Blue Badge holder rules clarified for anyone moving house between UK councils

The UK Government has provided clarity on the regulations for Blue Badge holders who move home, particularly from one local authority area to another. This follows a query from Lib Dem MP Calum Miller to the Department for Transport regarding any evaluation made ‘of the potential impact of the prohibition on local authorities transferring Blue Badges between councils’.

In a written reply, Local Transport Minister Simon Lightwood confirmed there is ‘no such prohibition’, according to the Daily Record. He said: “When a badge holder moves to a different council area, they can inform their new local authority which is able to request the information from their previous local authority. This information can be securely transferred via our Blue Badge Digital Service.”

Blue Badges are intended to assist people with disabilities or health conditions by allowing them to park closer to their destinations. They grant the holder and their drivers the ability to use disabled parking bays and even park on certain double yellow lines.

However, the advantages of a Blue Badge extend beyond simple convenience – they also provide financial benefits by frequently offering free parking in disabled spaces or car parks. The badge isn’t linked to a particular vehicle either, and can be utilised in any car the holder is travelling in, including taxis, provided they are present.

In England, obtaining a Blue Badge costs up to £10, while in Scotland the fee can reach £20. However, in Wales, this benefit is free. Local councils are responsible for managing the application process, determining eligibility, and setting the cost.

Blue Badges generally remain valid for up to three years, after which a new application is required. There are two groups of people who can apply for a Blue Badge: those who automatically qualify and those whose cases are assessed on an individual basis.

Individual assessments may even be conducted in situations where people are dealing with mental health issues, including severe anxiety and temporary ‘loss of behavioural control’ during overwhelming circumstances.

So, who automatically qualifies for a Blue Badge?

The Government has specified that individuals over the age of three will automatically qualify for a Blue Badge if they meet at least one of the following criteria:

• 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.

Other ways you can qualify 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

To apply for a Blue Badge in England, Scotland, and Wales, you can do so through GOV.UK. However, the process is different in Northern Ireland. Click this link for more information.

Upon receiving all necessary documentation, your local council will evaluate your eligibility for a badge. The assessment of your application could take upwards of 12 weeks. If you’re deemed ineligible and feel certain details were missed, you have the right to request a review.