Blue Badge Assessment
If you’re having problems with your mobility, you can apply for a Blue Badge to help you park closer to your destination.
Your application may require additional information from a healthcare provider. If you need a letter to support your application, you can book a Blue Badge Assessment with one of our qualified physiotherapists to have your mobility and health problems assessed. The physiotherapist will provide you with a letter that summarises the nature of your health problems, any difficulties you have with your mobility and how it affects your ability to undertake regular activities such as shopping.
What is a Blue Badge?
If you have a disability or health condition that affects your mobility, you can apply to the government or your local council to receive a Blue Badge. A Blue Badge is a card you place on the dashboard of your car or a person who drives you, which can be used to help you park closer to your destination. You don’t need to be able to drive to apply for a Blue Badge, unless you’re applying for a Blue Badge because you have a disability that affects the use of your arms.
How do I apply for a Blue Badge?
You should apply for a Blue Badge through the official government website, or via your local council.
Apply here: https://www.gov.uk/apply-blue-badge
Do not apply for a Blue Badge through third party sites – you will not receive an official Blue Badge and you may be charged more than applying through official channels.
What information do I need to apply for a Blue Badge?
The information you require will depend on your circumstances.
If you are in receipt of certain benefits, or have a condition that automatically qualifies you for a Blue Badge, you’ll need to provide:
- proof of your identity (passport, birth certificate, driving licence)
- proof of your address (dated within the last 12 months)
- your National Insurance number (if you have one)
- contact details (phone number and email address)
- a recent digital photo of your face and shoulders
If you do not automatically qualify for a Blue Badge, you’ll need to provide additional supporting information that may include:
- documents related to your condition, if you have them (diagnosis letters or hospital correspondence)
- the use of any mobility aids
- any medication for your condition
- any treatments you’ve had for your condition and the names of the healthcare professionals that have treated you
Do I need a supporting letter from a healthcare professional?
If you are applying for a Blue Badge you should include information about your condition and how it affects your mobility.
If you are not automatically eligible for a Blue Badge, a supporting letter from a healthcare professional can provide additional information that helps the local council make a decision as to whether you’re eligible for a Blue Badge. You may already have reports or clinic letters that support your application, but it may help if you provide additional information that details the distances you can walk and other ways your mobility is affected when moving around.
“The staff at C-Physio are friendly and knowledgeable. It was easy to get an appointment and well organised.”
Michael Cawthra
What should a supporting letter from a physiotherapist include for a Blue Badge application?
Our physiotherapists will undertake a full assessment to identify and detail any health conditions you have, the medication you take and the types of activities you undertake on a regular and occasional basis. They will ask you about your hobbies, activities, and the way your condition affects your ability to walk.
The assessment will also include a series of tests to monitor your walking distance, the aids you require, your ability to negotiate steps and stairs, and your ability to get in and out of a car.
You will be asked to measure any pain you experience when moving around and the amount of breathlessness you experience.
This information will help your physiotherapist make a professional opinion about whether to support your application for a Blue Badge.
Does a healthcare professional support letter guarantee I will be accepted for a Blue Badge?
A healthcare professional support letter doesn’t guarantee that you will be accepted for a Blue Badge. The local council will assess each application separately, and use the information contained within the supporting documents to decide on your eligibility for a Blue Badge.
I currently use a wheelchair but I’m expecting to make a full recovery from my injuries. Can I still apply for a Blue Badge?
The Blue Badge scheme is available for anybody with a permanent disability or health condition, or people who have a terminal illness.
If you have a condition that limits your mobility, but you are expected to recover within the next 3 years, you will not be eligible to apply for a Blue Badge.
Physiotherapy may be able to improve your recovery from injury and regain your mobility. Depending on the type of problem you have, we offer a range of services to help you:
- Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy - for injuries of the bones, muscles, tendons, nerves and ligaments
- Respiratory Physiotherapy - for breathing difficulties and problems with mobility due to a heart or lung condition
- Neurological Physiotherapy - following neurological trauma and disease, such as a stroke, head injury, spinal cord injury and multiple sclerosis
If you have a condition that is not expected to improve in the next 3 years or is likely to have long term limitations on your mobility, a Blue Badge Assessment and the supporting letter that is produced may assist your application for a Blue Badge.
“My Oxygen levels have increased after physiotherapy; I now feel stronger when walking. It’s been great having someone to encourage my exercises, especially at home.”
June Sheard
Can I get a Blue Badge if my arms are a problem?
The Blue Badge scheme makes allowances for people who struggle to use both arms. You can only apply if you are a regular driver but struggle to use your arms to use pay and display machines. You may require supporting information from a healthcare professional to support your application with information on how your arms prevent you from undertaking certain activities, such as paying for parking.
A Blue Badge Assessment will provide you with a letter that details the nature of your arm problems, how it affects your regular driving activities and any impact on your ability to pay for parking.
What type of problems will a Blue Badge Assessment at C-Physio be suitable for?
Blue Badge applications cover several different problems. A Blue Badge Assessment at C-Physio is suitable to support applications based around the following problems:
- you cannot walk at all
- you cannot walk without help from someone else or using mobility aids
- you find walking very difficult due to pain, breathlessness or the time it takes
- walking is dangerous to your health and safety
- you have a life limiting illness, which means you cannot walk or find walking very difficult and have a SR1 form
- you have a severe disability in both arms and drive regularly, but cannot operate pay-and-display parking machines
Blue Badge Assessments are part of our Mobility Physiotherapy Service. The Assessment can be booked online or by phone on 01274 270450. If you have any questions regarding our Blue Badge Assessment service, please give us a call and we would be happy to help.
Will a Blue Badge Assessment at C-Physio help all Blue Badge applications?
There are certain circumstances that we cannot provide supporting letters for, as they are outside our scope of practice. This means we are not trained or experienced in assessing or identifying some of the reasons for applying for a Blue Badge. This may include:
- you have a child under the age of 3 with a medical condition that means the child always needs to be accompanied by bulky medical equipment
- you have a child under the age of 3 with a medical condition that means the child must always be kept near a vehicle in case they need emergency medical treatment
- you are constantly a significant risk to yourself or others near vehicles, in traffic or car parks
- you struggle severely to plan or follow a journey
- you find it difficult or impossible to control your actions and lack awareness of the impact you could have on others
- you regularly have intense and overwhelming responses to situations causing temporary loss of behavioural control
- you frequently become extremely anxious or fearful of public/open spaces
If you need supporting information on any of the issues above, speak to the healthcare provider who knows about and understands your issues. If you are not currently being treated by a healthcare professional, you may be able to get supporting information from a member of the wider multi-disciplinary team. This can include:
- Consultants
- Psychiatrists
- Specialist Nurses
- Occupational Therapists
- Psychologists
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapists
- Paediatricians
- Counselling services
- Social Workers
Further information on the Blue Badge Scheme
If you would like more information on the Blue Badge scheme, including how to apply, please visit:
GOV.UK
https://www.gov.uk/transport/blue-badges
Citizen’s Advice Bureau