Health, Well-being and Care

Disabled Persons Blue Badge Scheme

The Blue Badge scheme provides parking concessions for people who have severe difficulties with walking and also 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.

Please read the eligibility criteria before completing the application.

Eligibility Criteria: You may be eligible for a Blue Badge if:

1. You receive the higher rate of the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance.
2. You receive a War Pensioners Mobility Supplement.
3. You are registered blind.
4. 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.
5. 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 yourself, these will be returned if your application is not successful. If your application is approved, your Blue Badge will be sent to you by post.

Important Points to Note

• The Local Authority has an agreement with the Local Medical Committee that applicants own GPs will no longer 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 medically validated evidence, we will invite you to attend an Independent Medical Assessment with a nominated GP, who will provide the Local Authority with a report about your walking ability.
• Under the National Blue Badge 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. However, in Bradford MDC, if you disagree with the decision you may write in, enclosing any additional medically validated evidence and ask for a review of your application.
• Under the National Blue Badge 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. For a child to be considered under this criterion, please contact the Transport Concessions Team on (01274) 438723.
    Further advice about the extremely limited circumstances where the legislation allows a badge to be issued to a child under 2 will be given.