Proving invisible disability to get a concession, catch 22!! — Scope | Disability forum
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Proving invisible disability to get a concession, catch 22!!

rosscolfc
rosscolfc Community member Posts: 26 Courageous
Ok... I'm sure a few of us have had this situation, we book a concession to a sporting event, play or theme park admittance and they ask to see proof, thing is that's normally my blue badge which is in the window of my car, parked in a disabled bay. 

Esspecially if if your disability isn't visible or obvious you often questioned and end up feeling the need to give medical details to a box office/admittance staff. 

Its a a pitty blue badges holders and other disabled people can't get a government backed card or similar that shows entitlement but also fits in a wallet or purse. 

Comments

  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 210 Listener
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  • Sam_Alumni
    Sam_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,671 Disability Gamechanger
    I have Ulcerative Colitis and a permanent ostomy bag and I have a card from Crohns and Colitis UK that explains my illness and one from IA Support explaining my ostomy bag.  Can you see if there is a specific charity to your disability that provide something similar? 
    Scope
    Senior online community officer
  • rosscolfc
    rosscolfc Community member Posts: 26 Courageous
    There's on 7 people world wide with my condition, no organisation or charity and unnamed. So a generic government approved "this person has a disability" card would be beneficial for me. Even if a blue badge came with an additional credit card sized version. 
  • Fundamentalist
    Fundamentalist Community member Posts: 133 Courageous

    Hi from Fm. If anyone tries to tell ME I'm "not disabled" they will get TOLD in no uncertain terms straight away and I have a free bus pass which I can show them and you have to be disabled to get one of those. Also there is a blue ribbon you can get for misophonia but who recognises it? Just about no-one which is absolutely no good at all and simply will not do. This is why stuff like misophonia needs to be made far more well known just like autism or Alzheimer's etc. and not just so totally ignored as it is at the moment which is just not good enough Don't stand for it, get them told if they try and dispute your disability, after all you can't help it. Fm.

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  • Geoark
    Geoark Community member Posts: 1,463 Disability Gamechanger

    There is a charity doing a card recognised by many venues: http://www.did-card.co.uk/index.php

    It is recognised by many venues. It is always worth ringing and checking before booking, or after booking so you know if the card is recognised by them. If the venue does not recognise card you can ask to speak to the manager/owner and explain the card and ask them to look at the website to consider if they would be prepared to recognise it in future.

    It is up to individual organisations if they recognise it or not, however in my experience those who offer concessions are genuinely interested in encouraging disabled people to come to their venues.

    If you do talk to the manager/owner here are some key points:

    1. Applications are verified
    2. The process is quicker as it means showing a credit sized card with your photo on it so they know it belongs to you.
    3. It is more dignified to simply show the card when getting the ticket than bringing out documents they may or may not recognise
    4. It makes visiting a venue easier, more enjoyable and less stressful.

    As an individual I stood alone.
    As a member of a group I did things.
    As part of a community I helped to create change!

  • Fundamentalist
    Fundamentalist Community member Posts: 133 Courageous
    Hi from Fm. Who produced that yellow card? There's no way I'd wear anything like that, no chance! Instead I have a load of written and typed notes on me to show the coppers especially when anyone maliciously calls them to me just for standing up for myself which I always do and the notes clearly state that I'm certainly not "paranoid" or "deranged" or "delusional" or "brainwashed" etc. or supposedly "over imaginative" or "irrational" etc. or "psychotic" or any of that stuff. It states what I do have and why it needs to be properly and officially recognised as disability and urgently as it's gone unrecognised for far too long. Also I'm not affected by someone merely eating or breathing etc. no, I'm far more seriously affected by things which can be heard several dozen yards away like maniacal raucous hysterical cackling fits or loud shrieking "whistling" or any noise made by dogs and whole load of other stuff. But not clicking keyboards or someone eating popcorn etc. And what happens to me is not simply "annoying" or distracting or irritating, if that's all that happened there wouldn't be anything like as much of a problem. No, what happens to me is absolutely major and far more serious than merely "annoying". I wouldn't make so much fuss about it if it wasn't so serious. It's much more like a totally unprovoked brutal assault! Fm.
  • [Deleted User]
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  • rosscolfc
    rosscolfc Community member Posts: 26 Courageous
    Geoark said:

    There is a charity doing a card recognised by many venues: http://www.did-card.co.uk/index.php

    It is recognised by many venues. It is always worth ringing and checking before booking, or after booking so you know if the card is recognised by them. If the venue does not recognise card you can ask to speak to the manager/owner and explain the card and ask them to look at the website to consider if they would be prepared to recognise it in future.

    It is up to individual organisations if they recognise it or not, however in my experience those who offer concessions are genuinely interested in encouraging disabled people to come to their venues.

    If you do talk to the manager/owner here are some key points:

    1. Applications are verified
    2. The process is quicker as it means showing a credit sized card with your photo on it so they know it belongs to you.
    3. It is more dignified to simply show the card when getting the ticket than bringing out documents they may or may not recognise
    4. It makes visiting a venue easier, more enjoyable and less stressful.

    The thought of having to pay to get something that I've already got free in my car window doesn't sit right with me. I'd like to know who's actually getting the £10 and not just someone making a profit from the disabled.

    i may just photograph my blue bade and keep it on my phone.
  • jubbyuk
    jubbyuk Community member Posts: 10 Connected
    Geoark said:

    There is a charity doing a card recognised by many venues: http://www.did-card.co.uk/index.php

    It is recognised by many venues. It is always worth ringing and checking before booking, or after booking so you know if the card is recognised by them. If the venue does not recognise card you can ask to speak to the manager/owner and explain the card and ask them to look at the website to consider if they would be prepared to recognise it in future.

    It is up to individual organisations if they recognise it or not, however in my experience those who offer concessions are genuinely interested in encouraging disabled people to come to their venues.

    If you do talk to the manager/owner here are some key points:

    1. Applications are verified
    2. The process is quicker as it means showing a credit sized card with your photo on it so they know it belongs to you.
    3. It is more dignified to simply show the card when getting the ticket than bringing out documents they may or may not recognise
    4. It makes visiting a venue easier, more enjoyable and less stressful.

    Card not recognised by a lot of places.

    I research via the web as find telephone calls can be stressful if not getting the information I require.  A lot of the times the proof required is something I cannot get access to as I'm mobile and currently don't meet the requirements for PIP - according to them.

    Having to carry round a diagnosis letter is not the best thing.

Brightness