The Blue Badge scheme is a national arrangement that provides parking concessions for people with severe mobility problems, allowing them to park closer to their destination. The scheme is run by your local authority (e.g., Bromley Council).
The application process is managed through the GOV.UK website, which is the quickest and easiest way to apply or renew.
Blue Badge Eligibility Summary
To qualify for a Blue Badge, you must meet specific national criteria set by the Department for Transport. These are split into two main categories: those who are automatically eligible and those who may be eligible following a further assessment (discretionary criteria).
1. Automatic Eligibility
You will automatically qualify for a Blue Badge if you are over two years old and meet one or more of the following criteria, which must be supported by recent, official evidence (such as an award letter):
- You receive the Higher Rate Mobility Component of the Disability Living Allowance (DLA).
- You receive Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and scored points in the ‘Moving Around’ activity of the mobility component.
- You receive PIP and scored points in the ‘Planning and Following Journeys’ activity, with descriptor E (meaning you cannot undertake any journey because it would cause overwhelming psychological distress).
- You are registered severely sight impaired (blind).
- You receive a War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement (WPMS).
- You have received a lump sum benefit from the Armed Forces and Reserve Forces Compensation Scheme (tariffs 1-8) and have been certified as having a permanent and substantial disability which causes inability to walk or very considerable difficulty in walking.
2. Discretionary Eligibility (Subject to Further Assessment)
If you do not meet the automatic criteria, you may still be eligible under the discretionary criteria if you have an enduring and substantial disability that severely affects your mobility. This applies to people who:
- Have an enduring and substantial disability which means you cannot walk or have very considerable difficulty in walking during a journey.
- Experience very considerable psychological distress while walking, or are at risk of serious harm when walking, or pose a risk of serious harm to others when walking (this includes non-visible or hidden disabilities).
- Drive a motor 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.
If you apply under the discretionary criteria, your local council will likely ask for further evidence and may require you to attend a mobility assessment conducted by an independent health professional, such as an Occupational Therapist.
Supporting Evidence and the Role of Your GP
We understand that in the past, many of our patients have asked us to provide a supporting letter from a GP for their Blue Badge application or renewal. However, our practice has updated this policy.
We no longer provide GP supporting letters for general Blue Badge applications or renewals.
We understand this may be a significant change and potentially frustrating for patients who are used to this service. This change has been made for the following professional and evidence-based reasons:
- Council Policy and Expertise: Many local councils, including neighbouring authorities, are increasingly rejecting or discounting general supporting letters from GPs. This is because, for discretionary applications, councils require an expert opinion that specifically assesses how a condition impacts a person’s mobility during a journey, not just a clinical diagnosis.
- Specialist Assessment Requirement: Councils typically employ their own Occupational Health Professionals (such as Occupational Therapists) who are experts in mobility and functional assessment. When you apply under the discretionary criteria, the council will use these experts to conduct an independent, practical assessment (often a face-to-face mobility assessment) to determine eligibility, making a general GP letter redundant.
- Focus on Functional Ability: The Blue Badge criteria are centred on the severity of your mobility problems, not simply the diagnosis of a medical condition. While a GP can confirm a diagnosis, it is the council’s assessors who are commissioned to formally assess the functional impact on walking and journey planning.
What we will do to help:
If the local council contacts us directly, with your written consent, we will of course cooperate fully and provide factual information from your medical records to assist with their assessment process. However, we cannot provide a bespoke supporting letter for your general application or renewal submission.
We recommend that you submit all other requested evidence and complete the application as thoroughly as possible. If the council then decides you require a further assessment, they will arrange this with their own specialist.