Apply for a Blue Badge :Cross Stitch – Disabled people
The Blue Badge scheme is for drivers or passengers with severe mobility problems. The scheme allows Blue Badge holders to park close to where they need to go. The scheme does not apply to off-street car parking. Find out how to apply or see if you might be eligible.
What you’ll need:
- National Insurance number
- Driving licence number
- a passport photo
- the details on your current badge, if you have one
You can apply for a Blue Badge using the link below if you are resident in England, Scotland or Wales.
You can also use this link if you want to apply to replace a badge that has expired, or is due to expire shortly.
You will be asked a few questions to see if you may be eligible before applying. These questions will only take two or three minutes. Once you have applied, your form will be sent to your local authority for a decision.
Anyone over two years old automatically qualifies for a Blue Badge if they:
- are registered blind
- receive a War Pensioner’s Mobility supplement
- receive the higher rate of the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance
- have received a lump sum benefit from the Armed Forces and Reserve Forces Compensation Scheme (within tariff levels 1-8) and have been certified as having a permanent and substantial disability which causes inability to walk or very considerable difficulty in walking
If you do not automatically qualify, you may need to be assessed by your local authority.
Anyone over two years old may be eligible for a Blue Badge, if they either:
- have a permanent and substantial disability which means they cannot walk, or makes walking very difficult
- drive a motor vehicle regularly and have a severe disability in both arms, making it very difficult or impossible to operate parking meters
Special rules for children under three years old
If you’re a parent of a child who is younger than three years old, you may also apply for a Blue Badge. Your child must have a specific medical condition which means that they either:
- must always be accompanied by bulky medical equipment which is very difficult to carry around
- need to be kept near a vehicle at all times to get emergency treatment for a condition when necessary
The quickest and easiest way to apply is online. However, you can also apply for a badge by contacting your local authority directly. See the link ‘Blue Badge parking permits and your local authority’.
However you apply, you will need to provide:
- your National Insurance number or Child Reference Number
- your driving licence number, if you have one
- a digital or signed photograph
- the number, expiry date and local authority given on your current badge, if you have one
Photographs should match passport standards – see the link ‘Passport photos and who can certify them’ for more information. If you send your photo in digitally, it should be:
- in colour
- in .JPG or .GIF format
- no larger than 200 KB
- the same aspect ratio as a passport photo – where the height is 1.29 times the width
You may also need to send other documents or evidence when you apply to your local authority. There will be a message about this on the screen if this is the case, and your local authority’s address will be shown. Your local authority will get in touch if they need any more information, if they decide that you need a mobility assessment and to let you know whether your application has been successful. See the link ‘The Blue Badge Scheme – rights and responsibilities in England’ to learn more.
For general questions about the Blue Badge, you can contact the Initial Enquiry Support Service.
Telephone (England): 0844 463 0213 (if you live in England)
Telephone (Scotland): 0844 463 0214
Telephone (Wales): 0844 463 0215
Write to:
Blue Badge UnitNorthgate Information SolutionsWellington HouseWynyward ParkBillingham
TS22 5TB
Email: [email protected]
If your local authority decides that you are not eligible for a badge, they should tell you the reason why. You can ask them to reconsider your case if you do not think all the important information was taken into account.
You can also re-apply if you feel that your mobility problems have become more serious since a previous assessment.