3. You should consider this to make sure you are not without a Blue Badge. Offenders can be prosecuted and face a fine of up to 1,000 on conviction. Councils can charge up to 20 for a Blue Badge. The local authority will require additional information to support this claim. Policy and background Includes The issuing authority may wish to warn the holder about the seriousness of misuse when returning the badge. The intelligent use of cross-checking existing council records may identify information to support an application under the subject to further assessment walking criterion. You do not have a severe disability in both arms. Applicants should be asked to provide contact details for the person certifying their application. the details of your current Blue Badge (if you're reapplying). 8. An applicant who is registered blind or as severely sight impaired will often be registered with the local authoritys Social Services Department (or their agents). See regulation 9(2) of the 2000 regulations. The local authority that issued the badge is able to change the address details and inform the new local authority through the BBDS system. Verifying identity, proof of residence and checking that the applicant meets the eligibility criteria is essential to protect against fraudulent applications and abuse of the scheme. Local authorities have discretion to charge a fee of up to 10 for an organisational or replacement badge. If you are Non-essential cookies are also used to tailor and improve services. The Blue Badge (Disabled Persons Parking) scheme was introduced in 1971 under section 21 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970. When making an application, organisations could be asked to provide the same type of information required by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) for licensing a vehicle under the Disabled Passenger Vehicle (DPV) taxation class for exemption from Vehicle Excise Duty (VED)). The applicant should be reminded in their decision letter that they have a duty to return the badge to the local authority if at any time their mobility improves. Healthcare providers are likely to be a good source of evidence to help the local authority to determine eligibility for a Blue Badge. Open all Who automatically gets a Blue Badge Who else could get a Blue Badge Visit GOV.UK to check your eligibility and apply for a Blue Badge. Once you apply, your local council will process your application. You might have to pay to use off-street car parks, such as: Read more information about Blue Badge eligibility. If possible you should complete the application yourself or ask for help from family, friends or support organisations. 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. Eligibility. This consent should be asked for in the Declaration section of the Blue Badge application form. If you can't access online systems there are computers available in the Civic Centre, our community hubs and local libraries. It is also recommended that all employees of the organisation who will be using the badge are reminded that they must only use the badge for the purposes of transporting eligible people who meet one or more of the eligibility criteria for a badge. The applicants driving license should be coded as either of the following: Each Blue Badge application should be treated on a case-by-case basis and the final decision about whether an applicant meets the criterion is for the issuing local authority to make. Your local council processes your application and decides if you can get a Blue Badge. This process can be made easier through the use of technology. See regulation 2(1) of the 2000 regulations. This is unnecessary if the applicant gives consent for the local authority to check council tax records, the electoral register or school records to confirm the address. Has a permanent and substantial disability which causes inability to walk or very considerable difficulty in walking. The Blue Badge scheme came into operation on 1 December 1971 by means of Regulations made under section 21 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 (Badges for display on motor vehicles used by disabled persons). The applicants posture, rhythm, coordination, balance and stride should be considered in terms of the degree of effect they have on their ability to walk. Indefinite or life awards are still subject to review, and therefore older award letters may not be reliable indicators of whether a person currently has an award of HRMCDLA. Local authorities are responsible for checking that applicants have provided relevant and sufficient evidence in support of their application. Local authorities should make it clear when issuing a badge that it should be returned to the issuing authority if the recipient no longer needs it (Footnote 13). Find a disabled car park in the city centre, beach and suburban car parks. A replacement badge is valid until the expiry date of the The following is not an exhaustive list, but illustrates the most common ways in which badges can be abused or misused, from the minor to more serious transgressions: Local authorities should consider ways of preventing abuse and misuse of the scheme from the outset. Applicants must give their consent to sharing any personal information for a secondary purpose under the UK General Data Protection Regulations . Most local authorities have an internal fraud investigation team to consider council tax / benefit fraud etc. This is often very difficult for local authorities to prove, even when they know it is happening. If an enforcement officer encounters any form of resistance we would advise that they take no further action without police support. In such cases the applicant will have a simplified renewal process, only needing to supply evidence of their identity, residence and a photograph. 7. 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. Local authorities need to develop their own procedures setting out circumstances when applicants can re-apply and include this advice in their letters. See regulation 7(1) of the 2000 regulations. The badge must firstly be returned to the issuing authority by the enforcing authority and then to the holder. Local authorities should make it clear when issuing the badge that it should be returned to them on expiry, or if the recipient no longer needs it, because the condition under which it was issued no longer applies. You will need to re-apply for a Blue Badge at the end of the 3 years. suction of a tracheostomy tube: It is recommended that local authorities treat each application for children under the age of three as a special case. This is particularly relevant in the case of children with hip dysplasia, as after treatment is normally limited to three and six months. By continuing to use this site, you agree to our use of cookies. Welsh Government recommends that where possible, evidence of a persons medical condition should be obtained from an independent healthcare professional, rather than the applicants own GP. 2. They need to be able to share the information they have on badge holders. For example Motor Neurone Disease (MND) or some cancers. While many blue badge-holders may be self 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. This ensures that civil enforcement officers and the police checking the validity of badges displayed in vehicles are able to check badge details. Local authorities will need to check whether the organisation in question: Applications for badges from organisations caring for people should be examined to ensure that they are genuine and necessary. In all cases, entitlement depends on the applicants difficulty in walking. However, the legislation supporting the Scheme often contains language which does not reflect the social model of disability and assumes that disabled people are disabled by their impairments (or disabilities) and that is why we have used this language.The Welsh Government definition is published externally in Action on Disability: the right to independent living framework and action plan. In all circumstances, badges must be issued to the organisation and not to individual employees. Recognition is voluntary, rather than mandatory, and so local authority enforcement officers can refuse to recognise an overseas badge if they have reasonable grounds to believe that it is fake or forged. When you apply you will need to provide an original award letter from the Ministry of Defence. People who may be issued with a badge without further assessment are those who are more than two years old and fall within one or more of the automatic eligibility descriptions below. The charge to reapply for a Blue Badge can be up to 20. WebThe Blue Badge scheme provides a national range of parking concessions to help people who are severely sight impaired, or permanently physically impaired, travel Please contact us on 01792 637366 for advice and we will be pleased to help you. The provision of parking for disabled people is limited and if Blue Badges are issued to people who do not meet the criteria, that limited provision will be in greater demand. If a badge holder relocates to a new local authority it is the responsibility of the badge holder to inform the issuing authority of the change of address. Using your Blue Badge. The local authority must ensure that a robust assessment can be made, using healthcare professional evidence, including reports, letters (not appointment letters) summaries and assessments by relevant healthcare professionals involved in an applicants care. This requirement has implications for car park operators who may have to demonstrate that, as well as marking out parking spaces for Blue Badge holders, they have taken reasonable steps to ensure that they are available and accessible to people with impairments. If a badge has been issued, the local authority can require its return under Regulation 9(2)(b) of the Disabled Persons (Badges for Motor Vehicles)(Wales) Regulations 2000. You can follow the link provided here to tailor your experience, or accept all and continue on this page. You have not received money under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme Tariff 1-8 (inclusive). Local authorities need to make clear to applicants and badge holders that a badge should be immediately returned to the local authority where: Anyone who parks in a designated parking for disabled peoples space without displaying a valid Blue Badge and/or clock if appropriate will be issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice/ Penalty Charge Notice/Excess Charge Ticket, dependent on the parking enforcement arrangements in that County. experience. Badges can also be withdrawn after one relevant conviction. Please call 01792 637366 to explain the circumstances. In enforcing the Blue Badge Scheme, we recommend that enforcement officers receive disability awareness training so that they can carry out their duties appropriately. WebIf you already have a Blue Badge and its nearly expired, or if you want to check if you're eligible you can apply or re-apply online on GOV.UK. To only allow the cookies that make the site work, click 'Use essential cookies only.' In the majority of cases there is no statutory appeal process after the local authority has decided to turn down an application (Footnote 9). The local authority may wish to contact the certifying person where deemed necessary. Changing or handing back a Blue Badge. This charge is at the discretion of the local authority. This will go some way to recouping costs of enforcement, and will also serve as an immediate consequence to the motorist. In no circumstances should a badge be issued to an applicant who does not meet one of the eligibility criteria set out in the legislation that governs the scheme and badges should never be issued to people solely on the basis of their age. 9. WebRequest a Blue Badge to replace one thats been lost, stolen or damaged. Welsh Government considers it important to establish procedures for the return of expired badges; it may be a case of simple exchange, an expired badge for a new issue. Last updated: 25 January 2021. The detailed requirements of the photograph are provided in the guidance accompanying the application form. In these circumstances a badge would not only be necessary to that person for periods but will become increasingly essential. In the absence of any other proof, it is recommended that local authorities accept a utility bill. 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. This should be part of a training package which includes wider equality issues. Non-essential cookies are also used to tailor and improve services. They should produce appropriate evidence of authority when exercising their powers; otherwise there is no obligation on an individual to hand their badge to the enforcement officer. In cases where it is clear that the applicants impairment will improve within 12 months the application should be rejected without further assessment. It is recommended that local authorities have a clear policy on how much, and under which circumstances, they will charge for a replacement badge and organisational badge. Under section 21(4BA) of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 (the 1970 Act), a police officer, parking attendant or civil enforcementofficer can approach a person in a vehicle displaying a Blue Badge (or a person who appears to have been in or to be about to get into, the vehicle) and require them to produce the badge for inspection. Local authorities can arrange to share the information held by BBDS which will reduce requests for ad hoc information. However, it is recommended that where possible, organisations should provide local authorities with an electronic file of their logo. This new evidence should then be considered by the Blue Badge Team or case officer and if the application is rejected again, a further explanation of the decision should be provided. 5. It is recommended that proof of address be provided in the form of an original council tax bill bearing the applicants name and address. For an individual person badge the mandatory fields for applications through BBDS are: Whilst the National Insurance Number is not a mandatory field, the Welsh Government recommends that local authorities complete this field, where possible, because it is helpful in confirming the identity of an applicant. When you apply you will need to provide an original award letter from the Department of Work and Pensions which shows your entitlement for this benefit. Check if you are eligible for a Blue Badge, Please select the option that applies to you. You are not completely unable to walk, have considerable difficulty walking or have substantial impairment to mobility. This allows a more comprehensive analysis of statistics by local authorities and Welsh Government. BBDS has a system of reminder letters to badge holders when a Blue Badge is approaching its expiry date. Typically this would be done to check the detailed information and the photograph of the badge holder on the back of the badge, in order to verify whether the badge is being used by the correct person. You have received money under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme Tariff 1-8 (inclusive) and includes Permanent Mental Disorder under Tariff 6. See regulation 4(2) of the Disabled Persons (Badges for Motor Vehicles) (Wales) Regulations 2000 (S.I. You have severe cognitive impairment. A person can be prosecuted under this section and receive a fine of up to 1,000 where: A person can be prosecuted under this section and receive up to a 5,000 fine and up to two years in prison if they: A Blue Badge holder can be prosecuted under this section and receive a fine of up to 1,000 if they contravene any parking provision of a road traffic order and also: The Police can seize a badge under section 19 if the officer believes that it has been obtained in consequence of a commission of an offence (e.g. Local authorities have been asked to supply information to Welsh Government based on their BBDS standard management report. Furthermore, the enforcement officer does not need to be in uniform but they do need to be authorised in writing by the authority to carry out badge inspections and retentions. A mobility assessment is a meeting with a healthcare professional who will check if you're: Your local council will give you a decision in around 12 weeks. It may also be possible to prosecute the person offering the badge for sale under section 7 of the Fraud Act 2006, recording of interviews whether written or tape recorded, how to deal with any third party during the interview process, disclosure of evidence prior to interview, provides local authorities with the power to cancel badges no longer held by the person to whom they were issued (e.g. You need to reapply for it every 3 years. Find out if you qualify for a Blue Badge. There are currently no formal reciprocal arrangements in place for disabled parking badges issued outside the UK. 2000/1786) (the 2000 regulations). Wherever possible we recommend that this process involves the badge holder collecting their replacement badge from their local authority offices or a nearby contact centre, so that it can be exchanged for the damaged badge. Require additional information to support an application under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme Tariff 1-8 ( inclusive ) after is... 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