What is a Blue Badge?
- the Blue Badge scheme provides a range of parking concessions for people with severe mobility problems who have difficulty using public transport so that they can park close to where they need to go
- Blue Badge holders can be either the driver or the passenger of a vehicle they are travelling in
- Blue Badges are valid for up to 3 years and cost £10 for new, renewal and replacement badges
Do I qualify for a Blue Badge?
There are three types of Blue Badge available:
- eligible without further assessment
- eligible subject to further assessment
- organisational
Blue Badge Qualification Criteria
| 'Eligible without Further Assessment' If you are over two years old and fall within one or more of the following descriptions: | Documents to show that you qualify: |
|---|---|
| Receive the Higher Rate of the Mobility Component of the Disability Living Allowance (HRMCDLA) | Letter of entitlement for the Higher Rate of the Mobility Component of Disability Living Allowance issued within the last 12 months or a copy of your annual uprating letter |
| Receive 8 points or more under the "moving around" activity of the mobility component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) | Personal Independence Payment decision letter issued within the last 12 months |
| An applicant would be automatically eligible under the new criteria if, in their PIP mobility assessment, they scored 10 points in "Planning and following a journey". Specifically, the 10 points which says: "Cannot undertake any journey because it would cause overwhelming psychological distress to the claimant" If the applicant did not score this, they can still apply and their application will be assessed by their local authority. | Personal Independence Payment decision letter issued within the last 12 months |
| Are registered blind (severely sight impaired) | Have a Certification of Vision Impairment (CVI) or a BD8 form signed by a consultant ophthalmologist |
| Receive a War Pensioner's Mobility Supplement (WPMS) | Letter of entitlement for the War Pensioner's Mobility Supplement |
| Have been both awarded a lump sum benefit at tariffs 1-8 of the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme | Award letter confirming receipt of tariffs 1-8 under the Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation) Scheme, which also certifies that you have a permanent and substantial disability, which causes inability to walk, or very considerable difficulty walking |
| Disability in both arms | A copy of your insurance details if you drive a specially adapted vehicle |
| For eligible children under three | A letter from a healthcare professional that has been involved in the child's treatment, giving details of medical condition and type of medical equipment needed |
| 'Eligible subject to Further Assessment' | |
|---|---|
| Drives a vehicle regularly, has a severe disability in both arms and is unable to operate, or has considerable difficulty in operating, all or some types of parking meter | If you are applying under the 'subject to further assessment' criteria you will be contacted by Access Independent Occupational Therapy Services who work in partnership with Southend Council to assess eligibility.Note: Whilst Access Independent will confirm eligibility, Southend Council will issue the Blue Badge. |
| Has a permanent and substantial disability which causes inability to walk or very considerable difficulty in walking | |
Organisational Blue Badges
A badge may be issued to organisations that care for and transport disabled people who would meet the eligibility for an individual blue badge. Where relatively few people meet the eligibility criteria for a Blue Badge in the organisation, we prefer that disabled people apply for their badge rather than have one issued to an organisation.
Organisational badges will, therefore, only be issued to an organisation that both:
- Cares for and transports disabled people who would meet one or more of the eligibility criteria for an individual Blue Badge.
- Has a clear need for an organisational badge rather than using the personal Blue Badges of people it is transporting.
In all circumstances, badges will be supplied to organisations or departments rather to individual staff members.
In addition, children under the age of three may qualify for a badge if they fall within either of the following descriptions:
- a child who must always be accompanied by bulky medical equipment that cannot be carried around with the child without great difficulty
- a child who must always be kept near a motor vehicle so that, if necessary, treatment for that condition can be given in the vehicle or the child can be taken quickly in the vehicle to a place where such treatment can be given
Badge Issue Fee
A charge of £10 is made for all new, renewal and replacement badges issued. The charge is only applied to successful applications. If your application is unsuccessful and you are not awarded a badge, you will not be charged.
If your application is successful we will contact you /your representative to make arrangements for payment. Your Blue Badge will only be ordered from our supplier once your payment has been received and will take up to 10 working days to be delivered to your home address. If you wish to collect your blue badge in person please let us know.
Please note: we do not accept cash payments.
Please see the Gov.uk website about Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and eligibility for a Blue Badge.
If you are already receiving DLA, you can quickly identify how and when you might be affected by PIP by entering your date of birth and postcode in the online PIP checker.