Blue Badge Scheme
Disabled Persons Blue Badge Scheme
The Blue Badge scheme provides parking concessions for people who have severe difficulties with walking, people who drive their own vehicle and have a severe disability in both upper arms and people who are registered blind.
The scheme is governed by National Eligibility Criteria set out by the Department for Transport. Local Authorities are required to re-assess applicants every time their present badge expires.
We are moving!
Our offices at Bingley Town Hall closed on Friday, August 27th. We are relocating to Bradford and from Thursday 2nd September you will be able to access our services from the bdirect contact centre at Forster Square, the Manningham Centre, Keighley Town Hall and Bingley Council Shop. Read the eligibility criteria before completing the application.
Eligibility Criteria: You may be eligible for a Blue Badge if:
- You receive the Higher Rate Mobility Component of Disability Living Allowance.
- You receive a War Pensioners Mobility Supplement.
- You are registered blind.
- You have a severe disability in both upper limbs, regularly drive a motor vehicle but cannot turn the steering wheel by hand even if that wheel is fitted with a turning knob. OR: You have a severe disability in both upper limbs, regularly drive a non adapted vehicle but cannot or have considerable difficulty in operating all, or some types, of parking meter. This is intended predominantly to include those people with thalidomide.
- You have a permanent and substantial disability which means you are unable to walk or have very considerable difficulty in walking.
Please complete your application form in black ink/biro.
All applications must be sent with a cheque or postal order for £2.00 made payable to Bradford Council.
Please do not send cash in the post. (This is a non refundable administration charge).
You will also need to enclose two passport size photographs of the person applying for the badge, these will be returned, if the application is not successful. Please ensure that the applicant’s name is printed on the back of the photographs.
If the application is approved, the Blue Badge will be sent by post.
Important Points to Note
- The Local Authority has an agreement with the Local Medical Committee that applicants own GPs will not be involved in the assessment process. Please do not approach your own GP to support your application for a blue badge.
- If you have any recent medically validated evidence (reports or letters) from professionals who have been involved in your care, please supply these with your application. These may be from a consultant or a physiotherapist for example.
If you are unable to provide sufficient independent medically
validated evidence, we will invite you to attend an Independent Medical Assessment with a nominated GP, who will provide the Council with a report about your walking ability. - Under the National Scheme, following consideration of all information collected, the final decision to award or refuse a badge rests with the Local Authority. There is no right of appeal under the National Scheme. In Bradford however, if you disagree with our decision you may write to us, enclosing any additional medically validated evidence and ask for a review of your application.
- Under the National Scheme, you will not qualify for a badge if:
- You have an intermittent or temporary disability.
- You are a child under two years of age, EXCEPT where there are specific medical conditions, where the child needs to travel with bulky medical equipment at all times or has to be close to a vehicle for emergency medical treatment. The legislation provides extremely limited circumstances where a badge can be issued to a child under 2. In order to be considered under this criterion information has to be provided from the child’s consultant about their disability.
