The parking card for disabled people scheme - blue badge
- was previously known as orange badge.
Q. What is the blue badge
scheme?
A. The blue badge scheme provides a national
arrangement of parking concessions for people with severe walking
difficulties who travel either as drivers or passengers. The scheme
also applies to registered blind people, and people with very
severe upper limb disabilities who regularly drive a vehicle but
cannot turn a steering wheel by hand. It allows badge holders to
park close to their destination, but the national concessions apply
only to on-street parking.
Q. How can I get a badge?
A. You can get one if:
- You receive the higher rate of the mobility component of the
Disability Living Allowance.
- You receive War
Pensioners' Mobility Supplement.
- You use a motor vehicle supplied for disabled people by a
government health department.
- You are registered blind.
- You have a severe disability in both upper limbs, regularly
drive a motor vehicle but cannot turn the steering wheel of a motor
vehicle by hand even if that wheel is fitted with a turning
knob.
- You have a permanent and substantial disability which means you
are unable to walk or have considerable difficulty in walking. In
this case you may be asked to a answer a series of questions to
help the local authority determine whether you are eligible for a
badge. People with a psychological disorder will not normally
qualify unless their impairment causes very considerable, and not
intermittent, difficulty in walking.
The cost for a new or renewal badge is £2.00.You can obtain an
application form by telephoning us on 01952 383838, or download a
copy of the form from the link on the right.
(Note: Children under two years of age do not qualify for a
badge because they would not normally be expected to be able to
walk independently. Organisations caring for disabled people
meeting one or more of the above criteria may be able to get a
badge, but this is entirely at the local authorities' discretion
and the conditions for using a badge must be strictly
observed).
Q. Do I need to provide a photograph?
A. The blue badge is a two-sided card with space for a
photograph of the badge holder on the back of the card. Should your
application be successful we will contact you again with a request
for payment and photographs.
Please do not send these items until
requested.
The cost for a new or renewal badge is £2.00.You can obtain an
application form by telephoning us on 01952 383838, or download a
copy of the form from the link on the right.
Badges need to be renewed every three years. You can download a
copy of the renewal form on the right hand side of this page.
Q. How do I use my badge?
A. You must display the badge on the top of the
dashboard or fascia panel of a vehicle with the front of the badge
(i.e. the side showing the wheelchair-user symbol) facing forward
so the relevant details are legible from outside of the vehicle
when using the parking benefits. If the vehicle does not have
dashboard or fascia panel you must exhibit the badge in a
conspicuous position on 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.
Similar badges given to organisations caring for disabled people
must not be used by non-disabled members for their own benefit.
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.
Q. How do I use my special parking disc?
You will need a parking disc (which you can get from the authority
issuing the badge) when you park on yellow lines or in a reserved
parking place for badge holders which has a time limit. The disc
must be displayed every time you park and set to show the time of
arrival. |