Blue Badge - The disabled parking permit
The Blue Badge scheme is a Europe-wide arrangement for parking concessions for people with severe mobility problems.
Blue Badge holders can display their badge and park:
- for up to three hours on yellow lines where there are no loading restrictions, providing the clock card is displayed and set to your time of arrival
- in resident bays, and pay and display bays for an unlimited time
- in bays marked "disabled" for an unlimited time
- free of charge in any parking bay within Lambeth Council operated car parks subject to the time limits that apply to the car park.
From 1 January 2012 Blue badges in Lambeth will be issued only thorough a private complany called Northgate.
Lambeth Council will still be responsible for dealing with all applications and decisions on who gets a Blue Badge.
The cost of a Blue Badge has changed from £2.00 to £10.00 but this increase will only be charged to successful applicants so please do not send any money with your application. We will write to you after your application has been processed about whether you need to pay this fee.
Apply for a Blue Badge
To apply for a Blue Badge
Send your completed application form to:
Accessible Transport Unit
Hopton House
243A Streatham High Road
SW16 6EY
Email: accessibletransport@lambeth.gov.uk
Blue Badge - can I get one? A guide for people living in England to whether or not they qualify for a Blue Badge.
Who is eligible to apply for a Blue Badge?
You are automatically eligible to apply for a Blue Badge if:
- you receive the higher rate of the mobility component of the disability living allowance
- you receive a war pensioners' mobility supplement
- you have been awarded a lump sum benefit at tariffs 1-8 of the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme
- you use a motor vehicle supplied for disabled people by a government health department
- you are registered blind
- you have a severe disability in both upper limbs, regularly drive a motor vehicle but cannot turn the steering wheel of a motor vehicle by hand even if that wheel is fitted with a turning knob.
In addition, children under the age of three may be eligible for a badge if they have either of the following conditions that requires that they:
- are always accompanied by bulky equipment, which cannot be carried around without great difficulty
- must be always kept near a motor vehicle so that they can, if necessary, be treated for that condition in the vehicle or taken quickly in the vehicle to a place where they can be also treated.
Organisations caring for disabled people
Organisations caring for disabled people meeting the above criteria may be able to get a badge, but this is entirely at our discretion.
Can I apply for a Blue Badge if I don't meet the criteria?
If you do not meet the criteria set out above, you may still apply for a Blue Badge if you have a disability which is permanent and substantial and which also means you are unable to walk or have very considerable difficulty in walking.
To help the us to determine whether you are eligible for a badge you will be asked to:
- answer a series of questions on an application form
- attend a mobility assessment by an independent occupational therapist.
Mobility assessment
We use independent assessors to make a decision in accordance with the Department for Transport eligibility criteria for Blue Badges.
If the assessor considers it necessary, we may need to contact one or a number of your health professionals, such as GP, specialist, physiotherapist, etc, to obtain supporting information. You will need to ensure your application form is fully completed and consent forms are signed where required before we can contact health professionals.
It is not a requirement of your Blue Badge application to contact your GP, however, you may wish to submit information from your doctor or specialist with your application.
A Blue Badge can only be issued if your condition is assessed to meet the eligibility criteria of walking disability set by the Department for Transport.
Note that if you have previously held a Blue Badge, you are not automatically entitled to the reissue of another badge.
Reporting Blue Badge misuse
If you wish to report someone you suspect of misusing a disabled person's Blue Badge then please contact Lambeth Parking Fraud Section as follows:
or go to our Disabled badge and permit fraud page.
Lost or stolen Blue Badge
It is your responsibility to notify the local police station immediately of this loss or theft and obtain a 'Lost in Streets Property' report or a 'Crime Reference Number' report. We may not be able to replace your Blue Badge without this report.
Please send a copy of either the 'Lost in Streets Property' report or the 'Crime Reference Number' report along with one passport photo and £10.00 replacement fee by chegue or postal order to the Accessible Transport at:
Accessible Transport Unit
Hopton House
243A Streatham High Road
London SW16 6EY
Email: accessibletransport@lambeth.gov.uk
More information
For more information about the Blue Badge you should contact the Department for Transport.