Blue Badge scheme

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The Blue Badge Scheme is an important service for people with severe mobility problems. It allows badge holders to park close to where they need to go. Renfrewshire Council issues Blue Badges to people living in Renfrewshire who qualify for the scheme.

You don't need to own a car or be able to drive one. The badge is personal to you. You can use it in any vehicle that you are travelling in as a driver or a passenger within Scotland.

Since 1 April 2011, there has been an administration charge of £20 for the issue of a Blue Badge. On 1 January 2012, a new style badge was introduced. These badges are produced at a national distribution centre and delivered to your home following a successful application.

Here, you can find out who can have a Blue Badge and how to apply.

• Who can have a Blue Badge?
• People who don't need to have an assessment
• Evidence you need to provide
• Blue Badge fee
• Where to apply
• People who need to have an assessment
• What happens once my application is successful?
• Lost, stolen or damaged badges
• Renewing your badge
• Blue Badges for organisations

Who can have a Blue Badge?

Some people qualify for a Blue Badge automatically without having an assessment. Others may also qualify, but need to have an assessment first to see whether their mobility impairment is severe enough. This is to make sure that only people who need a badge get one.

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People who don't need to have an assessment

You may be be issued with a badge without further assessment if you are over two years old and fall within one of more of these criteria:

• You receive the higher rate of the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance
• You are registered as blind (severely sight impaired)
• You receive a War Pensioner's Mobility Supplement
• You have been both awarded a lump sum benefit at tariffs 1-8 of the Armed Forces and Reserved Forces (Compensation) Scheme and are certified as having a permanent and substantial disability which causes you to be unable to walk or have very considerable difficulty in walking.

Click on this link for additional information on definitions of inability to walk.

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Evidence you need to provide

In order to issue you with a Blue Badge, we require the following:

• Proof of identity
• Proof of residency within Renfrewshire
• Evidence that you don't a mobility assessment (if qualifying under this category)
• Blue Badge fee
• Passport style photograph (this will be taken when you make your application at the Customer Service Centre or a Customer Service Point - you do not need to bring photographs with you)

Proof of identity can be one of the following:

• Birth/adoption certificate
• Certification of British Nationality
• Civil partnership/dissolution certificate
• HM Forces ID Card
• Identity Card for Foreign Nationals
• Marriage/divorce certificate
• Passport
• Valid driving licence

Proof of address can be one of the following:

• Award letter from the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency (SPVA)
• Benefit award letter from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP)
• Confirmation letter from Social Services
• Confirmation letter from school
• Consent to check Council Tax database
• Consent to check school records
• Council Tax bill dated within the last 12 months
• Housing Benefit award letter
• Pension letter
• Valid driving licence

Evidence that you don't require a mobility assessment includes the following:

• Proof that you receive the higher rate of the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance

This should be your award letter, if dated within the last 12 months. If your award letter is more than 12 months old, you must provide your most recent annual uprating letter.

If you have lost your award or uprating letter, call the Pension, Disability and Carers Service on 08457 123 456/ textphone 08457 22 44 33 between 7.30am - 6.30pm, Monday - Friday, or email DCPSU.customer-services@dwp.gsi.gov.uk.

• Proof of blindness (severely sight impaired)

This should be a Certification of Blindness or Defective Vision - certificate BP1 3R - or a Certificate of Vision Impairment (CVI) or a previous equivalent, signed by a Consultant Opthamologist and held by your Social Services Department or local society.

• Proof that you receive War Pensioner's Mobility Supplement

This should be an award letter from the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency (SPVA). If you have lost your award letter you can call them on freephone 0800 169 2277.

• Proof that you have been both awarded a lump sum benefit at tariffs 1-8 of the Armed Forces and Reserved Forces (Compensation) Scheme and are certified as having a permanent and substantial disability which causes you to be unable to walk or have very considerable difficulty in walking.

This should be an award letter from the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency (SPVA) confirming that you receive tariffs 1-8 under the Armed Forces and Reserved Forces (Compensation) Scheme which requires that you have been certified as having a "permanent and substantial disability which causes inability to walk or very considerable difficulty in walking.

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Blue Badge fee

The fee for a Blue Badge is currently £20. This can be paid in person by cash, debit or credit card or cheque.

Please note that credit card payments are subject to an additional 2% handling fee. Cheques should be made payable to Renfrewshire Council. Only successful applicants are charged the fee.

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Where to apply

Applications for Blue Badges can be made at our Customer Service Centre or one of our Customer Service Points:

Venue	Times
Customer Service Centre Renfrewshire House Cotton Street Paisley PA1 1AN	Monday - Friday 8am - 6pm
Renfrew Customer Service Point Renfield Street Renfrew PA4 8RN	Monday - Thursday 9am - 12pm and 2pm - 3.45pm Friday 9am - 12pm and 2pm - 2.45pm
Johnstone Customer Service Point Floorsburn House Floors Street Johnstone PA5 8TN	Monday - Thursday 9am - 12pm and 2pm - 3.45pm Friday 9am - 12pm and 2pm - 2.45pm

Please note: Only people living in Renfrewshire can apply to Renfrewshire Council for a Blue Badge - residents or other areas should contact their local authority.

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People who need to have an assessment

If you don't automatically qualify, you may still do so if you meet one or more of these criteria:

1. You are over the age of two and have a permanent and substantial disability which means you are unable to walk.
2. You are over the age of two and have a permanent and substantial disability which means you are virtually unable to walk.
3. You are over the age of two and have a temporary and substantial disability, for more than 12 months but less than 3 years, which means you are unable to walk.
4. You are over the age of two and have a temporary and substantial disability, for more than 12 months but less than 3 years, which means you are virtually unable to walk.
5. You drive a vehicle regularly and have a severe disability in both arms which means you are unable to operate all or some types of parking meters.
6. You drive a vehicle regularly and have a severe disability in both arms which means you have considerable difficulty operating all or some types of parking meters.
7. You are under the age of three and have a medical condition that means you must always be accompanied by bulky medical equipment.
8. You are under the age of three and have a medical condition that means you must always be kept near a vehicle in case you need emergency medical treatment.

If none of the above apply, you are unlikely to be eligible to receive a Blue Badge because the information you have provided indicate that you are unlikely to meet the qualifying criteria.

If you meet criteria 1, 2, 3 or 4 above, you will need to arrange a mobility assessment from a council occupational therapist to check if you qualify for a Blue Badge. Please call our Customer Contact Centre on 0141 842 4455 to arrange an assessment.

If you meet criteria 5 or 6, please visit the Customer Service Centre or a Customer Service Point with the following:

• proof of identity
• proof of residency
• Blue Badge fee, and
• a letter from a consultant confirming that you have a severe disability in both arms and are either unable to operate all or some types of parking meter, or have considerable difficulty operating all or some types of parking meter.

If you meet criteria 7 or 8, please visit the Customer Service Centre or a Customer Service Point with the following:

• proof of identity
• proof of residency
• Blue Badge fee, and
• a letter from a consultant confirming you are under the age of age three and have a medical condition that means either that you must always be accompanied by bulky medical equipment or always be kept near a vehicle in case you need emergency medical treatment.

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What happens once my application is successful?

When you have been approved for a Blue Badge and the required evidence and fee have been provided, we will request your Blue Badge.

It will be issued from a national distribution centre and will be delivered to your home address along with an information booklet and parking clock for use if travelling in England and Wales.

It may take up to 10 working days from the approval date for your badge to arrive.

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Lost, stolen or damaged badges

All lost or stolen Blue Badges must be reported to the police.

For lost Blue Badges, you need to provide a lost property slip, which will be provided by the police. For stolen Blue Badges, you must provide a crime reference number.

The £20 administration charge must also be paid for replacement badges. When a replacement is requested, the lost/stolen badge will be cancelled. Any subsequent use of the old badge, should it turn up, would be a criminal offence subject to a maximum £1,000 fine.

If your Blue Badge becomes damaged, bring the damaged badge and £20 administration fee to the Customer Service Centre or Customer Service Point and a replacement will be requested.

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Renewing your Blue Badge

Renewal applications are processed in the same way as new applications.

As Blue Badges are produced at a national distribution centre and posted to you, we recommend you reapply for your Blue Badge around three weeks prior to the expiry date of your current badge.

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Blue Badges for organisations

Organisations may be eligible for Blue Badges if they provide care and transportation for disabled Renfrewshire residents who meet at least one these criteria:

Are over the age of two and:

• registered as blind (severely sight impaired)
• receive the higher rate of the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance
• receive a War Pensioner's Mobility Supplement
• receive a tariff within 1-8 (inclusive) of the Armed Forces and Reserved Forces (Compensation) Scheme and have been assessed as having a permanent and substantial disability which causes inability to walk or very considerable difficulty in walking.
• have a permanent and substantial disability which means they are unable to walk
• have a permanent and substantial disability which means they are virtually unable to walk
• have a temporary and substantial disability, for more than 12 months but less than 3 years, which means they are unable to walk
• have a temporary and substantial disability, for more than 12 months but less than 3 years, which means they are virtually unable to walk
• drive a vehicle regularly and have a severe disability in both arms which means they are unable to operate all or some types of parking meters, or
• drive a vehicle regularly and have a severe disability in both arms which means they have considerable difficulty operating all or some types of parking meters.

Under the age of three and:

• have a medical condition that means they must always be accompanied by bulky medical equipment, or
• have a medical condition that means they must always be kept near a vehicle in case they need emergency medical treatment.

In addition, organisations should have a clear need for an organisational Blue Badge rather than using the individual Blue Badges of the people being transported.

Blue Badges must only be used for the purpose of transporting people who meet one or more of the criteria above. If employees of the organisation use the badge to take advantage of the concessions when there are no passengers in the vehicle who are themselves eligible for a badge, they could face a fine of up to £1,000.

To apply, please bring the Blue Badge application form (completed by a senior member of the organisation) and an organisation stamp or letter-headed paper to the Customer Service Centre or Customer Service Point.

Find out more

For more information on the Blue Badge scheme, please call our Customer Contact Centre on 0141 842 4455 or visit the Transport Scotland website.

Fair processing

Each year the council participates in the National Fraud Initiative in Scotland. From time to time the data provided for this service may be included in the initiative to detect any fraudulent use. The fair processing notice outlines the reasons for our participation.

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