Parking and Blue Badges

Getting out and about can be difficult if you have health or mobility problems.

The national Blue Badge Scheme can allow you to have more options when parking to make it easier for you to get to where you need to go.

Your local council may not operate a Blue Badge scheme, but will have a similar alternative which will meet local requirements.

Read the information on Blue Badges to get an idea of what badge schemes offer, and then go your local council's site (see below) for more details on how they work locally.

Blue badge holders can park for free in pay-and-display and parking meter spaces with no time restrictions. If you have a blue badge you can park on single and double yellow lines for up to 3 hours as long as there isn't a loading ban and you aren't creating an obstruction.

In Kensington and Chelsea, Westminster, City of London and some areas of Camden there are more restrictions on where blue badge holders can park. In these areas different badges can be allocated for residents which allow them to park in more places than someone with just a blue badge. See below for details on how to contact your local council for more information.

The Blue Badge Parking website displays disabled parking spaces available on public roads in UK.

You’re automatically eligible for a Blue Badge if you:

are registered as blind
get the higher rate of the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) - check your decision letter if you're not sure
get War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement
received a lump sum payment as part of the Armed Forces Compensation scheme (tariffs 1 to 8), and have been certified as having a permanent and substantial disability

If you get Personal Independence Payments (PIP)

You’re automatically eligible for a Blue Badge if you either:

scored 8 points or more in the ‘moving around’ area of your PIP assessment
scored 10 points in the ‘planning and following journeys’ area of your PIP assessment and were put in category ‘E’ - this means your stress, anxiety or other mental health issue stops you leaving the house

Check your PIP decision letter if you’re not sure.

If you're not automatically eligible

You can still get a badge if:

you have long term problems with walking - including problems caused by stress, anxiety or other mental health issues
you have severe problems using both your arms
you're applying on behalf of a child aged over 2 who has problems walking, or a child under 3 who needs to be close to a vehicle because of a health condition

To find out more about parking schemes in your local area, or other areas in which you want to travel, go to the council's own parking website:-

Kensington and Chelsea

Westminster (and information on wider parking issues)

Hammersmith and Fulham (and information on disabled parking bays outside your home)

City of London

Camden

And find out more about the national Blue Badge scheme on the government's website.

Accessibility campaigning group Transport For All has information and advice about using personal transport to get around.

The AA has information about using your Blue Badge if you travel abroad.

Parkopedia provide information on available parking around the country; this may be particularly useful if you have mobility issues and want to plan ahead.

You may also find our following pages useful:

Last updated: 14/05/2024

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