Blue Badges

What is a Blue Badge parking permit?

A Blue Badge is a parking permit which allows people with severe mobility problems, caused by visible and non-visible disabilities, access to goods and services by allowing them to park close to their destination. 

The badge holder can use the permit whenever they travel as a driver or passenger.

Blue Badges are usually issued for 3 years, but may be issued for less than 3 years if a qualifying benefit award is for a limited time.

Read more about who can use a Blue Badge.

How much does a Blue Badge cost?

You may be asked for a £10 administration fee upon submission of your online application.

This will be refunded if your application is not successful.

Would I qualify for a Blue Badge?

Without further assessment

A badge may be issued without further assessment if you:

• receive the higher rate of the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
• receive the mobility component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) specifically for 'Descriptor E' under the ‘planning and following journeys’ activity. This must be on the grounds that you are unable to undertake any journey because it would cause you overwhelming psychological distress. This is a score of 10 points or more. You must provide the original letter that shows the points and your most recent yearly update letter, if relevant.
• receive a lump sum benefit within tariff levels 1-8 of the Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation) Scheme and have been certified as having a permanent and substantial disability which causes inability to walk or very considerable difficulty in walking
  
• receive the War Pensioner's Mobility Supplement, or
• receive Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and meet the ‘moving around’ descriptor for the mobility component because you either cannot stand or can stand but walk no more than 50 metres. This is a score of 8 points or more. You must provide the original letter that shows the points and your most recent yearly update letter, if relevant.
  
• are severely sight impaired
• have a DS1500 form for terminal illness. 

You will be expected to provide evidence, such as a benefit award letter.

Blue Badges are usually issued for 3 years but yours may be issued for less than 3 years if your benefit award is for a limited time.

Please note: you can apply on behalf of someone else.

Subject to further assessment

Having a certain condition or disability does not mean you are automatically entitled to a Blue Badge.

We will assess your needs and may issue a badge if you:

• drive a 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
• have an enduring and substantial disability which causes you, during the course of a journey, to:
  • be unable to walk, or
  • experience very considerable difficulty whilst walking, which may include very considerable psychological distress, or
  • be at risk of serious harm when walking, or
  • pose, when walking, a risk of serious harm to any other person.

If you have any score other than 10 points under descriptor E, in the ‘planning and following journeys’ activity of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) you may still be eligible for a Blue Badge, but you do not automatically qualify. This includes if you have a higher score of 12. You will need to provide evidence to demonstrate your eligibility which we will assess as part of your application.

Please note: you can apply on behalf of someone else.

Non-visible (hidden) disability

Having a certain condition or disability does not mean you are automatically entitled to a Blue Badge.

You may qualify if you have a non-visible (hidden) condition that results in a severe struggle with journeys between a vehicle and your destination.

To be considered for a Blue Badge you must:

• be a constant significant risk to yourself or others near vehicles, in traffic or car parks, or
• severely struggle to plan or follow a journey, or
• find it difficult or impossible to control your actions and lack awareness of the impact you could have on others, or
• regularly have intense and overwhelming responses to situations, causing temporary loss of behavioural control, or
• frequently become extremely anxious or fearful of public or open spaces. 

Due to the nature of non-visible (hidden) conditions, we will assess your application by looking at your needs and you will be expected to provide evidence, such as a diagnosis letter, appointment letters, prescriptions or a care plan.

You should not need to pay a health professional if they supply you with proof, such as a diagnosis letter or care plan, however, if you are charged, East Riding of Yorkshire Council is not responsible for paying any costs.

We will refund your £10 administration fee if your application is not successful.

Please note: you can apply on behalf of someone else.

Child aged 2 years or under with medical needs

You may be eligible for a Blue Badge if you care for a child with medical needs aged two or under, and you need to: 

• transport bulky medical equipment, such as ventilators or oxygen, or
• have quick access to transport to hospital or home for emergency treatment.

Organisations

Organisations may be eligible for a Blue Badge if they transport those who meet any of the eligibility criteria above. 

Find out more about Organisational Blue Badges.

You do not qualify if...

You have a disabling condition that is only temporary, such as a broken leg.

Who can use a Blue Badge?

A Blue Badge is given to a person, not a vehicle. 

As the badge holder, you can use it whenever you travel as a driver or passenger. It doesn’t matter who owns the vehicle. 

Only you can use the badge and you must be in the vehicle when it is used. The only time someone else can use the badge without you being in the vehicle is if they are dropping you off or picking you up, and they need to park temporarily in a designated Blue Badge area.

If you are the badge holder and do not drive yourself, it is important that you share the information on this page with anyone who will be carrying you as a passenger. 

Where can I park with a Blue Badge?

Parking in council-operated areas

As a Blue Badge holder, you are entitled to park:

• in resident permit holder bays and time-limited bays for free and without time limit. You must display the Blue Badge
• within any council-run 'off-street' car parks, however, the majority of the council car parks are operated on a ‘Pay and Display’ basis and do not offer free parking for the disabled
• within any council-run on-street car parks for free and for as long as you need to
• where there are disabled parking bays. You must display the Blue Badge and the parking clock if the bay is time-limited
• in on-street disabled parking bays for free. Unless signs say otherwise, you may park without time limit. You must display the Blue Badge and the parking clock if the bay is time-limited
• on single and double yellow lines, for up to three hours ensuring it is safe to do so, and no other restrictions apply. You must display the Blue Badge and the parking clock showing the quarter hour period during which you arrived. You must wait for at least one hour after a previous period of parking before you can park the same vehicle in the same road or part of a road on the same day
• where there are on-street pay-and-display machines for free and for as long as you need to. You must display the Blue Badge. 

If your disability prevents you from operating the machine to pay for your parking, you can choose to pay using the MiPermit parking facility, or park nearby on single or double yellow lines.

Please note: all councils operate different parking policies, so you should check before you travel outside of the East Riding.

Parking in private car parks

Off-street car parks, for example at supermarkets and hospitals, are not operated by the council. You will need to contact the car park provider directly, or look at on-site parking signs, to check whether you can park free of charge using your Blue Badge.

How do I report the misuse of a Blue Badge? 

It is a criminal offence for anyone to use a badge that does not belong to them. For example, using a relative or friend’s badge to park closer to your destination or to avoid paying certain parking charges. 

Misuse could lead to a £1,000 fine and the badge could be withdrawn from the person it belongs to. 

Report somebody you think is misusing a Blue Badge

What should I do with a Blue Badge that is no longer needed?

Tell us about a Blue Badge that is no longer needed

After telling us you no longer need your badge, please post it to:

Customer Service Centre 
7 Cross Street 
Beverley 
HU17 9AX.