2012 Changes to the national Blue Badge scheme

Changes to the Blue Badge Scheme from 1st January 2011

On 14th February 2011, the Government announced a major programme of reforms to the Blue Badge scheme - the most comprehensive changes to the disabled parking scheme for 40 years.

These reforms come in to force on 1st January 2012. 

This reform programme has been developed in consultation with disabled people, local authorities and other stakeholders and focuses on making the scheme more sustainable in the future & includes taking measures to reduce the numbers of drivers who abuse the scheme.

Why were the reforms needed?

Council have been asking the Government to make reforms to the Blue Badge issuing system for some time, to address:

• Widespread abuse, fraud and mis-use
• Inefficient administration
• Operational difficulties with enforcement
• Inability to deal with forecast demand

The reforms should mean lead to:

• Improved and effective prevention of abuse and enforcement
• fair allocation of badges to those most in need

• efficiency savings and improved customer services

What is included in the reforms?

• A better, high quality, secure badge
• A Great Britain-wide database of Blue Badge holders, to help combat fraud
• A new system to deal with easy badge requests quickly and effectively
• An online form and payment system
• A national Blue Badge helpline

What does this mean in Westminster?

From 1st January 2012,  the council will only be able to issue new Blue Badges under the new government legislation issued by the Department of Transport.

The new badge design will be more difficult to copy, forge, and alter and will enable more effective monitoring of cancelled, lost, or stolen badges.

The council will remain responsible for:

• administration and enforcement of the scheme
• making decisions on who should be given a badge
• carrying out residency and identity checks
• setting the fee to be charged locally
• dealing with on-line, paper-based or telephone applications

The council will also remain, as now, the owners of the data for resident Blue Badge holders, under the terms of the Data Protection Act.

Find out more about the national scheme.