Blue Badge scheme
The Blue Badge scheme provides a range of parking concessions for people with severe mobility problems.
- About the scheme
- Who can get a Blue Badge?
- How can I apply for a Blue Badge?
- Where can I find out more?
About the scheme
Blue Badges allow vehicles carrying people with certain disabilities to be parked near shops, stations and other facilities.
Blue Badges are issued to individual people not vehicles. This means you can use a Blue Badge both as a driver and a passenger. You can also transfer your Blue Badge to whichever vehicle you are using for a particular journey.
The Blue Badge is recognised throughout the UK and Europe.
Who can get a Blue Badge?
People over two years old
You are automatically eligible if:
- you receive the higher rate of the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance
- you receive a War Pensioners' Mobility Supplement
- you are registered blind.
You may be eligible if you:
- drive a vehicle regularly, have a severe disability in both arms, and are unable to operate, or have considerable difficulty in operating, all or some types of parking meter
- are unable to walk or have considerable difficulty in walking because of a permanent and substantial disability.
This difficulty needs to be at a level where you would qualify for the higher rate mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance (DLA). If you are aged between 3 and 65 you are eligible for DLA and will be asked to apply for it before you apply for a Blue Badge. The result of your DLA assessment may mean that you automatically qualify for a Blue Badge.
If you do not automatically qualify for a Blue Badge we may have to do an assessment of your situation. In this case we will contact you further about what is needed (for example a letter from your GP).
Children under two years old
Children under two may qualify if, due to a specific medical condition, they need to travel with bulky medical equipment or be close to a vehicle for emergency medical treatment. These badges will expire on the day after the child’s second birthday. Further information on this can be found in the Blue Badge scheme regulations on the Department for Transport's website.
Organisations
Organisations caring for disabled people meeting the above criteria may be able to get a badge, but this is entirely at our discretion.
National government guidelines state that you do not qualify for a Blue Badge if your condition is temporary such as a hip replacement or broken bones.
How do I apply for a Blue Badge?
You need to fill in an application form for each person who wants a badge and send it to the address shown on the form. You can get a form in three ways:
- download it from our Blue Badge application forms page
- telephone the number for the area you live in and ask for a form to be sent to you
- Ashfield, Bassetlaw, Gedling or Mansfield telephone 08449 80 80 80
- Broxtowe, Newark and Sherwood or Rushcliffe telephone your local office
- visit a County Contact point and pick up a form.
Where can I find out more?
- Our common questions about Blue Badges page has more information
- The Department for Transport's website has more information about the scheme: www.dft.gov.uk/transportforyou/access/bluebadge/
- Visit the National Association of Blue Badge Holders website: www.bluebadge.org
- To find out where Blue Badge parking bays are in Nottinghamshire and Nottingham City (and other cities around the UK) visit the Directgov website: http://bluebadge.direct.gov.uk/
