Introduction

Blue Badges allow people with disabilities or health conditions to park closer to their destination, either as the driver or passenger. This is a national scheme open to both individuals and organisations.

Merton residents with a Blue Badge can also apply for a carer permit free of charge.

Apply or renew

Apply for or renew a Blue Badge (GOV.UK website)

You will need:

• National Insurance number
• a passport photo
• driving licence number, if you have one
• details of your current Blue Badge, if you have one

Please provide detailed information about your condition in your application, including supporting documents where requested. This will help to avoid unnecessary delays to your application.

Applications can take up to 12 weeks to process once we receive all the documents.

Apply for a new Blue Badge at least two months before your old one is due to expire.

Print a Blue Badge application form

Who can get a Blue Badge

You will qualify automatically if any of the following apply to you:

• you are registered blind
• you receive a War Pension Mobility Supplement
• you receive the higher rate of the mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance
• you score 8 points or more under the "moving around" activity of the mobility component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
• you score 10 points for descriptor E in your PIP for "planning and following a journey" (i.e. you cannot undertake any journey because it would cause overwhelming psychological distress)
• you receive a lump sum from the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme at tariff 1-8 and have been assessed by the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency as being unable or virtually unable to walk

You may qualify if you:

• have an enduring and substantial disability that prevents you from walking, or makes walking very difficult
• drive a motor vehicle regularly, have a severe disability in both arms, and are unable to operate all or some types of parking meters, or would find it very difficult to operate them
• experience considerable difficulty whilst walking which may include considerable psychological distress (hidden disabilities)
• are at serious risk of harm when walking or pose, when walking, a risk of serious harm to any other person (hidden disabilities)

Children under 3 may qualify if they:

• must always be accompanied by bulky medical equipment which cannot be carried around without great difficulty
• need to be kept near a vehicle at all times, so that they can be treated in the vehicle or quickly driven to a place where they can be treated (such as a hospital)

If you do not qualify automatically, we will decide if you are eligible for a badge. We cannot start the assessment process until we have all the necessary evidence.

How to use a Blue Badge

In Merton, as a Blue Badge holder you can park free of charge in any disabled parking bay, pay and display bay, shared use bay or permit holder bay for an unlimited period, unless there is signage saying otherwise.

You can also park for up to 3 hours on single and double yellow lines, except where loading restrictions are in force.

When you park on yellow lines or in other places where there is a time restriction, you need to display the parking clock to show your time of arrival.

When you can use your Blue Badge

Your Blue Badge is for your use and benefit only. It must only be displayed if you are travelling in the vehicle as a driver or passenger, or if someone is collecting you or dropping you off close to where you need to go.

• Don't allow other people to use the Blue Badge to do something on your behalf, such as shopping or collecting something for you.
• You must never give the Blue Badge to friends or family to allow them to park for free, even if they are visiting you.
• You should not use the Blue Badge to allow non-disabled people to take advantage of the benefits while you sit in the car. You are not benefitting from this and it could prevent another badge holder from parking within a manageable distance of their destination.

If someone else is driving you, you must tell them the rules.

See Rights and Responsibilities for Blue Badge holders (GOV.UK) for full details of how to use and display a Blue Badge correctly.

Report a change

If your address, name or entitlement have changed then you need to tell us.

Email: concessionarytravel@merton.gov.uk

Report a lost or stolen Blue Badge

Please contact us if your Blue Badge has been lost, stolen or damaged.

If your badge was stolen, you'll need a crime reference number.

Email: concessionarytravel@merton.gov.uk