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Who can get a Blue Badge?

The Department of Transport set out who is eligible for a Blue Badge.


An individual's eligibility for a Blue Badge is considered in terms of being eligible without further assessment (previously known as automatic) or eligible subject to further assessment (previously known as discretionary).

People who may be issued with a badge without further assessment are those who are more than 3 years old and fall within one or more of the following descriptions.

Type 1: Eligible without further assessment

You need one of the following for the 'eligible without further assessment' criteria:

  • receive the Higher Rate of the Mobility Component of the Disability Living  Allowance (HRMCDLA)
  • receives 8 points or more under the ‘moving around’ activity of the mobility component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
  • receives the mobility component of PIP and has obtained 10 points specifically for Descriptor E under the 'planning and following journeys' activity, on the grounds that they are unable to undertake any journey because it would cause them overwhelming psychological distress
  • registered blind (severely sight impaired)
  • receive a War Pensioner's Mobility Supplement (WPMS)
  • awarded both a lump sum benefit at tariffs 1 to 8 of the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme and certified as having an enduring and substantial disability which causes inability to walk or very considerable difficulty in walking

Armed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP) awards are not included in the type 1 eligibility criteria.

Type 2: Eligible subject to further assessment

People who may be issued with a badge after further assessment are those who are more than 3 years old and may be described as one or more of the following:

  • a person who drives a vehicle regularly, has a severe disability in both arms and is unable to operate, or has considerable difficulty in operating, all or some types of parking meter
  • a person who has been certified by an expert assessor as having an enduring and substantial disability which causes them, during the course of a journey, to either:
    • be unable to walk
    • experience very considerable difficulty whilst walking, which may include very considerable psychological distress
    • be at risk of serious harm when walking, or pose, when walking, a risk of serious harm to any other person
Check if you can get a Blue Badge