Qualifying for a Blue Badge

For more information, visit the Parkinson’s UK website (last updated May 2026).

You may qualify for a Blue Badge automatically or you may need an assessment by your local council.

Who qualifies automatically

You automatically qualify if you:

  • receive the higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
  • are registered blind (severely sight impaired)
  • receive War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement
  • have received a lump sum from the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (tariff levels 1–8) and have a permanent disability that makes walking very difficult or impossible
  • receive Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
    • score 8 points or more in the ‘moving around’ activity, or
    • in England, score 10 points for descriptor E (‘cannot undertake any journey because it would cause overwhelming psychological distress’)
    • in Wales, score 12 points in the ‘planning and following journeys’ activity
  • receive Adult Disability Payment (Scotland)
    • 8 points or more in the ‘moving around’ activity, or
    • 12 points in the ‘planning and following a journey’ activity.

The rules are slightly different in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. There may be other ways to qualify automatically.

Who may qualify through assessment

Even if you do not meet the automatic criteria, you may still qualify for a Blue Badge. Your local council can assess your application if you have a disability or long-term health condition that affects your mobility or ability to travel safely. This may include Parkinson’s or other health conditions.

You may qualify if you:

  • cannot walk, or find walking very difficult because of pain, fatigue, breathlessness, or the time it takes
    need help from another person or use mobility aids to walk
  • have a severe disability in both arms that makes using parking meters difficult or impossible
  • have a severe cognitive or mental health condition that makes planning or following journeys difficult
  • have a terminal illness that seriously limits your mobility
  • regularly experience intense anxiety or overwhelming responses that make travelling very difficult.

The rules are slightly different across the UK. Check eligibility criteria on your local council’s website before you apply.

You can check to see if you’re eligible for a Blue Badge and apply for, or renew your application online at the link below (except for Aberdeen City Council, where you should apply via the council’s website). 

Apply for or renew your Blue Badge application

If you live in Northern Ireland, follow the link below to check if you’re eligible for a Blue Badge and apply for, or renew your application online.

Northern Ireland Blue Badge Scheme

Contact your local council for more information or if you need help with an application.

There is a cost for a badge in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. There’s no charge for a Blue Badge in Wales. A badge lasts up to 3 years.