Blue Badge Application

The Blue Badge Scheme is a national arrangement of parking concessions for people with severe walking difficulties who travel either as drivers or passengers. The scheme also applies to people who are registered blind or severely sight impaired, and people with very severe disabilities in both arms who regularly drive a vehicle but cannot operate or have considerable difficulty in operating all or some types of parking meter.

Automatic eligibility without further assessment includes:

• People who receive the higher rate of the mobility component of either Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payment and have obtained 8 points or more under the “moving around” activity.
• Receive 10 points for the mobility component of PIP specifically for Descriptor E under “planning and following journeys” activity on the grounds that you are unable to take the journey as it would cause overwhelming psychological distress
• People who are registered blind or severely sight impaired
• People who receive War Pensioners' Mobility Supplement
• People who been awarded a benefit at tariffs 1-8 of the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme and certified by the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency as having a permanent and substantial disability (means it will last at least 3 years) which causes inability to walk or very considerable difficulty in walking
• People with a severe disability in both arms who regularly drive a vehicle but cannot operate or have considerable difficulty in operating all or some types of parking meter.

 Automatic eligibility without further assessment includes:

• People who receive the higher rate of the mobility component of either Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payment and have obtained 8 points or more under the “moving around” activity.
• Receive 10 points for the mobility component of PIP specifically for Descriptor E under “planning and following journeys” activity on the grounds that you are unable to take the journey as it would cause overwhelming psychological distress
• People who are registered blind or severely sight impaired
• People who receive War Pensioners' Mobility Supplement
• People who been awarded a benefit at tariffs 1-8 of the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme and certified by the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency as having a permanent and substantial disability (means it will last at least 3 years) which causes inability to walk or very considerable difficulty in walking
• People with a severe disability in both arms who regularly drive a vehicle but cannot operate or have considerable difficulty in operating all or some types of parking meter.

Assessed eligibility with further assessment:

You may qualify for the Blue Badge scheme under the assessed eligibility category if you have a permanent and substantial disability which means you are unable to walk or have very considerable difficulty in walking. In these cases, you need to make an application over the phone on 0300 123 5020.

Children under three years of age qualify for a badge if they have a condition that requires they must always be accompanied by bulky medical equipment and/or that have a highly unstable medical condition and need quick access to transport to hospital or home. Organisations caring for disabled people meeting one or more of the above criteria may be able to get a badge.

People with a psychological disorder will not normally qualify unless their impairment causes very considerable, and not intermittent, difficulty in walking.

Proof of Identity and Address

If your application for a Blue Badge is successful you will need to provide certified photocopies of your proof of identity, proof of address, and entitlement to benefits. There is a cost of £10.00, which can be paid by cheque, postal order or debit card.

How to Apply for a Blue Badge

Cheshire East council is now operating an online Blue Badge application form for new and renewal applications, or you can make a telephone application by calling 0300 123 5020 to apply, please select option 2, then option 1. If you are over 16 years old please ensure that you have your National Insurance number available as this is required to make an application.

Once you have completed your application by phone you will have to make an appointment with the library, quoting your reference number( it begins SR and has 7 digits).Then take your documents to your local library They will take your photograph, free of charge, for your badge when you attend this is free of charge.

Further information is available from:

http://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/benefits_housing_council_tax/blue_badge_scheme/blue_badge_scheme.aspx