The Blue Badge scheme allows people with enduring and substantial disabilities who travel either as drivers or passengers to park near where they want to go.
Drivers or passengers may be eligible for a badge if:
- you cannot walk at all
- you cannot walk without help from someone else or using mobility aids
- you find walking very difficult due to pain, breathlessness or the time it takes
- walking is dangerous to your health and safety
- you have a life limiting illness, which means you cannot walk or find walking very difficult and have a SR1 form
- you have a severe disability in both arms and drive regularly, but cannot operate pay-and-display parking machines
- you have a child under the age of 3 with a medical condition that means the child always needs to be accompanied by bulky medical equipment
- you have a child under the age of 3 with a medical condition that means the child must always be kept near a vehicle in case they need emergency medical treatment
- you are constantly a significant risk to yourself or others near vehicles, in traffic or car parks
- you struggle severely to plan or follow a journey
- you find it difficult or impossible to control your actions and lack awareness of the impact you could have on others
- you regularly have intense and overwhelming responses to situations causing temporary loss of behavioural control
- you frequently become extremely anxious or fearful of public/open spaces
Your local council will decide if you are eligible for a badge. They cannot start the assessment process until they have all the necessary evidence. It may take 12 weeks or longer to assess your application. If they decide that you are not eligible and you think that they did not take account of all the facts, you can ask them to consider your application again.
It is not for people with occasional or temporary difficulties, such as a broken leg or other injury.
Apply for a Blue Badge
The easiest way to apply is online through the DirectGov website.
Or you can apply directly to us. Call our Sandwell Enquiry Team on 0121 569 2266, between 9am and 5.30pm Monday to Thursday, and 9am to 5pm on Fridays. We will complete an assessment over the phone.
Organisations wishing to apply for a Blue Badge can apply online through the link above or contact the Enquiry Team on 0121 569 2266.
You will need to tell us:
- your name, address, date of birth and place of birth
- about your difficulties whilst walking and details of any medical conditions or disabilities that cause you difficulties
- your national insurance number
- details of any previous badge you have held.
After the call we will make contact with you if we require any further information.
If you have hearing problems, we can email or send you an application form in the post.
The administration fee for a Blue Badge is £10, which you should send with other information being returned to us. Please do not send cash through the post. Cheques or postal orders should be made payable to Sandwell MBC.
More information
There is more information about the Blue Badge scheme on the Directgov website. If you do not automatically qualify because of the benefits you are on, or another health condition, then we may ask you to provide further medical evidence or ask you to attend a walking assessment with an accredited health professional, to ascertain eligibility for a blue badge.