Eligibility and assessment

Who can apply for a Blue Badge?

Residents who may be issued with a blue badge are those who fall within one or more of the eligibility criteria:

• Receives the Higher Rate of the Mobility Component of the Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
• Receives the mobility component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and has obtained 8 points or more under the “moving around” activity
• Receives the mobility component of PIP and has obtained 10 points specifically for Descriptor E under the “planning and following journeys” activity, on the grounds that they are unable to undertake any journey because it would cause them overwhelming psychological distress
• Is registered blind (severely sight impaired) - confirmed by Certificate of Vision Impairment (CVI) form or LBTH registration letter
• Receives a War Pensioner’s Mobility Supplement (WPMS)
• Has been both awarded a lump sum benefit at tariffs 1-8 of the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme and certified as having a permanent and substantial disability which causes inability to walk or very considerable difficulty in walking. 

Evidence for the above must be dated within the last 12 months or current period (DLA and PIP).

You may also qualify for a blue badge with further assessment if you are:

• A person who 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; or
• A person who has been certified by an expert assessor as having an enduring and substantial disability which causes them, during the course of a journey, to be unable to walk, experience very considerable difficulty whilst walking, which may include very considerable psychological distress
• A person who may be at risk of serious harm when walking - or pose, when walking, a risk of serious harm to any other person.

For further assessment you must provide supporting evidence of enduring and substantial disability, behaviour difficulties and coping strategy.

Children with medical conditions

Children under the age of three may be eligible for a Blue Badge with specific medical conditions if they must always be:

• Accompanied by bulky medical equipment which cannot be carried around with the child without great difficulty
• Near a motor vehicle so they can be treated in the vehicle or taken to a place where they can be treated.

Assessments for Blue Badges

If your application relates to a physical disability affecting walking ability, you will be required to attend an in-person assessment. For non-visible (hidden) disabilities, assessments are typically conducted over the phone.

You will be placed on the waiting list for an assessment to be carried out by our independent expert assessor, who will arrange an appointment for you with a qualified assessor.

Due to the large number of applications being submitted, the current waiting time for assessments may take up to 12 weeks, in some cases longer.

Once the assessment has been completed the mobility support team will review the expert assessors report and provide a decision on the application submitted. To be eligible for a blue badge you must score 24 points or more in the assessment for walking ability or 3 points for the non-visible (hidden) disability.

Appeals process

If you're unhappy with the decision on your application, you can appeal. You must submit your appeal with new evidence within 28 days of the decision date.

A senior officer (mobility team leader or manager) will investigate your appeal will make a decision within 8 weeks. If further assessment is needed, an expert will be appointed. Once the assessment is done, a final decision will be given to you.

If your appeal is unsuccessful, you cannot reapply for 9 months from the final decision outcome. You can reapply sooner only if there is a significant change in your mobility. In that case, you must submit new evidence that meets the eligibility criteria.

An appeal will not be considered if you do not meet the eligibility criteria or your application has not progressed to the next stage. If you do not meet the PIP or DLA criteria, you must contact Department for Work & Pension (DWP) and inform them of your change in circumstance.

Submit an appeal