Apply for or renew a disabled parking badge

Westminster residents and organisations

Disabled individuals living in Westminster, or Westminster-based organisations that care for disabled people may be eligible for a free disabled parking badge. This includes the Westminster White Badge and the national Blue Badge.

To be eligible for a Westminster White Badge the following criteria must be met: 

• your main home must be in Westminster in which you stay at least 4 nights a week
• your name appears on the Electoral Register unless: 
  1. you have just moved to the City of Westminster - proof you have applied to be added to the register may be required, or
  2. you are a foreign national excluding European Union or Commonwealth Citizens - if you are not a Commonwealth Citizen and are not entitled to be included on the Electoral Register you must tick the box saying this on the application form

If applying as an organisation:

• you must be a registered charity
• vehicles must be for the use of transportation of disabled people - for example, Dial-A-Ride (Dial-A-Ride is a special case where a White Badge only is issued as their main base is no longer in Westminster but their registered office is. A Blue Badge has to be applied for through their own issuing authority) 
• your main base must be in Westminster
• the vehicle must be registered in the disabled tax class- proof must be supplied

Non-Westminster residents and organisations

Disabled individuals working, studying or receiving life-saving medical treatment in Westminster who hold a Blue Badge may be eligible for a White Badge.

To be eligible for a Westminster White Badge the following criteria must be met: 

• you must have a valid Blue Badge issued by your own issuing authority
• you work or study full-time or close to full-time in the City of Westminster for a minimum of 16 hours a week 
• you are not provided with a place to park by your employer or place of study
• you attend regular weekly hospital appointments for life saving treatment in the City of Westminster for 12 hours or more per week - in the case of patients receiving cancer treatments in the borough discretion can be used to allow for courses of treatment that may be less than 12 hours
• if your work base is not within Westminster you may still be entitled to a White Badge in exceptional circumstances (for example, if you can demonstrate that you work in Westminster at a fixed location for the required hours - an applicant may be assigned to a families’ court in Westminster which would count as most of their work hours)

Medical Eligibility

Disabilities limiting mobility are assessed based on guidance issued by the Department of Transport in conjunction with the Westminster City Council White Badge Scheme. One or more of the following must apply to the applicant: 

• you are registered blind with our Adult Services Sensory Needs Team and/or can produce a Certificate of Vision Impairment (CVI) confirming they are classed as severely sight impaired, signed by a senior ophthalmologist - this is an automatic qualification
• you receive a War Pensioners Mobility Supplement - this would be automatic qualification
• you receive Personal Independence Payment (PIP). PIP was introduced in 2013 and replaces the previous automatic criteria of the mobility component of the DLA. To qualify for a disabled badge applicants are required to have been awarded 8 points or more in the 'moving around' part of the mobility component of a PIP award - please note that this applies to both white and blue badges
• you receive 10 or more points in the planning and following a journey component of PIP allowance award. To qualify for a disabled badge applicants are required to have been awarded 10 points or more in Descriptor E “cannot undertake any journey because it would cause overwhelming psychological distress to the claimant” part of the mobility component of a PIP award - please note that his applies to both white and blue badges
• you were under 16 or over 65 on 8 April 2013, and will continue to receive the higher rate of DLA for mobility if entitled
• you have received a lump sum benefit from the Armed Forces and reserve Forces Compensation Scheme, within tariff levels 1-8, and have been certified as having a permanent and substantial disability which causes an inability to walk or very considerable difficulty in walking
• you regularly drive a vehicle which has or has not been adapted, have severe disability in both arms, hold a valid driving license, and are unable to operate or have considerable difficulty in operating all or some types of parking equipment
• You have a child younger than 3 years old who have a specific medical condition which means that they either:
  1. need to be kept near a vehicle at all times to get emergency treatment for that condition when necessary - for example, they either receive treatment in that vehicle or to be taken quickly in that vehicle to a place where they can be treated, subject to assessment, or
  2. must always be accompanied by bulky medical equipment which is very difficult to carry around - for example, feeding tubes or oxygen cylinders
• if you are not a resident of Westminster but need to gain access for emergency treatment for a short period of time, you can be issued a White badge subject to assessment
• if you can provide proof of terminal illness, DS1500 form, or a letter from a hospital or consultant, you can be considered for short term permit awards automatically under special circumstances