Autistics can't get a Disabled Persons Railcard in UK!! !

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kuze
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16 Nov 2022, 1:37 am

National Rail is a long time National Institution of the British economy. They are responsible for operating the 'Disabled Persons Railcard' scheme in the UK.

Eligibility; National Rail, on their Disabled Persons Railcard site state the following:

'The Disabled Persons Railcard is for people with a disability that makes travelling by train difficult. You will qualify if you meet one of the following criteria, but please contact us if you would like to discuss your individual circumstances.'

When I got in touch and explained that I am autistic including a sent copy of my diagnosis, their response said:

'Thanks for taking the time to email us. I am sorry to learn that you faced difficulties whilst trying to purchase a Disabled Persons Railcard. I can confirm Autism is currently not listed in our eligibility criteria. We can only approve those applications where the documents presented are listed in the criteria.'

Apparently you can get a Disabled Persons Railcard if you:

a. receive Personal Independence Payments (PIP)
b. receive Disability Living Allowance (DLA) at either:
- the higher or lower rate for the mobility component, or
- the higher or middle rate for the care component
c. have a visual impairment
d. have a hearing impairment
e. have epilepsy
f. receive Attendance Allowance or Severe Disablement Allowance
g. receive War Pensioner's Mobility Supplement
h. receive War or Service Disablement Pension for 80% or more disability
i. buy or lease a vehicle through the Motability scheme


I was really upset by the fact that autism was missing from the list and had good reason to be; according to the Equality Act 2010 In the UK, people diagnosed with autism are officially classified as Disabled under this statute British law. Therefore National Rail may be breaking the law by excluding autistic people for their Disabled Persons Railcard scheme.

The site is here: https://www.disabledpersons-railcard.co.uk/
Eligibility here: https://secure.railcard.co.uk/purchase/disabled-persons

Has anyone else been affected by discrimination from National Rail in the UK?

kuze


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Mountain Goat
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16 Nov 2022, 5:17 am

May I suggest instead of a railcard, that one write to explain the difficulties one has and suggest ways they can adapt trains to accomodate you? I know that even if it is not possible to do this, the railway managers do take things seriously and will try to come up with ways to make things work if they can.


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Kaioken
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16 Nov 2022, 7:48 am

There is the Passenger Assistance app, which allows you to upload a profile of your difficulties and ask for help. However, that doesn’t come with the 1/3 reduction in price that the railcard provides. So if you needed help to travel by train, that might be a way of achieving it.

I think that it is wrong that Autism isn’t listed as a category in and of itself.



carlos55
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16 Nov 2022, 9:03 am

Well what do you expect.

We are constantly fed the message in the media by our fellow hf autistics that autism is not a problem. A gift that should never be cured or treated and in fact just a natural difference like sexuality or skin colour.

These people are ready to shout down anyone who says different.

Any wonder NTs and organizations are happy to save money by going along with this narrative?

They have two choices in their decision making centers:

1. Yes autism is a disability and should be treated as such. We should lose potential profits by doing the decent thing and issuing cheaper tickets

2. These noisy people over here are saying how wonderful autism is that it’s not really a barrier at all in life and something to be celebrated it’s even becoming Politically correct to say so.

So we can go along with that view and save money how convenient

I’ll expect this view will spread elsewhere due to the economic downturn maybe welfare and housing.

A great way for them to save money


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Kaioken
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16 Nov 2022, 10:35 am

carlos55 wrote:
Well what do you expect.

We are constantly fed the message in the media by our fellow hf autistics that autism is not a problem. A gift that should never be cured or treated and in fact just a natural difference like sexuality or skin colour.

These people are ready to shout down anyone who says different.

Any wonder NTs and organizations are happy to save money by going along with this narrative?

They have two choices in their decision making centers:

1. Yes autism is a disability and should be treated as such. We should lose potential profits by doing the decent thing and issuing cheaper tickets

2. These noisy people over here are saying how wonderful autism is that it’s not really a barrier at all in life and something to be celebrated it’s even becoming Politically correct to say so.

So we can go along with that view and save money how convenient

I’ll expect this view will spread elsewhere due to the economic downturn maybe welfare and housing.

A great way for them to save money


Yes, unfortunately those wishing to save money will leap on the difference narrative. I have heard Autism healthcare professionals talk about Autism as a difference, and I have always thought that there are certain contexts in which they should avoid saying things like that. When they go to a health board asking for funding for an Autism service, for example, I worry the professionals will have their words used against them.

It is a hard balance to strike between acknowledging the huge difficulties Autistic people face while also trying to put a the diagnosis in a more positive light



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16 Nov 2022, 10:46 am

It’s that invisible disability issue again.


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rowan_nichol
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02 Dec 2022, 4:44 am

I think it unlikely that National Rail and Train Operating Company directors have spend any time online researching all the nuances of sometimes fractious discussion or argument in some neurodiversity forum or other.

It may be the case that when faced with a condition with such a broad spectrum, where the combination of a persons profile and environment can result in severe disablement or (more rarely) life successes, the easy way has been chosen which is letting others do the assessing and judgement calls, hence specifying receiving some statutory benefits such as PIP or DLA, Attendance Allowance, motability, or something obvious to others such as hearing or visual disability.

Perhaps it is time the directors of National Rail and ATOC started to receive a stream of letters asking them to explain their reasoning, perhaps asking if they are confident that their reasons for not including a condition recognised as a disability by The Equality act will stand up as a defence if challenged.



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04 Dec 2022, 8:41 pm

A lot of Aspies want autism to be called a difference and not a disability, but to claim for free things you need to admit that you have a disability first.

For some autism is just a difference. I'm starting to see my ASD/ADHD as a difference, which is why I don't expect free services. I'm not really disabled. Only my anxiety holds me back. Maybe anxiety is a disability?


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kraftiekortie
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05 Dec 2022, 6:33 am

It is possible for a person to have merely a “difference,” yet for Society to feel that the person has a “disability.”

I know people who would fit right in In Japanese society, but would have trouble in American society.



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05 Dec 2022, 7:10 am

Yes but to be able to receive that kind of support the government has to be picky and will only give free services people with impairments caused by their disability.

It's why foreign people don't get free services or benefits, because although their language barrier could make things difficult, it's still not classed as disabled or impaired.


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11 Dec 2022, 7:02 pm

For what reason would you / autistic people need the rail card?
Is it because of low income / cost?

I'm not disagreeing, just curious.



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11 Dec 2022, 8:47 pm

^

I know how you feel.

Rant:
After my first stroke I needed to use a walker, and they took away my driving licence. I had to take the wheelchair transit private bus to go anywhere, even around the corner to get milk. It was a huge van with all the rear seats taken out for wheelchairs to be strapped to the walls, with the people on special seats that faced inward (facing one another) around the periphery.

It was awful because the thing would come into my driveway clearly labelled that it was for handicapped people, and then the driver would get out to extend a ramp for my walker. It would make this horrible loud beeping sound as the ramp came out. All the neighbours would stare. Then I would get loaded into the van and the other passengers who were much older would remark how young I was, and inquire about my well-being, etc. The people were always kind but I hated drawing so much attention to myself, being asked a million questions, having to make small talk with strangers, and facing people in a circle such that I needed to smile and seem polite. Plus I had so much empathy for the older, lonely, handicapped people it was hard not to cry. It was torturous for me. I'd rather have ten strokes than deal with that again.



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21 Dec 2022, 11:20 pm

It is ridiculous that for a disability that has only 15% of people in full-time employment (worse than any other disability) - there is no standard of economic assistance for Autistic folk. We get treated like garbage in the UK.



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21 Dec 2022, 11:33 pm

blitzkrieg wrote:
It is ridiculous that for a disability that has only 15% of people in full-time employment (worse than any other disability) - there is no standard of economic assistance for Autistic folk. We get treated like garbage in the UK.

I'm happy for the successful Aspies, but most Aspies are not successful in life. Not just in the UK, but all over the world. I think people have a natural desire to DENY people of "special help" unless it's something obviously and unquestionably debilitating: like being in a wheel chair, or being obviously cripple in some way, or having Down's syndrome. If one doesn't "look" obviously impaired, benefits denied!



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21 Dec 2022, 11:45 pm

ezbzbfcg2 wrote:
blitzkrieg wrote:
It is ridiculous that for a disability that has only 15% of people in full-time employment (worse than any other disability) - there is no standard of economic assistance for Autistic folk. We get treated like garbage in the UK.

I'm happy for the successful Aspies, but most Aspies are not successful in life. Not just in the UK, but all over the world. I think people have a natural desire to DENY people of "special help" unless it's something obviously and unquestionably debilitating: like being in a wheel chair, or being obviously cripple in some way, or having Down's syndrome. If one doesn't "look" obviously impaired, benefits denied!


Yeah, it's a joke isn't it? A bad joke.



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05 Jan 2023, 5:12 am

Looking at this from a different angle and perhaps playing devils advocate, "transport disability" needs to be approached with caution.

Remember when the DVLA thought we were too disabled to drive safely only a couple of years ago and tried to remove the licences of autisitcs? Making gains in one area of transport could massively backfire in another.