STOP AGE DISCRIMINATION IN BLUE BADGE SCHEME, SAYS EURO-MP

10.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 14th Apr 2008

A local LibDem Euro-MP has written to disabilities minister Anne McGuire to find out if tighter blue badge rules for older disabled people can be eased.

Liz Lynne MEP, Vice President of the European Parliament's All Party Disability Intergroup, was recently contacted by Stoke councillor Jean Bowers after several constituents had found it more difficult to get a blue badge parking permit once 65 or over, compared to others with similar conditions who were younger.

Blue badges are automatically given to those on higher level Disability Living Allowance (DLA), but once 65 or over, DLA changes to Attendance Allowance. Attendance Allowance eligibility for blue badge permits requires a medical assessment for first time applicants.

Commenting today, Liz Lynne said:

"This case seems like a bureaucratic mix-up and I hope it can be resolved in the near future. It seems ludicrous that people with the same medical problem can automatically get a blue badge aged 64, but if applying for the first time a year later, they must be medically assessed for the badge, just because they have to move onto a different government benefit.

"I have been campaigning for new EU legislation to outlaw discrimination in access to goods and services, including on the grounds of age, and I hope that once any new laws are passed, this type of anomaly will cease to exist. The government has been carrying out a review of the blue badge parking scheme for disabled people, so I felt it important to raise this issue with the minister concerned."

ENDS