The blue badge disabled parking scheme is undergoing its biggest shake-up since it was introduced in 1970. Previously, local authorities could not exclude those with hidden disabilities, but granting permission was very much open to interpretation. The changes now give councils clearer guidelines. Last month, the Department for Transport (DfT) confirmed that from 2019, people with hidden disabilities will be granted access to the scheme too. Read the full story here.
According to the Citizen Advice Bureaux:
If you’re disabled or have a health condition that affects your mobility, you can apply for a Blue Badge. You can also apply for a badge if you care for a child with a health condition.
Who can get a Blue Badge
You’re automatically eligible for a Blue Badge if you:
- Are registered as blind
- Get the higher rate of the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
- In receipt of Personal Independence Payment (PIP). Scored 8 points or more in the ‘moving around’ area of your assessment. Check your decision letter if you’re not sure
- Receive War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement
- Received a lump sum payment as part of the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (tariffs 1 to 8). Been certified as having a permanent and substantial disability
If you’re not automatically eligible
It’s worth applying as you might still be able to get a badge. You’ll have to fill in an extra part of the application to show why you need one.
You should do this if:
- Problems walking that is permanent, or that your doctor says are likely to last at least a year
- You can’t use your arms
- You’re applying on behalf of a child aged over 2 who has problems walking. A child under 3 who needs to be close to a vehicle because of a health condition
Source: Citizen Advice Bureaux
This raises a few questions:
- Will the councils, private car parks, hospitals, high streets etc. increase the amount of disabled parking bays to accommodate all the new users?
- Will councils tackle Blue Badge abuse that happens, more effectively?
- If the blue badge is now open to people with all disabilities, how will this affect people with mobility conditions and people who need the extra space for wheelchairs?
We all know how difficult it is to find an empty disabled parking bay as it is. Once this change takes effect next year, can you imagine just how much harder this will become? I always believed blue badges were for people who had mobility disabilities. The wider bays were/are for people who need the extra space to be able to get into and out of their cars, for wheelchairs, straightening callipers or something else. Am I right to assume that everybody with a disability NEEDS extra space around their car? So, if not, why not introduce more disabled bays the same width as other bays, for those that don’t need the extra space?
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About Cazbarr
Cazbarr is a full-time wheelchair user, who was born with a disability called Arthrogryposis. Primarily she blogs about her disability, her experiences holidaying as a full-time wheelchair user, along with honest products & service reviews.
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