Blue Badge scheme

Blue Badges allow people with disabilities or health conditions to park closer to their destination, either as the driver or passenger. This is a national scheme open to both individuals and organisations.

Apply for a Blue Badge

You will need:

• National Insurance number
• a passport photo
• driving licence number, if you have one
• details of your current Blue Badge, if you have one

Please provide detailed information about your condition in your application, including supporting documents where requested. This will help to avoid unnecessary delays to your application.

There is a £10 charge to apply for a Blue Badge. It is refundable if your application is not successful. 

Applications can take up to 12 weeks to process once we receive all the documents. 

Apply for a new Blue Badge at least two months before your old one is due to expire.

Apply for or renew a Blue Badge on GOV.UK

Who can get a Blue Badge

You will qualify automatically if any of the following apply to you:

• you are registered blind
• you receive a War Pension Mobility Supplement
• you receive the higher rate of the mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance
• you score 8 points or more under the "moving around" activity of the mobility component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
• you score 10 points for descriptor E in your PIP for "planning and following a journey" (i.e. you cannot undertake any journey because it would cause overwhelming psychological distress)
• you receive a lump sum from the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme at tariff 1-8 and have been assessed by the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency as being unable or virtually unable to walk

You may qualify if you:

• have an enduring and substantial disability that prevents you from walking, or makes walking very difficult
• drive a motor vehicle regularly, have a severe disability in both arms, and are unable to operate all or some types of parking meters, or would find it very difficult to operate them
• experience considerable difficulty whilst walking which may include considerable psychological distress (hidden disabilities)
• are at serious risk of harm when walking or pose, when walking, a risk of serious harm to any other person (hidden disabilities)

Children under 3 may qualify if they:

• must always be accompanied by bulky medical equipment which cannot be carried around without great difficulty
• need to be kept near a vehicle at all times, so that they can be treated in the vehicle or quickly driven to a place where they can be treated (such as a hospital)

If you do not qualify automatically, we will decide if you are eligible for a badge. We cannot start the assessment process until we have all the necessary evidence.

When you can use your Blue Badge

Your Blue Badge is for your use and benefit only. It must only be displayed if you are travelling in the vehicle as a driver or passenger, or if someone is collecting you or dropping you off close to where you need to go.

• Don't allow other people to use the Blue Badge to do something on your behalf, such as shopping or collecting something for you.
• You must never give the Blue Badge to friends or family to allow them to park for free, even if they are visiting you.
• You should not use the Blue Badge to allow non-disabled people to take advantage of the benefits while you sit in the car. You are not benefitting from this and it could prevent another badge holder from parking within a manageable distance of their destination.

If someone else is driving you, you must tell them the rules.

See Rights and Responsibilities for Blue Badge holders (GOV.UK) for full details of how to use and display a Blue Badge correctly.

Report a change

If your address, name or entitlement have changed then you need to tell us.

Email: concessionarytravel@kingston.gov.uk

Report a lost or stolen Blue Badge

Request a Blue Badge to replace one that’s been lost, stolen or damaged. You can request it for yourself or someone else. 

If your badge was stolen, you'll need a crime reference number. 

Replace a lost or stolen blue badge

Right to review

If you have been declined a blue badge you have the right to request a review. In order for a review to be carried out, you must provide additional medical information that has not already been seen. For example:

• copies (we cannot return originals) of occupational therapy or physiotherapy outcomes,
• hospital discharge summaries,
• GP summary report or any medical information dated within the last 12-18 months that relates to your condition and how it impacts on your mobility

Please do not ask your GP for a supporting letter as you may be charged for it and it cannot be considered on its own.

You will also need to state why you feel the decision was incorrect and if there were any parts of your original application that you feel were not taken into consideration.

Only once this has been received can a review be undertaken.