This allows a more comprehensive analysis of statistics by local authorities and Welsh Government. Blue Badges are free in Wales. An individuals eligibility for a Blue Badge is considered in terms of being eligible with or without further assessment. You can also contact your local authority to apply for a Blue Badge. When you receive your Blue Badge you will also get a copy of the booklet 'The Blue Badge Scheme: Rights and Responsibilities in Wales'. The following is not an exhaustive list, but illustrates the most common ways in which badges can be abused or misused, from the minor to more serious transgressions: Local authorities should consider ways of preventing abuse and misuse of the scheme from the outset. WebA blue badge enables people with a seriously impaired ability to walk, or those registered severely visually impaired, either as a passenger or driver, to park close to their destination. You receive the higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA). To only allow the cookies that make the site work, click 'Use essential cookies only.' Apply online now on the gov.uk website. In both cases the apparatus is likely to be deployed for a period of up to three months per hip, children with highly unstable diabetes and, special cases terminally ill children who can only access brief moments of outside life and need a quick route home, The applicant is registered with the local authority as having a learning disability (this may be called a learning difficulty) or, The applicant has attended a memory clinic or, The applicant can provide evidence in the form of letters, reports or functional assessments from relevant health professionals (psychiatrist, psychologist, occupational therapist, social worker, care agency) who confirms they require supervision for all journeys over and above that which is normally expected of a person of their age, cares for and transports people who would themselves meet one or more of the eligibility criteria for a individual Blue Badge and, has a clear need for an organisational badge rather than using the individual Blue Badges of people it is transporting, about the number of qualifying people being cared for, about the type of vehicle(s) being used to carry them, whether it is adapted and how, why the organisation feels they need an organisational badge rather than using individual Blue Badges of people in their care and how often the badge is likely to be used and for what purpose, in case of children under three, a badge should be issued for a maximum period ending on the day immediately following their third birthday (, where entitlement for a Blue Badge is linked to the receipt of PIP, HRMCDLA or the War Pensioners Mobility Supplement (WPMS), the period of issue should be linked to the period of receipt of that allowance, where that period is less than 3 years (, badges issued under the temporary mobility impairment criteria will be issued for 12 months, the applicant holds or has held a badge and misuse has led to a relevant conviction of an offence(, the applicant fails to provide the local authority with adequate evidence of their eligibility, either as an individual or as an eligible organisation, the applicant fails to provide adequate evidence of residency, the applicant already holds a valid badge issued by another local authority or, has reasonable grounds for believing that the applicant is not the person, they are claiming to be or would permit another person to whom the badge was not issued to use the badge, the required fee has not been paid in respect to organisational or replacement badges, the application has been declined, from the information provided, because they do not meet the eligibility criteria as laid down in legislation, the specific reason for declining the application with as much information as possible, if the applicant finds that their condition deteriorates rapidly and their ability to walk gets worse, or where a new disability occurs which renders them unable to walk or causes considerable difficulty to walk, to contact the local authority and, what internal review procedures are available, that the applicant has a relevant conviction or, in cases where a badge is required to be returned, that the badge was obtained by false representation, the holders of badges issued by the authority and, the vehicle or vehicles for which each of the badges is held, parking in the wrong place or at the wrong time, using a badge that is no longer valid (i.e. A common theme among some authorities that have had success in this area is involving other departments and other agencies. See sections 27 and 28 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000. We can then make an appointment at theCivic Centre, Oystermouth Road, Swansea SA1 3SN at a convenient time. If a person collects a badge in person from the local authority this can be an opportunity to highlight to the badge holder key facts pertinent to the use of the badge. In areas where parking has not been decriminalised, the police and civil enforcement officers enforce criminal offences and issue Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) on street, and local authorities civil enforcement officers issue Excess Charge Tickets (ECTS) in Council operated car parks. When a badge has been lost, stolen or destroyed, or has become so damaged / faded that it is illegible, the local authority can issue a replacement badge. WebBlue Badge Scheme in Wales: guidance to local authorities 2021 Guidance for local authorities on how to deliver the Blue Badge Scheme. This is considered to be good practice because a badge holder is less likely to falsely claim that a badge has been stolen if required to formally report this to the police. After you apply Your local council processes your application. Where a badge is issued by post a covering letter will be included referring to the rules and responsibilities of the badge holder. Applications or renewals for Blue Badges must be made through the online system on the gov.uk website. WebThe Blue Badge scheme provides a national range of parking concessions to help people who are severely sight impaired, or permanently physically impaired, travel Whenever misuse or abuse of a badge is suspected, the enforcement officer should deal with the badge holder in a sensitive manner. The leaflet explains clearly their rights and responsibilities as a badge holder along with other useful information about where badge holders can park. If you can't access online systems there are computers available in the Civic Centre, our community hubs and local libraries. It is recommended that local authorities have clear desk instructions on how to administer the scheme, including policy on circumstances when local authorities will charge for a Blue Badge in the case of a replacement or organisational badge, as well as procedures for reviewing decisions. a person recovering from complex leg fractures sometimes managed with external fixators for periods well over a year; a person recovering from stroke or head injury that has impacted on their mobility; a person recovering from spinal trauma which impacts their mobility. When dealing with such reapplications, local authorities are also reminded that this criteria seeks to capture individuals who have a condition which is expected to last 12 months. Damaged badges should also be returned to the local authority to be officially destroyed (Footnote 17). Local authorities will need to capture core data in order to determine eligibility and to process the application through the BBDS to obtain the badge. With certain restrictions, a blue badge enables the holder to park: Free of charge at a parking meter or pay-and-display bays. On summary conviction a person may receive a fine of up to 5,000, a maximum prison sentence of 6 months or both. The Disabled Persons Parking Badges Act 2013 allows civil enforcement officers to retain a badge which is suspected of being abused or misused. The local authority will require additional information to support this claim. The most commonly reported problems tend to relate to misuse of the Blue Badge by the friends and family of the badge holder. A person can be convicted of forging or copying a blue badge and/or using that forgery/copy under this Act. You can follow the link provided here to tailor your experience, or accept all and continue on this page. The Blue Badge should be issued for the same period or for three years, whichever is the shorter period. It can also help you stay active and independent. Councils can charge up to 20 for a Blue Badge. While many blue badge-holders may be self-isolating or making only essential journeys, badges need to be kept up-to-date. hospital re-enablement teams involved in patient care, local authority social services who assist in patients rehabilitation, health professionals providing specialist services, and these may be paid for privately or, the Independent Assessment Services (IAS) funded by Welsh Government, A good indicator is if the applicant is undertaking a course of rehabilitative therapy, for instance physiotherapy, then the application will merit further assessment by IAS. See regulation 6(4)(b) of the 2000 regulations. For an organisational badge the mandatory fields for applications through BBDS are: Local authority officers will need to set up an account to gain access and will need to consider how they integrate the BBDS into their daily working procedures. It is important to consider the persons ability to negotiate the types of pavement or road one would normally expect to find in the course of walking outdoors. To qualify under this criteria an applicant must have a permanent and substantial disability (i.e. See regulation 6(4)9(a) of the 2000 regulations. 17. Non-essential cookies are also used to tailor and improve services. The scheme provides a national arrangement throughout the UK of on-street parking concessions for people who experience the greatest barriers to their mobility when seeking to access community based facilities. in pay and display bays. No pavement or road is absolutely flat therefore a degree of incline and decline should be considered in the course of a mobility assessment. These can help to combat fraud and allow the local authority to cross-check relevant information with other council departments. Blue Badges are not renewed If you need further advicethen please contact us on 01792 637366and we will be pleased to help you. Any such reminders should be handled very sensitively given the circumstances that family or carers will be facing following their bereavement. The BBDS has an on-line facility to allow a badge holder to notify their local authority of a lost or stolen badge. complaints. anything to do with the badge. Applicants will still need to provide the appropriate photographs, any supporting documents required (i.e. The scheme is open to eligible people who may be travelling as a driver or a passenger. See regulation 9(1)(b) of the 2000 regulations. Read more information about Blue Badge eligibility. Local authorities may also wish to consider establishing a designated period for the return of the badge, informing the badge holder that action may be taken if the old badge is not returned, for example information about the expired badge will be passed to enforcement officers. parking in the wrong place, not displaying the badge or clock correctly) and issue Penalty Charge Notices. If you already have a Blue Badge and its nearly expired, or if you want to check if you're eligibleyou can apply or re-applyonlineon GOV.UK. It is strongly recommended that local authorities should issue a warning notice to a badge holder who is misusing a badge, or allowing their badge to be misused, prior to consideration being given to withdrawing the badge. This includes full pocket book notes (or electronic equivalent), such as descriptions of any persons seen, who parks the vehicle, gets out of the vehicle and where they go upon leaving. Each applicant for an individual badge will be asked to supply a passport-size photograph to be scanned into the BBDS. Local authorities may require the return of a badge from a resident where another local authority issues the same person with a badge and both badges are valid at the same time (Footnote 18). People with these conditions may be eligible for a badge, but only if they are in receipt of HRMCDLA on account of their condition or are unable to walk or have very considerable difficulty in walking, in addition to their condition. In these circumstances, where a local authority receives an application and refuses to issue a badge they are required to issue a notice stating the grounds for refusal to the applicant (Footnote 11). 15. There are cases where an applicant will have been diagnosed with a condition that is permanent and chronic, but the condition may be subject to fluctuations and periods where the person is more mobile. This should be signed by a Board Member or Trustee of the organisation. Section 20 of the Equality Act 2010 places a duty upon service providers to take reasonable steps to ensure that people with protected characteristics are not put at a substantial disadvantage compared to other people when accessing services. Badge holders should be made aware that by continuing to use the badge in these circumstances they will be committing a criminal offence and be liable for a fine up to 1000. A local authority may refuse to issue a Blue Badge (Footnote 6)if: In these cases the refusal letter must clearly state the reasons the application has been turned down. Blue Badge charge The charge to reapply for a Blue Badge can be up to 20. They make take longer than usual to send you a reply. Applicants must be made aware that in order to be issued with a badge they will need to provide evidence in support of their application. 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