals so I can drive it with my left leg, and all at my own expense. To further rub my nose in it, in the paper today I read of a Middle Eastern refugee family being given a million pound house in London rent free, plus all sorts of other financial handouts !! am I bitter ? what do you think ?

Not to worry, I have also applied for a Blue Badge

Again, I filled the form in prior to going into hospital and Jane posted it the day after the operation. The various questions all answered truthfully with the main disability being my right leg amputation, and the fact that it was impossible to walk without crutches, or be mobile without a wheelchair. To confirm the amputation all the hospital paperwork was included with the application.

Last week I received a letter from the Blue Badge scheme asking me to go for an assessment !!

AN ASSESSMENT !!!  What planet are these people on !!  I've had a leg amputated, not exactly something you can fake.

Anyway, this morning Jane drove me in to Colchester for this assessment. I was greeted by a young girl, about 11 years old and just out of primary school. More paperwork and form filling in, and the obligatory "how far can you walk on crutches" test.

I know these government departments have procedures but it really is about time some of the bureaucracy is removed from our world, and some good old common sense injected in to it.

I'm hopeful of getting a Blue Badge, but in this crazy world who knows.

Watch this space for further updates.