To be issued with a Blue Badge permit, a person must be more than two years old and fall within one or more of the following descriptions:
- Is registered as severely sight impaired or blind
- Receives the higher rate mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance
- Receives a War Pension Mobility Supplement
- Meets a ‘Moving Around’ descriptor for the Mobility Component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) that indicates you cannot stand or can stand but can walk no more than 50 metres. This is a score of 8 points or more.
- Has been awarded a benefit under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme and has been certified by the Service Personnel and Veterans agency as having a permanent and substantial disability which causes an inability to walk or very considerable difficulty in walking
- Has an invisible (hidden) condition or disability, causing them to severely struggle with journeys - find out more about the new criteria.
If your child is under the age of three, they must:
- Have a medical condition that requires bulky medical equipment that cannot be carried around with a child without great difficulty
- Always require immediate access to a vehicle for treatment.
You will also need to provide a letter from the child’s consultant to support this application.
A child who is between 2 and 3 can also be assessed under the Walking Ability criteria if they do not meet the general criteria for those under 3.
Further assessment
For applications made under a physical disability, we may decide you need a further assessment with our independent occupational therapist if you:
- Have a permanent and substantial disability which means you cannot walk, or have considerable difficulty walking
- Drive a motor vehicle regularly, have a severe disability in both arms, and are unable to or would find it difficult to operate all or some types of parking meter
Blue Badges for organisations
A Blue Badge can be issued to an organisation that transports disabled people who, if they applied for a Blue Badge as individuals, would qualify in their own right.
It can only be used when transporting disabled people and must not be used for any other business. A senior representative may apply on behalf of their organisation.
Taxi firms are not eligible to apply. We would recommend that their clients apply for an individual badge.