Blue badge complaints to Leeds City Council double after new rules on 'hidden disabilities'

There were 78 grievances lodged with the local authority about the subject between April 2019 and March 2020, compared with 37 the year before.

Under new legislation introduced in 2019, people with so-called "hidden" disabilities, such as autism, dementia and Crohn's disease, are now entitled to a blue badge giving them access to a disabled parking space.

The council, which decides on blue badge applications, said there'd been multiple cases where they were unable to verify an individual's claim that they had a disability.

The figures were published in a report to the council's health scrutiny board, which met on Tuesday.

Speaking to councillors about the issue, the authority's head of complaints in the social care department, Judith Kasolo said: "When people say 'I have a disability', we have to listen.

"But they must offer evidence from a professional - not necessarily a medical professional - but it could be a councillor they're involved with, or someone they work with.

"As long as someone can back up the claim they have a hidden disability, that will be taken into account.

"However, it's a challenge, because a lot of people are saying they have a hidden disability and not providing us with the evidence for us to give them that blue badge.

"I think that's how the numbers have gone up."

Blue badge decisions were among the common gripes people had with the council's social care department last year.

While the overall number of complaints to the service in Leeds rose by 25 per cent, the number of compliments also increased by almost half.

Ms Kasolo said both statistics were "positive", because it suggested people were willing to talk to the council about their concerns directly.

She added: "Some of the compliments and feedback we had brought a tear to my eye, because of what people were saying about our service.

"They were thanking our staff for being kind, treating people with respect and this is absolutely excellent.

"In terms of complaints, the increase is pleasing, because our strategy is to encourage people to talk to us.

"If people are unhappy with our service, we want them to tell us because if they don't have that trust, they will only go to the media or they will tweet about their experience instead."

Local Democracy Reporting Service