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Hi CRG2024

Just tell the DWP that you need to put in for renewal of your blue badge and ask them for an extension letter. The councils require a letter to show that claimants still have at least a year to go on their PIP award.

Some claimants have got their letters easily from the DWP, and some have struggled to get one. Unfortunately, Like many of these things, it comes down to luck and who you get on the call.

BIS

My PIP award runs out on 12 January 2025, it was awarded it from 2018 till January 2025. I sent the review forms / reports on 05 April 2024 but I have not heard from them (like many others) - all I have is a text message confirming receipt of documents and health professional report and that a decision would be made in 6 x weeks (by the 17th May).

I am now therefore within 3 x months of expiry of my PIP entitlement and it is also time ro renew the blue badge

I do have the latest April letter (yearly update) which has the weekly amounts on it (they usually send these kind of letters in April every year) - it has no end date / it does not specifically mention what level of award there is although the amounts are self explanatory

I do have and "statement of entitlement" which lists the scores and enhanced rates BUT with end date 12 January 2025

I read somewhere that it is possible to call the PIP helpline and request "a PIP award extension letter" which should be valid for one year. Is this still the case? I need to renew my blue badge and this would seem the easiest way to proceed? I would assume it would be a similar document to the statment of entitlement but with an extra year

I read in an article in the newspaper that the DWP should be issuing yearly extensions on request

Any particualr advice on what I should tell them exactly when I call?

Many thanks

CRG

I have seen several posts about blue badge delays, so thought the following information might be useful to share as I have never come across this before:

We recently applied for a blue badge for my husband (1st application) and were told they were taking 16 weeks for new applications. We were surprised when TWO arrived, 8 weeks later, and thought this was a mistake. When we checked the dates and serial numbers, we found out one badge is dated for the next 3 years, then the second badge is postdated and starts in 3 years time when the current one expires!

I think this may be due to the delays with benefits and renewals and don’t know if it happening anywhere else, but thought I would share the info.

Hi, maybe you can ask your council if they can give you an update on the wait?

I know a few thousand are in this predicament due to long wait times with PIP assessments, and also with Blue badge applications and renewals, you are definitely not alone.

If there is ever a problem with your blue badge expiry, you only have to show your PIP extension letter and that should be sufficient evidence to your entitlement to a current blue badge.

Yours

Greekqueen

Thank you for your reply and help.
Had no idea and hope I have now changed it.
Many thanks

Hi Erica

I don't know whether you have used your full name as your forum name - but if you have, I would suggest that you follow the link and change it. Look for "My full name is showing"

benefitsandwork.co.uk/guides-for-claimants/faq/forum

I'm sorry, there is very little you can do about it, but contact your council and see if they can speed up the process.

BIS

Hi teresasue,

You can find the full list of ID acceptable to the DWP in the link below. Has your son had his migration letter ?
I cannot see Blue Badge amongst them.

www.gov.uk/jobcentre-plus-interview

David

I completed paperwork for my PIP review in December 2023. However, when I phoned them in August as I was starting to panic, I was told that my claim had been extended for a year as the assessments are running up to 12 months behind. A letter would go out to me.
That’s okay but I’ve only just received the letter. I immediately completed the renewal for my Blue Badge which expires on 2/10. The turnaround time for that is 11 weeks. Anyone else in this situation, any advice gratefully received.

Hi there does anyone know if a BLUE BADGE with photo id would be acceptable for photo id as my son doesn't have anything else with a photo for id please]

Hi i was in the same boat as you after my last report. I chose to ignore the report, i didn't read past the first lie, but because they let me keep the same points i could keep my car and blue badge. So i did nothing. The other choice would have been to do mandatory reconsideration, then appeal, and possibly lose my enhanced mobility points. So it's a personal choice to make for everyone 😊

I managed to get a blue badge without having PIP. My doctor helped me. I did have to go for an assessment at the local council but they passed me for a blue badge, no problem. (Do not have a car either - it's to use when I am with my son in his car)

Hi Kassy,

It is easy to apply for blue badge on-line through your council, they will just ask for copies of your medical issues etc

Good luck

Thank you for explaining, what the DWP & PIP should have done but never do.

Hi Malcom

People often ask us about when payments will be backdated to. If someone puts in a change of circumstances - it gets backdated to the date they informed the DWP of the change.

It's slightly different for reviews because it depends on how long it takes for the review to take place. Then, a decision is made on whether there is to be any back payment. This can vary from case to case.

Regarding the blue badge, you can apply directly to your council for one, and several of our members have reported successfully doing that because they couldn't wait.

BIS

Thanks, but can you please clarify: I need to explain I only told them about changes in circumstances when answering Q's in the PIP review. I meant to tell them sooner but never had the energy or the time or the medical supporting evidence as my partner was in and out of hospital 12 times in 12 months, and nearly died several times, it was all too much. The updated information sent to them for the PIP review runs to 22 A4 typed continuation pages + 9 medical supporting documents.

In other words, I didn't submit a separate Change in Circumstances before or since submitting the PIP Review application.

Hi Malcolm

If you applied for a change in circumstances then your partners should be backdated to the date you requested a change in circumstances.

You do not need a PIP award to get a blue badge although it does help, what you do need is a good doctors supporting letter.

Gary

Submitted my partner's PIP review last October, which included explaining changes in mental health & physical heath circumstances, including needing a wheelchair for outdoor use since the year before, following multiple admissions (12 emergency admissions within 12 months), and numerous falls with head cuts, fractures etc. Just got a DWP PIP letter saying 'review delayed PIP entitlement extended until September 2025". May still want to have a formal assessment. although his long-standing physiatrist wrote explaining assessments very stressful: complex serious mental health issues (still in secondary care & last PIP assessment had a panic attack). We've been told can only get a Blue badge from our local council if has PIP increased mobility award. He has already been using a wheelchair for 2 years. Q (1) Do we have to wait until PIP Review is completed, to get DWP to accept a legitimate wheelchair use so we can get Blue Bage and be entitled to subsidised transport schemes (e.g taxi scheme etc?) Q (2). Assumng eventually he will have his PIP review, and the all the medical evidence supports an increase in mobility award, will the increase be backdated to Oct 2023 when I informed them of the changes in circumstances? Hope this makes sense,.

I wanted to share our recent experience of applying online for Attendance Allowance in case it will help others - it was so easy!

Each Monday morning the DWP allow a new batch of online applications for AA. There are only so many for each week, so we waited for the Monday and then applied. I can’t believe how easy and simple it was! The form was all tick boxes about what my husband needed help with eg dressing, bathing, difficulties with walking etc, during the day and at night. It was very different to the printed version - the whole form took a fraction of the time compared to the blue badge application we filled out online. There was nowhere to write explanations and it didn’t allow me to upload any of his medical evidence, so I was very worried and thought we would be unsuccessful or it would take weeks whilst they contacted doctors etc.
In less than two weeks we got a letter saying he has been awarded the higher rate and the first payment went into his bank account the same day! The letter says they used the information from the claim form to make the decision - no assessments, form-filling by GPs or anything like that. This was not a ‘special rules’ application so it wasn’t done under the fast-track either. I hope our experience might encourage others who are still deliberating to go ahead and apply. Thank you once again to BaW and everyone who posts on the forum too for all the advice, help and support.

Hi Kassy

I'm sorry that you scored zero points. I hope that you will write a response to your Mandatory Reconsideration once you have a copy of the assessment report (PA4). I don't know how much you said over the phone, but it's hard to respond if you don't have a full idea of the thinking behind the decision. Also if you just give your view of the phone, you have no idea if anything you said has been taken down correctly.

You can apply for a blue badge any time, but you will have to try and get it without having a PIP award (which does happen).

BIS

Hello,
My PIP application was returned with all components being awared zero points. I have requested for mandotary reconsideration via phone. I have also requested for notes taken during my telephone assessment to be provided. I received a text message notying me that my claim will be looked at again and this will take 15 weeks.
I wanted to find out if I am able to apply for a blue badge in the meantime as I have mobility issues?

Thank you,

Kassy