New travel pass/social warfare

softkitty

Does anyone know if you a choice to add companion on the new card someone told me you don't get that choice it's up to the social welfare office
I want to keep my companion on the pass

Jamie2k9

softkitty wrote: »

Does anyone know if you a choice to add companion on the new card someone told me you don't get that choice it's up to the social welfare office
I want to keep my companion on the pass

You don't make the decision, if you already have a companion on the pass it will stay the same provided your entitlement doesn't change.

XPS_Zero

softkitty wrote: »

Does anyone know if you a choice to add companion on the new card someone told me you don't get that choice it's up to the social welfare office
I want to keep my companion on the pass

If it was on the old card - it will be on the new card.
If it was not on the old card, you need to apply there is a special separate form, but they'll reject the application unless there has been some kind of change or deterioration in your condition that requires you to need someone with you all or some of the time when you are out and about, and your doctor will need to attest to this. Otherwise, if your condition did not warrant one before you won't get one now, all depends.

Nomis21

I have a free pass.

My Doctor wrote that I needed a companion pass but I was still rejected for a companion pass until I could provide further medical evidence.

Jamie2k9

Nomis21 wrote: »

I have a free pass.

My Doctor wrote that I needed a companion pass but I was still rejected for a companion pass until I could provide further medical evidence.

Rightly so, doctors do it to easily. They usually require a specialist letter.

XPS_Zero

Nomis21 wrote: »

I have a free pass.

My Doctor wrote that I needed a companion pass but I was still rejected for a companion pass until I could provide further medical evidence.

My consultant (your GP does the form but I mentioned the whole thing to him) said they've gone very strict with it in recent years because there was utter p1ss taking with it up until around the time Seamus Brennan came in, then Burton, much as I'm not a fan, continued driving through those reforms others had started. You had every skanger claiming to have a "bad back" and whatnot, they'd intentionally pick the kind of injuries that are hard to establish with x-rays, scans etc There are some docs who just don't want the hassle and argument but that's changing now, the app would just be rejected so the doc can say "i'll put that down , but they'll say no". On top of that you were allowed put these vague terms on the form that are not an actual medical diagnosis. Now it specifically has a bit on the form giving these terms as examples saying you can't use them, and requires an actual diagnostic code.

They had these vaguer terms for people with psychological conditions who find it hard (as many with such conditions do) to articulate what is wrong with them (which is one of the reasons the Disability reforms in the UK have been such a train wreck, you have these unqualified private sector admin people saying 'nope nuthin wrong with you you can't even tell me what's wrong - DENIED' then they commit suicide a week later) but they eventually had to tell docs "look just work a bit harder to make an actual diagnosis".

The more lax they are handing them out the more the programs public support gets damaged and the more likley it gets chipped away at, at the moment it's a third rail, political suicide to touch it, if those of us who have relied on it want that to continue we need to have the rules be strict with their evidence.

People have this idea you can go up to the GP out of nowhere claim a condition and boom be on disability it's not that flippant, the application takes months, goes through three layers, and requires a background of medical evidence. These days they want you seeing some kind of consultant as well.

softkitty

I have Aspegers syndrome and my current pass is companion would that be enough to keep the companion when I get the new card x

Jamie2k9

softkitty wrote: »

I have Aspegers syndrome and my current pass is companion would that be enough to keep the companion when I get the new card x

It probally should, if you are called for a card and the date (if there is one) on the paper pass has not passed then they will not request further info however they may require an updated letter confirming conditions have not changed otherwise if the date is up.

AlekSmart

softkitty wrote: »

I have Aspegers syndrome and my current pass is companion would that be enough to keep the companion when I get the new card x

As a matter of interest softkitty,are you able to use Public Transport unaccompanied ?

http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Appendix-1---Free-Travel-Companion-Pass.aspx

Free Travel Passholders aged under 66:

You are getting Disability Allowance or Invalidity Pension or Disablement Pension and Incapacity Supplement and are medically assessed as unfit to travel alone,

Victor

AlekSmart wrote: »

As a matter of interest softkitty,are you able to use Public Transport unaccompanied ?

Depending on a person's situation, they may be able to go about their day-do-day business without a companion. However, on occasion or when travelling across the country, they might need a companion.

AlekSmart

Victor wrote: »

Depending on a person's situation, they may be able to go about their day-do-day business without a companion. However, on occasion or when travelling across the country, they might need a companion.

Perhaps,but the Dept does not make such distinctions,at least not in print.

It does not enquire about the ability to conduct "day to day" business,but specifies being "unfit to travel alone" and makes no mention of it being an "Occasional" issue.

For example,if a +C Pass Holder presents for travel on a Bus,unaccompanied,would the Busdriver now have a duty of care to call for assistance,as the use of the +C Pass informs the Driver that that person has been medically assessed as being unfit to use Public Transport unaccompanied..?

magicbastarder

was the thread title deliberate?