In some cases, you might automatically qualify for a Blue Badge. In other cases, we will assess your eligibility. This may include going to a mobility assessment and meeting a healthcare professional.
Automatic qualification
You will automatically qualify for a Blue Badge if you are over the age of two and one of the following applies:
- are blind (severely sight impaired);
- receive the higher rate of the mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance;
- receive the mobility component of Personal Independence Payment and have been awarded either:
- 8 points or more for 'moving around'
- 12 points for ‘planning and following journeys’
- receive the higher rate mobility component of Child Disability Payment;
- receive the mobility component of Adult Disability Payment and have been awarded either:
- 8 points or more in the 'moving around' activity
- 12 points for ‘planning and following a journey’ activity
- enhanced rate mobility under special rules for terminal illness
- receive the War Pensioner's Mobility supplement; or
- receive a qualifying award under the Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation) scheme.
Applicants whose benefit award will end within three years of the application date will only be issued with a blue badge until the end of their benefit award.
Unable to walk or virtually unable to walk
You may qualify for a badge if you are over the age of two and one of the following applies:
- you have a permanent and substantial disability which means you are unable to walk, or virtually unable to walk
- you are unable to walk, or virtually unable to walk because of a temporary but substantial disability which is likely to last for a period of at least 12 months but less than 3 years
As part of this process many applicants are contacted by telephone to gather further information and are invited to an independent mobility assessment. This is required when the information supplied on the form has not met the criteria set by Transport Scotland.
You will meet a healthcare professional who will observe how you walk as often the level difficulty is not fully captured in the forms. This helps provide more evidence to be put against the criteria.
You may qualify for a badge if you are over the age of three and the following applies:
- has a diagnosed mental health, cognitive or behavioural condition
- lacks awareness of danger from traffic which is likely to compromise your safety or the safety of others
You will require the support of a professional who is working with the applicant and can verify the risk, applications without this cannot be accepted. If the applicant is still driving they will not qualify for a Blue Badge under this criteria. To apply under this criteria, download and complete a Risk in Traffic application. Please note you cannot yet apply online under this criteria.
Risk in traffic
You may qualify for a badge if you are over the age of three and the following applies:
- has a diagnosed mental health, cognitive or behavioural condition
- lacks awareness of danger from traffic which is likely to compromise your safety or the safety of others
You will require the support of a professional who is working with the applicant and can verify the risk. Applications without this cannot be accepted.
If the applicant is still driving, they will not qualify for a Blue Badge under this criteria.
Children under 3
A child under three may qualify for a badge if one of the following applies:
- they have a condition requiring transportation of medical equipment which cannot be carried around with the child without great difficulty
- they have a condition that requires that they must always be kept near a motor vehicle on account of a condition so that they can, if necessary, be treated for that condition in the vehicle or taken quickly in the vehicle to a place where they can be treated
If a badge is awarded under this criteria, the badge will be issued for a maximum period ending on the day immediately following their third birthday.
Disability in both arms
You may qualify for a badge if :
- you drive a vehicle regularly, have severe disability in both arms and are unable to operate, or have considerable difficulty in operating parking meters.
Organisational badges
Your organisation may qualify for a badge if both of the following applies:
- cares for and transports disabled people who would meet one or more of the eligibility criteria for an individual Blue Badge; and
- has a clear need for an organisational badge rather than using the individual Blue Badge of the people it is transporting.
Next: How to apply
