If you do not agree with the decision made not to award a Blue Badge to you but do not have any extra information or evidence you wish to present, we will look at the decision again but it is unlikely to be changed. This should be signed by a Board Member or Trustee of the organisation. Apply online now on the gov.uk website. Making use of their specialist skills and resources can enable the enforcement operation to better target their attention, improving success rates. Impairment is the thing about the individual that is different, affecting their appearance or how they function and possibly causing difficulties such as pain or fatigue. Disability, by contrast is the disadvantage experienced by people with impairments as a result of the way the environment is constructed, the way in which a service is delivered or the attitudes of those providing services. It is important to maintain equity in the scheme so that all people are assessed against the same criteria and measure of mobility. Local authorities should be aware that it is not appropriate to refuse to issue to an applicant a Blue Badge solely on the basis that they are able to use public transport independently or because they already have a concessionary travel pass. Healthcare professional evidence should be used to form the basis of this decision. Blue Badges are not renewed Welsh Government recommends that the authority has a clear policy on how they will review Blue Badge decisions should a decision be challenged by an applicant. WebThe Blue Badge scheme helps you park nearer to your destination if you have a disability. Local authorities should make it clear when issuing a badge that it should be returned to the issuing authority if the recipient no longer needs it (Footnote 13). 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. BBDS has a system of reminder letters to badge holders when a Blue Badge is approaching its expiry date. Find out if you qualify for a Blue Badge. If the person regains their mobility or it substantially improves during the issue period of the badge they should surrender the badge as outlined in the rights and responsibilities Booklet they receive when they are issued with their badge. The Blue Badge (Disabled Persons Parking) scheme was introduced in 1971 under section 21 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970. However, like other successful applicants, it is recommended that organisations issued with a Blue Badge are sent a copy of the leaflet The Blue Badge Scheme: Organisational rights and responsibilities. At the point of application, each local authority must request further relevant evidence, should evidence provided by the applicant be insufficient. The applicant should be reminded in their decision letter that they have a duty to return the badge to the local authority if at any time their mobility improves. They'll also let you know if you need to go to a mobility assessment. In the case of stolen badges, it is recommended that the authority ask badge holders to provide a police crime reference number for the local authorities to include in their records. 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. insulin to control diabetes) this can be given by using a small pump known as a syringe driver. Indefinite or life awards are still subject to review, and therefore older award letters may not be reliable indicators of whether a person currently has an award of HRMCDLA. You can follow the link provided here to tailor your experience, or accept all and continue on this page. 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). Any such reminders should be handled very sensitively given the circumstances that family or carers will be facing following their bereavement. Local authorities will need to carefully consider the evidence provided by applicants. Common examples of organisations that may be eligible include residential care homes, hospices or local authority social services departments that transport groups of people who would meet the eligibility criteria for an individual Blue Badge. You do not have a child under the age of three who has a medical condition which requires bulky medical equipment or needs to always be near a vehicle. Transsexual and transgender people live permanently in a gender other than that assigned at birth. because it was reported lost or stolen, should have been returned to the issuing authority (e.g. This may include people with, for example: a limb reduction deficiency of both arms; bilateral upper limb amputation; muscular dystrophy; spinal cord injury; motor neurone disease; or a condition of comparable severity. Select your council. If the applicant has lost their HRMCDLA award or uprating letter, then they can be advised to contact the Disability Service Centre for a current award letter. GOV.WALES uses cookies which are essential for the site to work. In these circumstances a badge would not only be necessary to that person for periods but will become increasingly essential. To license a vehicle in the DVP taxation class, an organisation needs to make a signed declaration on the organisations letter- headed paper. You are completely unable to walk, have considerable difficulty walking or substantial impairment to mobility. A carer can apply on behalf of any applicant however they must read and sign the declarations within the application, stating their relationship to the applicant. At this point the local authority can verify that the photograph matches the person named on the badge. In accordance with the Equality Act 2010, local authorities should provide information about the scheme bilingually and in accessible formats on their website and at locations that are accessible. The evidence required includes proof of residency, a photograph and healthcare professional evidence of conditions, symptoms and difficulties mobilising in the community. Protected characteristics consist of: race, disability, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief, pregnancy and maternity, marriage and civil partnership and gender reassignment. Provided that the applicant can evidence one of the criteria listed and can satisfy identity and residency checks, a badge should be issued. Where the local authority is satisfied that an applicant will permanently meet the eligibility criteria, the local authority is able to mark their records as such to shorten the renewal process when their badge expires. An organisation is defined as meaning an organisation concerned with the care of disabled persons to which a Blue Badge may be issued in accordance with section 21(4) of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 (Footnote 2).. Local authorities will need to check whether the organisation in question: Applications for badges from organisations caring for people should be examined to ensure that they are genuine and necessary. Where an applicant requires lower limb joint replacement but is not suitable, for example due to their age or level of fitness, the application should be considered under the permanent discretionary criteria, regularly drives an adapted or non-adapted vehicle, is unable to operate, or has considerable difficulty operating, all or some types of parking meter, 79, restricted to vehicles in conformity with the specifications stated in brackets, a child who, on account of a condition, must always be accompanied by bulky medical equipment which cannot be carried around with the child without great difficulty and, a child who, on account of a condition, must always be kept near a motor vehicle so that, if necessary, treatment for that condition can be given in the vehicle or the child can be taken quickly in the vehicle to a place where such treatment can be given, Ventilators:drive air through a tube placed into the windpipe. For example civil enforcement officers may use hand held Personal Digital Assistance type devices, or use the Global System for Mobile Communication network to check the national database for key information about the status of individual badges. 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. 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. The serious deterioration that occurs does not need to be permanent but it should require medical intervention for them to recover. Blue badge disabled parking permits - a Freedom of Information request to Swansea Council - WhatDoTheyKnow Blue badge disabled parking permits BBC Shared Data Unit made this Freedom of Information request to Swansea Council as part of a batch sent to 216 authorities This request has been closed to new correspondence. Wherever possible the onus is on the applicant to provide supporting evidence. on single and double yellow lines if it's safe to so and there are no loading restrictions. Each applicant for an individual badge will be asked to supply a passport-size photograph to be scanned into the BBDS. The rightful owner can take action to recover the goods through the civil courts. If you need further advice then please contact us on 01792 637366 and we will be pleased to help you. In some circumstances strict adherence to the photograph specification is not possible due to the applicants individual circumstances. Non-essential cookies are also used to tailor and improve services. You have a child under the age of three who has a medical condition which requires bulky medical equipment or needs to always be near a vehicle. Applicants who can walk more than 80 metres (87.5 yards) and do not demonstrate very considerable difficulty in walking through any other factors would not be deemed as eligible. Find a disabled car park in the city centre, beach and suburban car parks. The local authority must ensure that a robust assessment can be made, using healthcare professional evidence, including reports, letters (not appointment letters) summaries and assessments by relevant healthcare professionals involved in an applicants care. Most local authorities have an internal fraud investigation team to consider council tax / benefit fraud etc. In cases where it is clear that the applicants impairment will improve within 12 months the application should be rejected without further assessment. However more than one organisational badge can be held by a single organisation, depending on the number of vehicles they use and the number of people in their care who are eligible for a badge. WebBlue Badge Scheme in Wales: guidance to local authorities 2021 Guidance for local authorities on how to deliver the Blue Badge Scheme. A shorter model application form has been provided for use in this type of case and the requirement for a photograph can be lifted. Note: Your feedback will help us make improvements on this site. 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. If the badge is subsequently found or recovered, the original badge should be returned to the local authority so that it can be destroyed (Footnote 16). When you However, applicants will need to provide healthcare professional supporting evidence and need to show that they have considerable difficulty walking. That is because the power to retain a badge is not the same thing as a power to permanently withdraw/confiscate a badge. . Whether the effort of walking presents a danger to the applicants life, or would be likely to lead to a serious deterioration in their health. Applicant is in receipt of Higher Rate Mobility Component of Disability Living Allowance (HRMCDLA), An original HRMCDLA award letter dated within the last 12 months, Applicant is in receipt of War Pensioners Mobility Supplement, Applicant is in receipt of Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (tariff 1-8), An original award letter, which also certifies that you have a permanent and substantial disability which causes inability to walk or very considerable difficulty walking, People awarded Tariff 6, - Permanent Mental Disorder of the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme, An original award letter which demonstrates that the applicant has been awarded tariff 6 - Permanent Mental Disorder under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme, Applicant is registered as sight impaired under section 29(4)(g) of the National Assistance Act 1948, An ophthalmologist report or CV1/BD8 form confirming that the person is severely sight impaired (blind) or registration with local authority as sight impaired. Please note, we do not accept cheque, cash or postal orders. This includes: The Welsh Government cannot intervene in individual applications. Examples of cognitive impairments are given below: The application will need to show evidence that because of their cognitive impairment the person is unable to plan and follow any journey, in the form of the following: In those cases where an applicant cannot provide this evidence but can provide evidence of an award of Higher Rate Care Component of Disability Living Allowance, the case should be sent to the Independent Advisory Service established by Welsh Government for advice on eligibility. It may be advisable where visitors from another country have contacted the local authority about using their Badge in the local area that details and possibly an image of that badge is shared with enforcement officers to avoid advice conflicting with the issue of parking tickets. Where a badge is issued by post a covering letter will be included referring to the rules and responsibilities of the badge holder. When making an assessment under this criterion, local authorities will need to consider whether the applicant meets all of the following: For this purpose, a parking meter includes a machine for issuing pay-and-display tickets which shows that a charge has been paid and the period of parking paid for, as well as a parking meter which itself indicates that a charge has been paid and whether the period paid for has expired. See regulation 6(4)9(a) of the 2000 regulations. 10. It is for local authorities to make this judgement, based on their local knowledge of the organisation concerned. For example Motor Neurone Disease (MND) or some cancers. You do not receive Personal Independent Payment (PIP) with a score of 8 points or more for moving around or 12 points for planning and following a journey. If an applicant wishes to challenge a decision not to award a badge you should explain that these descriptors and qualifying scoring are detailed in regulations. Local authorities may not wish to charge for replacement badges if there is evidence that the badge has been stolen, for instance where the badge holder has reported the theft to the police and provides the authority with a police incident number. The social model of disability makes an important distinction between impairment and disability. It is important that people in the local authority area, who might be eligible for a Blue Badge, are made aware of the scheme and how they can apply for a badge. Verifying identity, proof of residence and checking that the applicant meets the eligibility criteria is essential to protect against fraudulent applications and abuse of the scheme. Where this is a problem, and local authorities wish to take action, it is important that authorities are sure that misuse is taking place and have obtained sufficient evidence, especially if a prosecution is to be pursued. Local authorities procedures for administering the Blue Badge Scheme need to incorporate the Blue Badge Digital Service (BBDS). It also reduces the potential for fraud through multiple applications. Pain is subjective, and some people have higher pain thresholds than others. See regulation 7(1) of the 2000 regulations. Has a permanent and substantial disability which causes inability to walk or very considerable difficulty in walking. Declarations can be used to confirm that the applicant: These declarations will also provide evidence in any enforcement action that may be taken if badges are issued because of inaccurate information being provided on the application form. Local authorities have been asked to supply information to Welsh Government based on their BBDS standard management report. It is for the local authority to decide their own procedures and these may include drop-in centres, telephone, postal and online services. See regulation 6(4)9(c) of the 2000 regulations. To aid the inspection process, a gender marker has been added to the badge serial number. We will look again at the decision taking into account the extra evidence. If you have physical problems or a cognitive impairment and would have difficulty accessing the online form you can arrange an appointment to help you submit the form. 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. A script for civil enforcement officers when dealing with suspected misuse can be found at Annex I. GOV.WALES uses cookies which are essential for the site to work. This section sets out some of the more prevalent forms of abuse and misuse of the Scheme, as well as some of the actions local authorities can take to combat this. Some councils have paper application forms or can help you with your application. When you receive your Blue Badge you will also get a copy of the booklet 'The Blue Badge Scheme: Rights and Responsibilities in Wales'. Find out if you qualify for a Blue Badge. Please call 01792 637366 to explain the circumstances. People with epilepsy will need to show (by providing healthcare professional evidence) that any fits were brought about by the effort required to walk. 4. It also explains the existing powers available to local authorities. A person can be convicted of forging or copying a blue badge and/or using that forgery/copy under this Act. more information about Blue Badge eligibility. The BBDS, provided by Valtech Ltd includes: Local authorities have instant access to details on Blue Badge holders from anywhere in Great Britain, not just in their local authority area. You have received money under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme Tariff 1-8 (inclusive) and includes Permanent Mental Disorder under Tariff 6. Local authorities can refuse to issue a badge if they have reason to believe that the applicant is not who they claim to be. 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. A Blue Badge lets you park closer to your destination. Parking Bear in mind that healthcare professionals do encourage mild exercise to improve certain conditions so these cases will need to be looked at and considered on an individual basis. In cases where the local authority has accepted and processed an application by telephone, post or electronically and have not seen the applicant, the local authority may prefer that the applicant collects the badge. When you apply you will need to provide an original award letter from the Department of Work and Pensions which shows your entitlement for this benefit. 11. Removing expired badges from circulation will reduce fraud. Good practice has been established whereby a badge is issued if their application is supported by MacMillan, Tenovus or relevant health specialist (such as a hospice worker, occupational therapist or welfare benefit advisor) that support people in these circumstances. Applications in these cases must be able to confirm they have a diagnosis of a cognitive impairment. This will likely require evidence from consultants, specialists or therapists and this may be providedby. To summarise, the 2013 Act: The 2013 Act enables enforcement officers to inspect and retain a badge without police presence if they have reasonable grounds for believing that the badge: In using these powers, it is expected that enforcement officers take appropriate steps to establish reasonable grounds for retaining the badge. When you apply you will need to provide a driving license coded with 40 (adapted steering) or 79 (vehicles with specifications). You can still apply for a Blue Badge but coronavirus is affecting council services. Non-essential cookies are also used to tailor and improve services. WebThe Blue Badge scheme provides a national range of parking concessions to help people who are severely sight impaired, or permanently physically impaired, travel If you can't access online systems there are computers available in the Civic Centre, our community hubs and local libraries. WebRequest a Blue Badge to replace one thats been lost, stolen or damaged. 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