What is the Blue Badge Scheme?

The Blue Badge Scheme provides parking concessions for people with severe walking difficulties who travel either as drivers or passengers. The Scheme also applies to registered blind people, and people with very severe upper limb disabilities who regularly drive a vehicle but cannot turn the steering wheel by hand.

The Scheme is meant to help only those people with very severe, permanent disabilities. People with temporary or intermittent difficulties such as a broken leg, will not qualify for the scheme.

Who can have a Blue Badge?

You automatically qualify for a Blue Badge if:

• you receive the higher rate of mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance. You would need to provide an official letter confirming an award of the allowance.

You may be eligible for a badge if:

• you have a permanent or substantial disability which means you are unable to walk or have very considerable difficulty in walking. If this is the case, your doctor will be asked a series of questions to help determine whether or not you are eligible. He/she will have to assess whether you can walk more than 100 metres without stopping, severe discomfort or need the help of another person to do so. If you cannot, then you will qualify for a blue badge. This may include people with mental health difficulties.

How to apply for a Blue Badge

Please telephone the Blue Badge Service on 0121 520 0201, between 9am and 5pm Monday to Thursday or 9am to 4.30pm Friday. We will take your telephone number and call you back at a time that is convenient for us both. Phonecalls can take up to 25 minutes depending on your circumstances.

You will need to tell us the following information.

• The name and address of doctor or other health professional to contact about your condition.
• The car registration number of the two cars you will be most likely to use the badge in (although you can use the badge in any car).
• Your National Insurance number.

After the call we will write to you to give you details of the further information and evidence we need from you to process your application.

There is a £2 fee which you will have to pay when you send the information back to us. Do not send cash through the post. Cheques or Postal Orders should be made payable to Sandwell MBC.

Your comments on our Blue Badge Service

We would welcome any comments that you have about the service. Please email bluebadge_services@sandwell.gov.uk