However more than one organisational badge can be held by a single organisation, depending on the number of vehicles they use and the number of people in their care who are eligible for a badge. WebThe Blue Badge scheme provides a national range of parking concessions to help people who are severely sight impaired, or permanently physically impaired, travel Local authorities may also wish to consider establishing a designated period for the return of the badge, informing the badge holder that action may be taken if the old badge is not returned, for example information about the expired badge will be passed to enforcement officers. Any breathlessness reported by the applicant when walking, or as a consequence of the effort of walking. BBDS will send out the badge to an address as specified by the local authority. If an enforcement officer encounters any form of resistance we would advise that they take no further action without police support. We use cookies to collect anonymous data to help us improve your site browsing This is considered to be good practice because a badge holder is less likely to falsely claim that a badge has been stolen if required to formally report this to the police. 10. Check if you are eligible for a Blue Badge, Please select the option that applies to you. 1. Pain is subjective, and some people have higher pain thresholds than others. You can reapply for a Blue Badge yourself, for someone else, or for an organisation (such as a care home). It is for the local authority to decide whether they will accept only originals or certified photocopies of documents. In areas where parking has not been decriminalised, the police and civil enforcement officers enforce criminal offences and issue Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) on street, and local authorities civil enforcement officers issue Excess Charge Tickets (ECTS) in Council operated car parks. See regulation 9(2) of the 2000 regulations. In cases where the local authority has accepted and processed an application by telephone, post or electronically and have not seen the applicant, the local authority may prefer that the applicant collects the badge. Click 'Accept all cookies' to agree to all cookies that collect anonymous data. BBDS has a system of reminder letters to badge holders when a Blue Badge is approaching its expiry date. By continuing to use this site, you agree to our use of cookies. While many blue badge-holders may be self You can apply for yourself, someone Local authorities should note that the lists provided above are indicative only and are not intended to be exhaustive in order to allow for new advances in technology and treatment equipment. Youll need a recent digital photo showing your head and shoulders. Local authorities may require the return of a badge from a resident where another local authority issues the same person with a badge and both badges are valid at the same time (Footnote 18). Your local council processes your application. This part of the criteria is intended to identify people with serious chest, lung or heart conditions who may be physically able to walk normally. The badge is usually valid for 3 years. The social model of disability makes an important distinction between impairment and disability. The intelligent use of cross-checking existing council records may identify information to support an application under the subject to further assessment walking criterion. Publicising a helpline (if sufficiently resourced to be useful) also serves as a deterrent to potential fraudulent Blue Badge users and it instils confidence among people with impairments that the council is responding to this serious issue. A local authority will need to ask the applicant to provide further evidence. You have a severe disability in both arms. complaints. Local authorities procedures for administering the Blue Badge Scheme need to incorporate the Blue Badge Digital Service (BBDS). Where third parties report abuse, we would encourage local authorities to follow up the matter and to take action as appropriate in order to deter or prevent repeat offending and to encourage greater public involvement. Local authorities may have arrangements in place to access information from health providers, or the applicant may have evidence of mobility services they have accessed in the last 12 months from: Other sources of evidence should also be considered to provide a full overview of the applicant and their difficulties and limitations in the community or when completing day to day activities. When a badge has been lost, stolen or destroyed, or has become so damaged / faded that it is illegible, the local authority can issue a replacement badge. The fact that a walking aid is or is not used may be relevant to the eventual decision, but this alone should not determine whether or not a Blue Badge is issued. Local authorities may not wish to charge for replacement badges if there is evidence that the badge has been stolen, for instance where the badge holder has reported the theft to the police and provides the authority with a police incident number. Therefore this discretionary criteria ensures that there is equitable access to the Blue Badge scheme for children aged between 3 and 16 and people over 65 years old. You are Registered blind or have a severe sight impairment. This can assist with enforcement if such action were to become necessary. Use our checker to find out if you are eligible for a Blue Badge. It is also important to gather photographic evidence, including people in or getting out of the vehicle. The weighting has not been made publically available in order to tackle fraudulent applications, Local authorities are recommended to not rely on letters from GPs. Sheffield City Council incorrectly assessed people for disabled blue badges, says an investigation by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman. The applicantmaybedeemedeligible ifthey canwalk50-80 metres (approximately 55 to 87.5 yards) without pain or breathlessness, but demonstrate very considerable difficulty in walking through a combination of other factors(e.g. We will look again at the decision taking into account the extra evidence. Your local council decides on the charge for a Blue Badge and you pay the money to them. A replacement badge is valid until the expiry date of the Reports from some local authorities in England note that conventional enforcement complemented by additional preventative measures are likely to be the most successful and effective in the long term. In order to streamline administration when verifying an applicants proof of entitlement, local authorities should consider using electronic records held about the applicant by other council departments and agencies, where such records are accessible and up to date. There are currently no formal reciprocal arrangements in place for disabled parking badges issued outside the UK. It also reduces the potential for fraud through multiple applications. It is recommended that local authorities have clear desk instructions on how to administer the scheme, including policy on circumstances when local authorities will charge for a Blue Badge in the case of a replacement or organisational badge, as well as procedures for reviewing decisions. A local authority may require the return of a badge on account of its misuse leading to a relevant conviction or where the authority is satisfied that the badge was obtained by false representation (Footnote 12). You should consider this to make sure you are not without a Blue Badge. If no such evidence is provided, the local authority will need to decide whether to refer the application to the IAS. Before starting your application, you will need the following: There is no statutory appeals process against a decision made by a local authority on a Blue Badge application. The discretionary criteria relating to mobility and cognitive impairments enable applicants who are unable, or choose not, to apply for DLA or PIP to have an opportunity to apply for a Blue Badge. WebRequest a Blue Badge to replace one thats been lost, stolen or damaged. Welsh Government recommends local authorities take full advantage of the BBDS to check the national database for key information about the status of individual badges. Where you cannot park. It is used to monitor where a child may need access to oxygen, Casts and associated medical equipment for the correction of hip dysplasia: between birth and six months of age, a brace called a Pavlik Harness can be used to hold the babys hips in position. Where suitable, local authorities can accept electronic photographs in a similar style to passport photos. Find out if you qualify for a Blue Badge. They will still be expected to sign the declaration form. This may mean making arrangements to see the child, although this should not be necessary if the childs paediatrician is able to write a letter outlining the childs medical condition and any special equipment they need to use. Some local authorities operate a dedicated phone line and / or email address for people to report misuse. The maximum fine is 1,000. In some circumstances strict adherence to the photograph specification is not possible due to the applicants individual circumstances. The rightful owner can take action to recover the goods through the civil courts. Non-essential cookies are also used to tailor and improve services. GPs are clinicians, who specialise in diagnosis and treatment. However, like other successful applicants, it is recommended that organisations issued with a Blue Badge are sent a copy of the leaflet The Blue Badge Scheme: Organisational rights and responsibilities. By continuing to use this site, you agree to our use of cookies. If the person regains their mobility or it substantially improves during the issue period of the badge they should surrender the badge as outlined in the rights and responsibilities Booklet they receive when they are issued with their badge. Welsh Government understands that some local authorities may offer further assessment of the applicant by an occupational therapist or other health professionals. You have a terminal illness that seriously limits mobility. No pavement or road is absolutely flat therefore a degree of incline and decline should be considered in the course of a mobility assessment. Any such reminders should be handled very sensitively given the circumstances that family or carers will be facing following their bereavement. out of date or the badge holder is no longer eligible), using a badge that has been reported as lost or stolen, letting a friend or relative use the badge, altering the details on the badge, for example, the expiry date and, making a fraudulent application (e.g. When you apply you will need to provide a DS 1500 form or a supporting letter from a Macmillan or Tenovus nurse.