Disabled Persons Freedom Pass Consultation

Published 14:34 - 12/06/2017 Updated 14:37 - 12/06/2017

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This consultation has now closed.

We would like to thank everyone who took part in the consultation, without whose valuable input the consultation would not have been possible.

You can see how we have acted on the results under 'We asked, You said, We did'.

Overview

Barnet Council is improving the way new applicants and existing Disabled Persons Freedom Pass holders are assessed to see if they qualify for a pass. This will mean a better quality, and more effective service is delivered for all our users.

Our proposals include:

  • more ways to provide evidence to support your application
  • looking at the ways you can

We would like to thank everyone who took part in the consultation, without whose valuable input the consultation would not have been possible.

You can see how we have acted on the results under 'We asked, You said, We did'.

Overview

Barnet Council is improving the way new applicants and existing Disabled Persons Freedom Pass holders are assessed to see if they qualify for a pass. This will mean a better quality, and more effective service is delivered for all our users.

Our proposals include:

  • more ways to provide evidence to support your application
  • looking at the ways you can apply for a Disabled Persons Freedom Pass
  • making documents more accessible for all users.

We are seeking your views on our proposals.

The consultation is open to all Barnet residents, anybody currently holding a Disabled Persons Freedom Pass in Barnet, their carers and families, community groups, and voluntary organisations.

Further information on the proposed changes can be found in our consultation document.

Why We Are Consulting

We want to find out what you think about our proposals before a final decision is made. The findings from the consultation will contribute to the final recommendations that are put forward to the Policy & Resource Committee in the winter.

This consultation has now closed.

  • We asked you said we did

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    We Asked

    We asked for your views on the evidence we proposed to accept to support a Disabled Persons Freedom Pass application and the ways you can apply for a Disabled Persons Freedom Pass.

    You Said

    We considered 376 responses received from a mix of service users, residents of Barnet and statutory stakeholders and people who work with service users including:

    • Disabled Persons Freedom Pass holders
    • older Persons Freedom Pass holders
    • residents interested in applying for a Freedom Pass
    • relatives of Disabled Persons Freedom Pass holders
    • those whose job involves working with Freedom Pass users in Barnet
    • Barnet residents interested in Disabled Persons Freedom Passes
    • voluntary/community organisations
    • public sector organisations

    73% of respondents (238 out of 376) advised they currently hold a Disabled Persons Freedom Pass.

    Overall, 53% of the respondents agreed with the changes to the accepted criteria.

    We Did

    At the Policy and Resources meeting on 1 December 2016 it was agreed to adopt the new criteria for assessing eligibility for Disabled Persons Freedom Pass applicants.

    In response to requests for GP letters to be accepted as evidence, this is adopted within the criteria where it is deemed appropriate by the Department for Transport. In some categories this cannot be accepted as evidence because of the risk of compromising the doctor/patient relationship.

    Full details of the December committee report (item 12) can be found here.