Some people can get a blue badge automatically. This is called being eligible without further assessment. You fit into this group if one or more of the following applies to you:
If none of these apply to you, you may still be eligible. This is called being eligible subject to further assessment, and will apply to you if you meet one of these criteria:
If you are eligible subject to further assessment, your local authority will look at the evidence of your disability to decide whether you can have a blue badge.
You may need to have an independent mobility assessment. If you have applied for or held a blue badge previously, your GP may have carried this out. Assessments may now be carried out by an independent mobility assessor. This is usually a medical professional such as occupational therapist or physiotherapist, who has never treated you before.
If your local authority wants you to have a mobility assessment, it will refer you to the assessor. You will not be charged for the assessment.
You may not be required to undergo an assessment if your council says it is very obvious that you are eligible or ineligible.
You will generally only be able to get a blue badge if you can walk only with great difficulty, and at an extremely slow pace or with excessive pain. No other factors, such as how difficult you find it to carry objects, will be taken into account.
Your difficulties must be permanent and not temporary. For example, if you have a broken leg, you can’t apply for a blue badge.
If you have severe upper limb disabilities, you are eligible for a blue badge if you:
You are not eligible for a blue badge if you have severe upper limb disabilities and only travel as a passenger.
Local authorities treat applications from people with severe upper limb disabilities as a special case. This means that before making a decision, they might: