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This means someone who has a severe hearing loss if it reaches 70-95 dBHL and a profound loss if it reaches 95+ dBHL. This hearing loss must apply to both ears.
This means someone who is unable to communicate orally in any language (non-verbal)
Specifically, someone who cannot make a clear, basic oral request and/or ask questions to clarify instructions.
You will need to provide detailed, recent (dated within 12 months) medical evidence to support your application. We do not accept hospital appointment letters, discharge summaries only, we do not accept sick certificate.
This means someone who has been awarded the Disability Living Allowance
(DLA) at the Higher Rate of Mobility (HRM)
Please note: If your entitlement to DLA and it is set to expire within the lifetime of the Disabled Freedom pass, your eligibility might be reviewed closer to that date, at which point you will have to provide ongoing proof of your entitlement.
You will need to provide detailed, recent (dated within 12 months) medical evidence to support your application. We do not accept hospital appointment letters, discharge summaries only, we do not accept sick certificate.
This means someone who has been awarded the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) at the Higher Rate of Mobility (HRM)
This does not include points for ‘Daily Living’ or ‘Planning and following journeys’ with a score of 8 points or more for “moving around”
Please note: If your entitlement to PIP at the Higher Rate of Mobility and it is set to expire within the lifetime of the Disabled Freedom pass, your eligibility might be reviewed closer to that date, at which point you will have to provide ongoing proof of your entitlement.
4c. Who have a disability, or have suffered an injury, which has a substantial and long term adverse effect on their ability to walk
You will need to provide detailed, recent (dated within 12 months) medical evidence to support your application. We do not accept hospital appointment letters, discharge summaries only, we do not accept sick certificate.
This means someone who has been awarded the War Pensioners Mobility Supplement (WPMS). You will need to provide a complete copy of either of these benefit documents from The Ministry of Defence.
Please note: If your entitlement to WPMS and it is set to expire within the lifetime of the Disabled Freedom pass, your eligibility might be reviewed closer to that date, at which point you will have to provide ongoing proof of your entitlement.
5. Who do not have arms or have a long term loss of the use of both arms
This also covers people with a deformity of both arms, and those who have both arms but are unable to use them to carry out day-to-day tasks, for example paying coins into a fare machine. You will need to provide medical evidence to support your application under this category.
6. Who has a learning disability
This means someone who has a learning disability, that is, a state of “arrested or incomplete development of mind which includes significant impairment of intelligence or social functioning”.
This means that the person would have significantly reduced ability to understand new or complex information, and to learn new skills (significantly impaired intelligence) and a significant reduced ability to cope independently (significantly impaired social functioning). The disability must have started before adulthood, and have a lasting effect on development.
We only accept evidence from an educational institute such as an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) dated in the last 12 months, or if you have been registered as having Learning Disability with Newham Social Care.
7. Would be refused a driving licence other than on the grounds of persistent misuse of drugs and alcohol
This means someone who has a disability or condition that would prevent them from being legally considered medically fit to drive, as outlined by the DVLA Medical Standards of Fitness to Drive.
This must be on grounds other than the persistent misuse of drugs or alcohol. The conditions include:
Evidence of a medical condition including, but not limited to:
a) epilepsy (controlled or uncontrolled with medication)
b) severe mental disorder (supported by Newham Community Mental Health Teams with authorised persons signature and name)
c) liability to sudden attacks of giddiness or fainting (whether as a result of cardiac disorder or otherwise)
d) inability to read a registration plate in good light at 20.5 metres (with lenses if worn)
e) other disabilities which are likely to cause the driving of vehicles by them to be a source of danger to the public. See http://www.gov.uk/driving -medical-conditions for more information
This evidence must be:
from a medical practitioner, or in the case of severe mental disorder, from Newham Community Mental Health Teams, dated within the last 12 months and confirm what the condition is and that it:
has been reported to the DVLA
severely affects your ability to drive safely and how it does so
will last for at least 12 months and
will prevent you from getting a driving license as listed on the gov.uk website.
Evidence that you have reported it to the DVLA
Please note:
Severe Mental Disorder
Being diagnosed with a mental disorder does not automatically prevent someone from holding a driving licence in accordance with the DVLA Medical Standards of Fitness to Drive. A Freedom pass can only be awarded in this category if the person would be refused a driving licence because of their mental health condition, and other than on grounds of persistent misuse of drugs or alcohol.
If you have not recently had your licence refused or revoked by the DVLA, we will accept a written report from your psychiatrist or community psychiatric nurse or Community Mental Health Teams North and South Section 92.
Please be aware that many of the qualifying disabilities would only prevent you from obtaining or keeping a license for a short while, those who receive passes under this category may find that they have their entitlement reviewed every 12 months
