Blue Badge

Qualifying for a Blue Badge in Cheshire East

You may qualify for a Blue Badge if you live in Cheshire East and:

• you are registered blind or severely sight impaired
• you are in receipt of higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or you meet the moving around descriptor for the mobility component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) ‘that you cannot stand or can stand but cannot walk more than 50 metres (this equates to 8 points or more)’
• you are in receipt of War Pensioners' Mobility Supplement
• you have been awarded benefit under the Armed forces Compensation scheme and have been assessed and certified by the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency (SPVA) as having a permanent and substantial disability which causes inability to walk or very considerable difficulty in walking
• you have a permanent and substantial disability (for example a condition that is likely to last for the duration of a person’s life) that means you cannot walk, or means you have very considerable difficulty walking
• you have very severe disabilities in both arms and regularly drive a vehicle but cannot operate or have considerable difficulty in operating all or some types of parking meter
• your child under 3 years of age has a condition that requires bulky or heavy medical equipment or requires immediate access to a vehicle for treatment

There are certain benefits listed above, which if paid, mean that a recipient of these will automatically qualify for a Blue Badge when they apply.  However, any customer who has a permanent and substantial disability is also eligible if this results in an inability to walk or very considerable difficulty in walking.  This does not rely on any benefit being in payment.  

Attendance Allowance is not a qualifying benefit for a Blue Badge.

You may need to have a further assessment if you do not appear to meet the qualification criteria.

Organisations that care for and transport people who meet the Blue Badge qualifying criteria may apply for one or more Organisational Blue Badges.

Apply for or renew a Blue Badge

You can apply for a Blue Badge as an individual or as an organisation. You can use the same form to apply on behalf of someone else with their permission.

You can renew your Blue Badge up to 8 weeks before your existing badge expires.

Please allow up to 5 weeks from making a successful application to receiving your Blue Badge.

Apply for or renew a Blue Badge for an individual

Apply for or renew a Blue Badge for an organisation

Progress a Blue Badge application

If you have already submitted an application for a new badge or for a renewal you can pay for it and upload supporting evidence online. You should have your application reference number ready (this starts with SR followed by 7 digits). It was given to you when you sent your application. 

You will only need to book an Independent Mobility Assessment (IMA) online when advised to do so.

Pay for a Blue Badge

Upload supporting evidence

Book an IMA appointment

Replacement badges

You can apply for a replacement badge if:

• your badge has been damaged
• your badge has been lost or stolen
• your badge has not been received

Apply for a replacement badge

Appeals

You can ask us to reconsider your application if we have said you are not eligible for a Blue Badge. View our Appeal Policy and Procedure (PDF, 81KB).

You can expect the appeal process to take up to 6 weeks.

Appeal a Blue Badge decision

Blue Badge costs

Applying for a Blue Badge on our website or using GOV.UK is free. If you are eligible there is then a £10 fee for a Blue Badge. You may be charged if you make a Blue Badge application using another website. You can have your Blue Badge photo taken for free at the library.

You may wish to contact  Citizens Advice Consumer Services if you have been charged a fee for a Blue Badge by an organisation other than us. Citizens Advice can tell you how to report this and if you can get your money back

How long your badge is valid

A Blue Badge is valid for 3 years.

If your Blue Badge is linked to higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance, War Pensioners' Mobility Supplement or Personal Independence Payment, your badge will be valid for the period that you are in receipt of that allowance (if that period is less than 3 years).

If you have a Blue Badge because your child has a condition which means they need close access to medical equipment or a vehicle to be taken for treatment quickly and is under 3 years old, the badge will be valid until the day immediately following their 3rd birthday.

Where you can use your Blue Badge

With a Blue Badge you can park in designated disabled parking bays.

In many car parks in Cheshire East drivers with a valid badge can park free in any other marked bay if the designated spaces are full. All vehicles must park in a marked bay and no parking is allowed on any yellow lines or hatched areas within the car parks. The Blue Badge doesn’t automatically apply to off-street car parks or on private roads check signs on private car parks and private roads for their policy for Blue Badge holders.

Parking charges and time limits don’t apply to Blue Badge holders on all Cheshire East Council  Pay and Display car parks when a valid badge is correctly displayed.

Blue Badges may be used within the European Union (EU), although rules for use vary in different member states. Further information about using a Blue Badge in the EU can be found on the GOV.UK website.

More information on the use of a Blue Badge is available in the Department for Transport booklet - The Blue Badge scheme booklet: rights and responsibilities in England (PDF, 1.57MB).

Disabled parking bays

As a Blue badge holder you can be assessed for a disabled parking bay close to your property if you have no off street parking. To request a Community Care Assessment e-mail  EASTIROTTEAM@cheshireeast.gov.uk or phone 0300 123 5010 opt 3.

You should be aware that some roads are not suitable disabled parking bays.

Blue Badge holders from abroad

There are separate rules depending on whether the badge holder is from an EU or non-EU country and whether the badge will be honoured in the country they are visiting.

Before travelling to another country, a customer is advised to read the rules in force in that country and  they may need to make more enquiries. More information is available on the GOV.UK website -   National scheme guidance and advice on use for those coming to the EU.

For EU residents coming to the UK  your  Parking Card is the same as a UK Blue Badge.

We advise the customer to always;

• displays a clock – we can provide one if a customer requests one
• displays a clock for on-street parking and it is good practice to display in a car park.
• displays a Disability Parking Card Notice in addition to your Parking Card

For residents of non-EU countries coming to the UK your badge will not be recognised even if you display this with a clock and any documentation. Cheshire East do not have any concessions available.  You are not eligible to claim a Blue Badge whilst in the UK.

More information on the use of Blue Badges is available from the Department for Transport - Blue Badge scheme: rights and responsibilities in England.

Any queries should be directed to car parking if you receive a ticket. 

Found and expired badges

If you have found a Blue Badge, yours has expired or you are returning a badge for someone who has passed away, you should take it to your Local Library or Customer Service Centre.

You can also post the badge to the Benefits Section, Cheshire East Council, PO Box 622, Crewe, Cheshire, CW1 9JH

Fighting fraud

We want to provide parking facilities for people with disabilities. We would encourage you to report any misuse of Blue Badges. Badges are strictly for use only by the badge holder. They’re not for use by family or friends for free parking. It's fraud and a criminal offence for someone other than the Blue Badge holder to use the badge.

We gather evidence against drivers who misuse a genuine badge and prosecute individuals who use a stolen, fake or altered Blue Badge.

To report Blue Badge fraud contact the Blue Badge Team.

• Email: bluebadge@cheshireeast.gov.uk