How do I get a Blue Badge?

10/03/2008

Can you advise me where to apply to get a disabled parking badge for my 85 year old disabled father-in-law? 

 

Reader by email

 

The Benefits Doctor says: 

 

The Blue Badge Scheme provides a national arrangement of on-street parking concessions enabling people with severe walking difficulties, who travel either as drivers or passengers, to park close to their destinations. The Scheme also applies to registered blind people, people with severe upper limb disabilities in both arms who regularly drive a vehicle and children under two with specific medical conditions.

 

The Scheme is administered by local authorities who deal with applications and issue badges. The government has produced two explanatory booklets, one for people wishing to apply for a badge (Can I Get A Blue Badge?) and one for people who have been issued with the badge (The Blue Badge Scheme : Rights and Responsibilities). 

 

You can contact the Blue Badge Helpline on either 0207 944 2914 or 0161 367 0009, or by email at: blue.badge@dft.gsi.gov.uk

 

 

 

Billions of pounds in benefits go unclaimed each year by older people - often because the “system” seems confusing and demeaning.  MT‘s “Benefits Doctor” Lee Healey, the manager of leading London charity DABD (UK),  is here to help! Lee writes a “Benefits Doctor” column for Mature Times every month. You can write to him with your questions headed “Benefits Enquiries by email to: jayne.warren@maturetimes.co.uk. We cannot promise to answer all enquiries, but we will certainly do our best