The Blue Badge Scheme

A Blue Badge helps people with disabilities or health conditions park closer to where they need to go.

Blue Badges are issued to a person, not a vehicle. This means you can use your badge in any car you travel in, including taxis, hire cars, or when someone else is driving you.

A Blue Badge costs:

• £10 in England and Northern Ireland
• £20 in Scotland.

They are free in Wales.

The badge usually lasts up to 3 years. The expiry date is on the front of the badge. You’ll need to reapply for a Blue Badge before your current one expires. 

Who can get a Blue Badge?

You may qualify automatically. Or you may need an assessment by your local council.

Who qualifies automatically

You automatically qualify if you:

• receive the higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
• are registered blind (severely sight impaired)
• receive War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement
• have received a lump sum from the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (tariff levels 1–8) and have a permanent disability that makes walking very difficult or impossible
• receive Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
  • score 8 points or more in the ‘moving around’ activity, or
  • in England, score 10 points for descriptor E (‘cannot undertake any journey because it would cause overwhelming psychological distress’)
  • in Wales, score 12 points in the ‘planning and following journeys’ activity
• receive Adult Disability Payment (Scotland)
  • 8 points or more in the ‘moving around’ activity, or
  • 12 points in the ‘planning and following a journey’ activity.

The rules are slightly different in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. There may be other ways to qualify automatically. Check your nation’s guidance or contact our helpline if you’re unsure.

Who may qualify through assessment

Even if you do not meet the automatic criteria, you may still qualify for a Blue Badge. 

Your local council can assess your application if you have a disability or long-term health condition that affects your mobility or ability to travel safely. This may include Parkinson’s or other health conditions.

You may qualify if you:

• cannot walk, or find walking very difficult because of pain, fatigue, breathlessness, or the time it takes
• need help from another person or use mobility aids to walk
• have a severe disability in both arms that makes using parking meters difficult or impossible
• have a severe cognitive or mental health condition that makes planning or following journeys difficult
• have a terminal illness that seriously limits your mobility
• regularly experience intense anxiety or overwhelming responses that make travelling very difficult.

The rules are slightly different across the UK. Check eligibility criteria on your local council’s website before you apply.

If your application is rejected, you’ll usually receive a letter explaining why. 

In England, Northern Ireland, and Wales, you can ask the council or Blue Badge Unit to review the decision. You should do this within 28 days of the date on the letter. You can include any new information or evidence to support your case.

In Scotland, you have a formal right to request a review. You must ask within 28 days of the refusal letter. The council will consider any new information you provide.

If you’re still unhappy, you can make a complaint about how your application was handled. If you need support with this, please contact our helpline.

There’s no limit on how many times you can apply for a Blue Badge. If your first application is unsuccessful and your health or mobility changes, you can apply again.