Skip navigation.

Transport and Streets ...

Disabled car parking

Introduction

The Blue Badge gives parking concessions for disabled and blind people.

Badges can be issued from any Customer Service Centre upon completion of an application form and receipt of proof of eligibility.

Full details of the Blue Badge Scheme are listed in the leaflet: "The Blue Badge Scheme - Parking concessions for disabled and blind people"

What is the Blue Badge Scheme?

The Blue Badge Scheme provides a national arrangement of parking concessions for severely disabled people who would otherwise find it impossible to visit public buildings, shops and other places, and for drivers who cannot turn by hand the steering wheel of a vehicle. The disability must be a permanent one and people with temporary disabilities such as a broken leg are not eligible for a badge.

Who can apply?

You can apply for a badge if:

  • You receive the higher rate of the mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance or you receive a War Pensioners' Mobility Supplement. You will need to supply a copy of the original award letter showing the amount and the duration of the award. In addition we will need to see confirmation that you are still in receipt of this payment, e.g. order book, bank statement, tax exemption certificate for your car.
  • You use a vehicle supplied for disabled people by a Government Health Department. You will need to provide documents to confirm this.
  • You are registered blind. You will need to provide either a copy of the registration letter from the local authority who registered you or the copy of the BD8 supplied by your eye consultant. If you are registered with North Tyneside we may be able to access the register to confirm this.
  • You have a severe disability in both upper limbs, regularly drive a vehicle but cannot turn the steering wheel of a vehicle by hand even if that wheel is fitted with a turning knob. We will write to your doctor to confirm this.
  • You have a permanent and substantial disability, which means you are unable to walk or have considerable difficulty in walking. In this case we will write to your doctor to ask him to confirm these details.

How to apply for a Blue Badge

You must fully complete an application form and take it or send it to your nearest Customer Service Centre. We will be unable to process the application if the form is not fully completed or if it is not signed.

If you are applying because you have severe difficulty in walking but do not receive any mobility allowances your application may take a few weeks to be processed as we will need to write to your doctor.

The final decision to issue or refuse a badge rests entirely with this authority and we will contact you once a decision has been made.

If you are applying under any of the other categories, your badge may be issued immediately upon receipt of the application provided all the relevant documentation is supplied with it.

You will also be required to sign the Blue Badge in the Customer Service Centre upon collection.

Photographs

Two recent photographs are required which you should sign on the back. One of the photographs will be affixed to the Blue Badge.

The cost of a Blue Badge is £2.00.

Frequently asked questions

I receive the low rate mobility component of DLA. Do I qualify for a badge?

If you receive the lower rate of the mobility component we will write to your doctor for confirmation of your medical condition. It is only the higher rate of mobility that gives you automatic entitlement to a badge.

Can I apply for a Blue Badge for a child?

Children under the age of two years are not eligible for a badge. Applications for children over the age of two years will be processed in exactly the same way as for an adult. The application must be made in the child’s name and the photographs must be of the child. The parent or guardian will be required to sign the badge for children up to the age of twelve years.

My partner has had a stroke and is no longer able to write. Can I sign the badge instead?

If the applicant is physically unable to sign the badge a member of staff will sign on their behalf and endorse the signature with our official stamp.

How long is my Blue Badge valid for?

Badges are usually issued for a period of three years. However, if the badge is issued because you are in receipt of a mobility allowance and the end date of the mobility allowance is less than three years, then the badge will be issued to coincide with the end of the mobility allowance.

How do I get my badge renewed?

If you feel you still need a badge when your old badge expires then you must apply for a new badge in the same way as you applied originally. This means we will look at your circumstances in the same way we did when you first applied. You are not automatically entitled to a new badge because you have had one in the past. You will be asked to return your old badge before your new badge is issued.

When should I re-apply?

We do not send out reminder notices when your badge is about to expire. It is in your own interest to apply for a new badge one month before your old badge expires if we need to write to your doctor. For all other categories your new badge can be issued immediately only if you provide the same documentary proof as you did when you first applied.

If you do not apply until after your badge expires it is likely that even if you are eligible you will be without a badge until your application has been processed.

What happens if I lose my badge or it is stolen?

If you lose your Blue Badge you must report it to your local Customer Service Centre. Staff there will take a note of your name and address and the date you reported it. If your badge has not been returned to you in fourteen days from the date you reported it you may ask for a duplicate badge to be issued.

You will have to supply a new photograph and the duplicate badge will cost £2.00. The duplicate badge will expire on the same date that your lost badge was due to expire.

If your Blue Badge is stolen you must report this to the police. We can issue a duplicate badge if you supply a copy of the crime report the police give you. You will need to supply a new photograph and the badge will cost £2.00. The duplicate badge will expire on the same date that your stolen badge was due to expire.

I do not have a car. Does this mean I can’t have a Blue Badge?

You do not need to have a car or be a car driver to have a Blue Badge. The badge issued will belong to you and you may use it in any car you are travelling in. The driver of the car may not use your badge unless you are present.

What happens if I do not agree with your decision?

If your application for a Blue Badge is turned down you have the right to ask for your case to be reviewed. However, you must do so within twenty working days of the date on the letter we send to you informing you that you do not qualify for a badge.

The best way to do this is to put your case in writing requesting that we review our decision and either take this or send it into your local Customer Service Centre. Staff there will forward this request along with a copy of your paperwork to a senior manager who will review your case and will write to you to inform you of the outcome of the review.

What can I do if I am still unhappy about your decision?

If you are unhappy with the outcome of the review, you have a right to appeal against this decision. However, you must do this within twenty working days of the date on the letter informing you of the review decision.

You can obtain an Appeal Form from your local Customer Service Centre. The completed form should be returned to the Quasi Judicial Office at the Town Hall or to your Customer Service Centre. A meeting of the Council’s Appeals and Complaints

Committee will be held to consider your appeal within twenty working days of receipt of your appeal application. You will be invited to attend the meeting so you can put your case personally, a friend or family member can accompany you should you wish. You will be informed in writing of the decision of the Appeals Committee.

Leaflets are available in large print, braille and audio tape formats, contact 020 7944 6800 for details.