Badge holders and their drivers can park in disabled spaces and even specific double yellow lines
Navigating daily life with a mobility-affecting disability can make routine activities feel overwhelming. But holding a Blue Badge can be a significant help, whether you’re off to appointments, popping out for groceries, or simply enjoying a day out.
Blue Badges are designed to help people with disabilities or health conditions by allowing them to park closer to their destination. They grant the badge holder and their drivers access to disabled parking spaces and permission to park on specific double yellow lines.
But the advantages of a Blue Badge extend far beyond simple convenience – they also deliver monetary benefits by frequently offering complimentary parking in disabled bays or car parks. The badge isn’t linked to a particular car and can be used in any vehicle the holder travels in, including cabs, provided they are present.
Obtaining a Blue Badge in England costs a maximum of £10, whilst in Scotland the cost can reach £20. In Wales, the scheme is free. Local authorities manage the application procedure, assess eligibility, and establish pricing.
Blue Badges generally remain valid for up to three years, after which a new application is required. There are two groups of individuals eligible to apply for a Blue Badge: those who qualify automatically and those whose situations require individual assessment.
Assessments conducted on a case-by-case basis might also apply when people are facing mental health difficulties, such as acute anxiety and temporary ‘loss of behavioural control’ during distressing situations.
Who automatically qualifies for a Blue Badge?
According to The Express, the Government has specified that people aged three and above will automatically receive a Blue Badge if they satisfy at least one of the following six conditions:
- You receive the mobility component of PIP and have obtained 10 points specifically for descriptor E under the ‘planning and following journeys’ activity, on the grounds that you are unable to undertake any journey because it would cause you overwhelming psychological distress
- You receive the higher rate of the mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
- You receive a War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement
- You have received a lump sum benefit within tariff levels one to eight of the Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation) Scheme and have been certified as having a permanent and substantial disability that causes inability to walk or very considerable difficulty in walking
- You are registered blind (severely sight-impaired)
- You receive a Personal Independence Payment (PIP) because you can’t walk more than 50 metres (a score of eight points or more under the ‘moving around’ activity of the mobility component)
If your score falls 10 points below descriptor E in the ‘planning and following journeys’ activity of PIP, you may still be eligible for a Blue Badge, although it’s not guaranteed. This applies even if your score is higher, such as 12.
You’ll need to provide evidence to support your eligibility, which will be assessed as part of your application.
Additional qualifying routes for a Blue Badge
Others may qualify for a Blue Badge if one or more of the following apply:
- Walking is dangerous to your health and safety
- You struggle severely to plan or follow a journey
- You find walking very difficult due to pain, breathlessness or the time it takes
- You regularly have intense and overwhelming responses to situations causing temporary loss of behavioural control
- You have a child under the age of three with a medical condition that means the child always needs to be accompanied by bulky medical equipment
- You cannot walk without help from someone else or using mobility aids
- You cannot walk at all
- You have a life-limiting illness, which means you cannot walk or find walking very difficult and have a SR1 form
- You have a severe disability in both arms and drive regularly, but cannot operate pay-and-display parking machines
- You have a child under the age of three with a medical condition that means the child must always be kept near a vehicle in case they need emergency medical treatment
- You are constantly a significant risk to yourself or others near vehicles, in traffic or car parks
- You frequently become extremely anxious or fearful of public/open spaces
- You find it difficult or impossible to control your actions and lack awareness of the impact you could have on others
How to apply for a Blue Badge
In England, Scotland, and Wales, you can apply for a Blue Badge via GOV.UK. However, if you’re in Northern Ireland, the process differs. Click this link for more information.
Your local council will assess your eligibility for a badge once they receive all the required evidence. Processing your application might take 12 weeks or more. If they determine you don’t qualify and you believe some facts were overlooked, you have the right to request a review.
