Mentally disabled man denied blue badge because he can walk 200 metres

Exclusive: ‘I have to hold his hand at all times because he has no awareness of the world around him. He would happily walk into the path of a car or run into the middle of the road'

Julie Marlow with disabled son Martin Pacey. (Julie Marlow / Hook News)

A disabled man who held a blue parking badge for two decades has had it taken away by his council after a review under the personal independent payment (PIP) system.

Julie Marlow criticised the decision to deny the permit to her 26-year-old son Martin Pacey – who has the mental age of a toddler.

She said he throws tantrums in the street and is at risk of getting run over, but he was refused his blue badge renewal because he can stand and walk 200 metres.

“Going out with Martin is like taking a toddler out," the 52-year-old from Toton in Nottinghamshire said. “I have to hold his hand at all times because he has no awareness of the world around him. He would happily walk into the path of a car or run into the middle of the road.

“Anybody who met him would not question his need for a blue badge so we can park closer to our destination.”

Martin was born with a chromosome deletion syndrome which caused serious learning disabilities.

He is entitled to a Motability car and held a blue badge for most of his life.

He was allowed the permit as a recipient of the now defunct Disability Living Allowance but has since moved to the PIP system.

Blue Badges have to be renewed every four years but Martin’s was refused because PIP assessed him as being able to walk 200 metres.

Local authorities now use PIP assessments to determine eligibility for blue badges.

Nottinghamshire County Council told Martin in a letter: “Your walking difficulties do not appear to be serious enough to qualify for a badge.”

Ms Marlow, who is her son's full-time carer, said: “Martin will always be a child. He can’t look after himself. I have to bath him and brush his teeth. He wore nappies until he was 15-years-old and never developed speech. His vocabulary consists of 10 words. He has a bedroom full of toys, like a young child.

“He has complex needs and relies on me 100 per cent. He can’t leave the house alone or make his own decisions. Just because you can walk, doesn’t mean you aren’t disabled.”

Martin is classified at the highest level of disability for PIP. Although he behaves like a child, at five foot seven and over nine stone he is a fully grown man.

Ms Marlow said: “I can’t pick Martin up and carry him. He’s too heavy. He’s strong and difficult to control. If he doesn’t want to do something, he’ll take his top and shoes off in the street and throw them at me. So his blue badge has always been a lifesaver as it means we can park where it’s easy and safe, and where we don’t need to cross the road.”

Having assumed the badge renewal would be a simple form-filling exercise, she said: “The form was different this time. Martin was scored according to how well he can ‘plan and follow a journey’ and also on ‘moving around’. It’s true that Martin is physically capable of walking, and on that basis he was refused.”

She said she was now reluctant to take Martin out with her as she can no longer plan ahead for a journey.

“You wouldn’t know Martin was disabled to look at him, so people assume he’s OK," she said. “Then they notice the soft toys he carries with him and he’ll maybe start making funny noises. He can be very loud and inappropriate. People stare at him and I can’t help taking it personally and getting upset. Life is hard enough without this.”

Ms Marlow, who has appealed the decision, added: “Martin makes me laugh every day and I get so much love from him.”

The Department of Transport last year pledged a revision of the blue badge scheme so that it would include people with “hidden” disabilities such as autism.

Under the proposed changes, people at “risk of harm” when undertaking a journey would qualify.

But the proposals have yet to be introduced.

Marie Rowney, customer services group manager at Nottinghamshire County Council, said: “As an authority we are obliged to follow the guidelines laid out by the Department for Transport. Due to a change in the way eligibility is now assessed since Mr Pacey’s previous badge was issued, we have been unable to automatically renew his blue badge without seeking further information.

“We are currently reviewing the application with a view to making a decision in the coming weeks.”