This Factsheet is about the Blue Badge Scheme, which provides a national arrangement of on-street parking concessions. It should be read together with our ‘How to Complain’ webpage, available on the ‘Making A Complaint’ tab.
A Blue Badge may be issued to people with certain disabilities. The Blue Badge is for use in a vehicle in which the badge holder is travelling, either as driver or passenger, and allows you to park in certain restricted areas for a limited period. The fact that you currently hold, have previously held, or might previously have been eligible for, a Blue Badge does not necessarily mean that you will remain eligible. Some local authorities may provide parking bays for Blue Badge holders near their homes. However, this is subject to the local policy and conditions, and to the availability of funding. Car park operators, including local authorities, are not required to offer any concession or reduced charges to Blue Badge holders, though some do. Applications for a Blue Badge should be made directly to your local council or via the www.gov.uk/apply-blue-badge website.
If you think that a decision by the Council to refuse a Blue Badge for you, your relative or a person you look after, is flawed, we may be able to help you. We can usually look at your complaint if:
We cannot:
You may like to consider contacting the following organisations for advice:
Citizens Advice provides free advice and assistance to members of the public and specific information about the Blue Badge Scheme can be found on their website:
The Welsh Government has also issued information and guidance about the Blue Badge Scheme on its website:
https://gov.wales/sites/default/files/publications/2017-09/who-is-eligible-for-a-blue-badge.pdf
Examples of cases that we have looked at can be found on our website, under the ‘Publications’ tab on the ‘Our Findings’ page.
If you are unsure whether we would be able to look into your complaint, please contact us on 0300 790 0203 or ask@ombudsman.wales
Also available in Welsh.