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• Services >
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• Disabled people - parking permits - blue badge >

Disabled people - parking permits - blue badge

The Blue Badge Scheme

The Blue Badge Scheme is a national arrangement of parking concessions for people with severe walking disabilities who travel as either drivers or passengers to park near shops, stations and other facilities. The Scheme also applies to people who are registered as blind, and people with a severe disability in both arms and who drive a vehicle regularly and have considerable difficulty operating parking meters.

The Blue Badge is recognised throughout the UK and Europe. 

National reform of the Blue Badge Scheme from 1 January 2012 

From 1 January 2012, the process for issuing Blue Badges in Scotland, England and Wales will change. The reform is intended to ensure fair allocation of badges to those most in need, to reduce fraud and to ease the ever-increasing demand on disabled parking spaces.

The main changes that will affect applicants are:

• Applicants will need to complete a new and more detailed application form;
• Certified proof of identity and address must accompany the application form;
• Some applicants may need to attend an Independent Mobility Assessment to find out if they qualify for a Blue Badge;

• The applicant's doctor will no longer be asked to provide further information to support the application;

• Blue Badges will be fitted with the latest security features to reduce fraud. 

Who can get a Blue Badge?

An applicant can get a badge if they meet the qualifying criteria in one of the following categories:

Applicants are eligible "without further assessment" if they are over the age of two and:

• receive the Higher Rate of the Mobility Component of Disability Living Allowance; or
• are registered as blind (severely sight impaired); or
• receive the War Pensioner's Mobility Supplement; or
• receive the Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation) Scheme within tariffs 1-8 and have been assessed by the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency (SPVA) which causes inability to walk or very considerable difficulty in walking.

If an applicant does not qualify for a Blue Badge under the "eligible without further assessment" category, they may be invited to attend a mobility assessment carried out by an independent mobility assessor to establish the extent of their mobility impairment and whether this meets the criteria for the issue of a badge.

Applicants are eligible "subject to further assessment" if they:

• are over the age of two and are unable to walk or virtually unable to walk due to a permanent and substantial disability; or
• are over the age of two and have a temporary and substantial disability that means they are unable to walk or virtually unable to walk; or
• regularly drive a car, have a severe disability in both arms and are unable to operate, or have considerable difficulty in operating, a parking meter; or
• are under the age of three and have a condition that requires that they are always accompanied by bulky medical equipment or that they be kept near a motor vehicle in case of need for emergency medical treatment. 

Where to park

Badge holders may park free of charge and without time limit at parking meters on-street and pay-and-display on-street parking unless a local traffic order, specify a time limit for holders of disabled parking badges is in force. The Blue Badge must be displayed.

How to use the Badge

• You must display the badge on top of the dashboard or facia panel of a vehicle with the front of the badge (i.e. the side showing the wheelchair-user symbol) facing forward so that the relevant details are legible from outside of the vehicle when using the parking benefits. If the vehicle does not have a dashboard or facia panel you must exhibit the badge in a conspicuous position of the vehicle so that the relevant details are legible from outside the vehicle when using the parking benefits.
• The badge should only be displayed when using the parking benefits under the scheme, except if the vehicle is being driven by someone other than the badge holder for the purpose of entering or leaving an area (which is accessible only to vehicles displaying a blue badge) in order to pick up or drop off the badge holder.
• Non-disabled members for their own benefit must not use similar badges given to organisations caring for disabled people. These badges must not be on display except when the vehicle is being used for the benefit of disabled people.
• Badges last for three years only. When you need a new one apply to the issuing authority for reassessment some weeks before the badge expires.
• You must return the badge to the issuing authority if you no longer need it.

Misuse of a Badge

Misuse of a Blue Badge is a serious offence.

• Your badge can be withdrawn if you misuse it or allow others to misuse it.
• It is a criminal offence for non-disabled people to use a badge. If they do so, they are liable to a fine of up to £1,000.
• It is a criminal offence to drive a vehicle displaying a blue badge unless the badge holder is in the vehicle, or the vehicle is being driven by someone other than the badge holder for the purpose of entering or leaving an area (which is accessible only to vehicles displaying a blue badge) in order to pick up or drop off the holder.

Organisational Blue Badge

These will only be issued to an organisation which:

• cares for and transports disabled people who would meet one or more of the eligibility criteria for an individual Blue Badge; and
• has a clear need for an organisational badge rather than using the individual Blue Badges of people it is transporting.

Download the Organisational Blue Badge application form and Guidance Notes.

Request for the Review of a Decision

Applicants who are refused a Blue Badge may believe that their application has been wrongly refused and wish to query that decision. If the applicant thinks the decision is wrong, write to the address below explaining why. Your application will then be looked at again by a senior manager. However, unless additional information can be provided to support an appeal it is unlikely that the decision will be overturned.

How to apply for a Blue Badge.

Applicants who think they may be eligible for a Blue Badge can download, print, complete

and return an application form or contact us using the details below:

Telephone: 01786 442645

or

email us and ask for a form to be sent.

You can also apply for a blue badge via direct.gov

Photographs

The Blue Badge application should be enclosed with one recent colour passport sized photograph clearly showing the applicant's face so that they can be easily identified. The photograph must have the applicant's name clearly written on the back.