BLUE BADGE APPLICATION: You must provide some basic details when you apply for a Blue Badge, or renew one.
In most cases, there are three simple steps to follow for applications and renewals.
- Answer questions about your disability.
- Check and confirm your eligibility to apply.
- Fill in the online application form.
The online service and eligibility tool allows you to amend or cancel a Blue Badge saved application.
You can also track the Blue Badge application at your local council. After applying for a Blue Badge the council will review it and make a decision.
Note: Only council authorities and GOV.UK can provide you with a genuine Blue Badge. Learn how to recognise scams and frauds and report it if you feel someone scammed you during the Blue Badge application process.
Documentation for Blue Badge Application
It is best to send copies of documents rather than the originals in case they get lost in the post. You will need to provide:
- Your National Insurance number (or child reference number) and driving licence (if you have one).
- The number, expiry date, and local council of the current blue badge (for renewals).
- Your original decision letter from the DWP (for those ‘automatically’ eligible for a badge).
- Proof of identification (e.g. a birth or marriage certificate, drivers licence, ID card, or passport).
- Proof of address (e.g. a utility bill or Council Tax bill dated within the last three (3) months) and photograph of the Blue Badge applicant.
Note: Check the expiry date before you apply or renew a permit. Your local council can tell you how long before the expiry date you should make the renewal.
After you have applied online for a Blue Badge parking permit, the system also allows you to:
- Amend or cancel a Blue Badge saved application using the ‘Return to or cancel an application’ tool.
- Access the support center and ‘Track the Progress of an Application’. This is useful while waiting for a decision.
You can get information about the Blue Badge scheme from your local council. The initial enquiry support service will also general answer questions about the scheme.
Blue Badge Initial Enquiry Support Service
Email: [email protected]
Telephone (England) 0343 100 1000
Telephone (Scotland) 0343 100 1001
Telephone (Wales) 0343 100 1002
United Kingdom phone call charges.
Refused Applications
What happens if your eligibility for a Blue Badge gets refused by the council? They will notify you if it fails with extra information about the reason why it was unsuccessful.
Blue Badge Applications in Scotland and Northern Ireland
There is a different process for concessional parking permits if you apply for a Blue Badge in Scotland and for the Blue Badge scheme in Northern Ireland.
Note: In some cases, you can ask for a reconsideration. This applies most if you feel they did not review all the important information. If your mobility or disability problems deteriorate you can re-apply for a Blue Badge.
Blue Badge Disabled Parking Scheme
The Department for Transport announced a review of Blue Badge fraud. One of the outcomes is to extend the Blue Badge scheme to people who suffer with ‘hidden disabilities’ (e.g. non-visible).
An extension of the eligibility criteria came into full effect from the 30th of August 2019. It now provides extra benefits for drivers or passengers with less visible disabilities, such as anxiety disorders, dementia, Parkinson’s, or reduced mobility.
It also helps people who find the anticipation of travel challenging and stressful. For example, finding a parking space can add to the stress of the journey itself, for many individuals.
The new guidance for Blue Badges represents some of the biggest changes to the scheme in the last fifty years. It provides better access for traveling to work and for getting to other amenities. So, it may also help to combat loneliness by enabling better ways to stay connected to family and friends.
Note: According to government figures, the new rules have already widened Blue Badge eligibility to more than 12,000 people with hidden disabilities as of the end of December 2019.
How to Report a Lost or Stolen Blue Badge
You can report a lost or stolen Blue badge online to ask for a replacement. It is best to prepare some information for the local authority who issued the badge. They will need to verify that the badge got lost or stolen.
- Have the Blue Badge number accessible (if you know it).
- Supply a Crime Reference Number from the police if it got stolen.
- Supply a police Lost Property Reference Number if it got lost. Most police forces provide this service.
- Give the person’s NI Number if the Blue Badge was issued to a person. Providing this number speeds up the processing time and cuts down on fraudulent reporting.
Note: The online reporting process takes about 5 minutes to complete. But, the report times out if left inactive for more than 15 minutes. The current cost of a Blue Badge is around £10.00 in England and £20 in Scotland.