The Blue Badge scheme provides a range of parking benefits for disabled people throughout the UK with severe mobility difficulties who travel either as drivers or as passengers. A £10.00 fee is payable for new, replacement and renewal applications.

The concessions only apply to on-street parking and include free use of parking meters and pay-and-display bays. 

Badge-holders may also be exempt from limits on parking times imposed on others and can park for up to three hours on yellow lines (except where there is a ban on loading or unloading or other restrictions).

A new more secure badge is being phased in from 1st January 2012 over the next 3 years.  The new badge will only be issued nationally as badges are renewed, replaced and awarded.
If you currently hold a badge you will continue to use it until it expires.  Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council will contact you in advance of the expiry date to ask you to re-apply. 

If you would like to apply for a Blue Badge, please click on the following link https://www.blackburn.gov.uk/parking/blue-badge-scheme/apply-a-blue-badge. If you want to check whether you are eligible or you would like assistance in completing the fom, please contact our Blue Badge team on 01254 585381 or you can email us at blue.badges@blackburn.gov.uk.

Anyone over two years old automatically qualifies for a Blue Badge if they:

• are severely sight impaired (blind)
• are receiving a War Pensioner’s Mobility supplement
• are receiving the higher rate of the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance
• receive 8 points or more for the ‘Moving Around’ element of the Mobility Component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
• receive a lump sum benefit under the Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (compensation) scheme within tariff levels 1-8 (inclusive) and you have been certified by the SPVA as having a permanent and substantial disability which causes inability to walk or very considerable difficulty in walking.

You may qualify subject to further assessments if you:

• have a severe disability in both upper limbs, drive a motor vehicle regularly and are unable to operate, or have considerable difficulty operating, parking meters
• have a permanent and substantial disability which means you are unable to walk or have very considerable difficulty in walking.

In addition, children under the age of 3 may be eligible for a badge if they are:

• a child who, on account of a condition, must always be accompanied by bulky medical equipment, which cannot be carried around with the child without great difficulty.
• a child who, on account of a condition, must always be kept near a motor vehicle so that, if necessary, can be treated for that condition in the vehicle or taken to a place where they can be treated.

You can get up-to-the-minute information on all services for disabled people by viewing the Gov website at www.gov.uk

Please see the government rules for using blue badges in England. Please note if you visit Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland the rules will be different again and you will need to look at their guidelines.