Blue badges - making an application

The blue badge scheme provides a national arrangement throughout the UK of on-street parking concessions for people with a permanent and substantial disability to travel independently as either a driver or passenger by making it easier for them to access community based facilities.

Who can be considered for a blue badge?

You may be entitled to a blue badge without further assessment if you are in receipt of one of the following:

• Higher Rate Mobility Component of the Disability Living Allowance
• War Pensioner's Mobility Supplement (WMPS)
• Registered blind under the National Assistance Act 1948
• Mobility Component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and you scored at least 8 points in relation to the 'moving around' activity in the PIP assessment, or at least 12 points in the mobility activity for planning and following journeys
• Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) - guaranteed payment under tariffs 1-8 and have been certified as having a permanent and substantial disability which causes an inability to walk or very considerable difficulty in walking.

You will be asked to provide evidence to support your application. This can be:-

• A letter of confirmation provided by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) of your benefit entitlement.
• A Certificate of Vision Impairment signed by a Consultant Ophthalmologist will be required as evidence for those who are registered blind.
• A letter from the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency (SPVA)

If one of the criteria set out above is not met but a badge is still required, you may be entitled to a blue badge subject to further assessment if you are able to provide evidence of one of the following: -

• A permanent and substantial disability so the applicant is unable to walk or have considerable difficulty walking.
• A severe disability in both upper limbs, though regularly drive a motor vehicle but cannot turn the steering wheel of a motor vehicle by hand even if the wheel is fitted with a turning knob.
• Drive a non adapted vehicle but are unable to operate or have difficulty in operating parking meters or pay and display equipment because of severe impairments in both arms (for example, those with thalidomide-related disabilities)
• A child under the age of three who, due to a specific medical condition, need to travel with bulky medical equipment or be close to a vehicle for emergency medical treatment. A Blue Badge may be issued if the medical equipment is always needed and cannot be easily carried.

If any of these circumstances apply, you will be asked to provide factual evidence of your need for a blue badge from a relevant health or social services professional.

Disabilities that do not make a person eligible

You will not qualify for the provision of a blue badge if: -

• You have a temporary disability, for example fractured limb or awaiting corrective surgery such as major joint replacements as there is an expectation that mobility will improve following this.
• Intermittent illness/disability i.e. epilepsy
• Psychological disorders will not usually qualify unless their impairment causes considerable and permanent difficulties in walking.
• Cognitive Impairments unless in receipt of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and you scored at least 12 points in relation to the 'mobility activity for planning and following journeys.
• You only experience walking problems when carrying objects, such as shopping.
• Your condition does not continuously severely limit your ability to walk for example some people have days when they are able to walk better than others.

How do I apply for a blue badge

Alternatively call Free phone 0808 1002500 and select option 1 or apply in person at one of the council's Customer Service Centres.

If my application is successful

Whether you apply online, by telephone or in person, before your application can be approved you will need to take the following items along to your nearest Customer Services Centre so that they can verify your identity: -

• A recent passport sized photograph (This won't be necessary if you have applied online with Directgov because you are required to upload a photo as part of the application)

• Proof of identity. You must provide one of the following forms of identification, which must be the original:
  
  - Birth or adoption certificate
  - Certificate of British Nationality
  - Civil partnership/dissolution certificate
  - HM Forces ID card
  - Identity card for foreign nationals
  - Marriage/divorce certificate
  - Current passport
  - Valid driving licence
  

• Proof of address. You must provide one of the follow as proof of address, which must be the original:
  
  - Award letter from Service Personnel and Veterans Agency (SPVA)
  - Benefit award letter from DWP
  - Confirmation letter from social services
  - Confirmation letter from school
  - Council tax bill dated within last 12 months
  - Housing benefit award letter
  - Pensions letter
  - Valid driving licence

Your blue badge cannot be processed until you have done this.

Please do not send any documentation containing personal information via the post as the council cannot accept liability for items that may be lost or damaged.

Your blue badge will be sent to you within 7-10 days following verification of your identity by Customer Services.

There is no charge for the blue badge for persons permanently resident in Wales.

If my application is unsuccessful

If your application for a blue badge is refused, there is no right to appeal. However, if you feel that the council have not considered all of the relevant factors, you need to contact the Customer Services Team on 0800 3284061 or text phone on 01443 864537.

Misuse of the blue badge

• If you have a badge, it must only be used by you for your benefit alone.
• If a trip/visit/errand is for someone else and you remain in the vehicle, the badge cannot be used to enable them to benefit from the concessions.
• You should not let others use the badge on your behalf without yourself being present, for example if they do your shopping or collect prescriptions on your behalf.
• The council can confiscate and cancel a badge if the badge holder or another person misuses it. It is an offence for people other than the badge holder to take advantage of the parking concessions provided under the scheme. The maximum fine if someone is convicted is £1,000 plus any additional penalty for the related parking offence.

If you think that a blue badge issued by this council is being misused, you can report it. Try to get as many details as possible from the badge on display (serial number, expiry date etc) to enable the council to investigate and take action if the badge is shown to have been misused.

Lost or stolen badges

If your badge has been lost or stolen, you can visit one of nearest Customer Services Centre, in person, to request a replacement.

You will also be required to provide confirmation of the loss of the badge to the Police.

Applications from organisations

Organisational badges are issued to organisations that have vehicles that carry disabled people who would themselves be eligible for a badge as follows :-

• Persons receiving the Higher Rate Mobility Component of Disability Living Allowance
• Persons receiving War Pensioners' Mobility Supplement
• Persons entitled to special grant aided adapted vehicle
• Persons who are registered blind
• Persons who have a permanent and substantial disability and are unable to walk, or have considerable difficulty in walking

A badge will be issued to an organisation if they have vehicles licensed under Disabled Passenger Vehicle (DPV) taxation class.

The application must be made by the Manager/Deputy Manager of the organisation who can apply online via the GOV.UK website

Where relatively few people meet the eligibility criteria for a badge in the organisation, it would be preferable for the disabled people themselves to apply for badges, rather than have one issued to an organisation. This then allows the holder to use their badge in any vehicle in which they are travelling. In all circumstances, badges will be issued to the organisation or department and not to named individuals.

In order to process the application we will require a copy of the Tax Exemption regarding Disabled Passenger Vehicle (DPV) or letter of confirmation from DVLA (if applicable).