Thursday 21st October
As part of the Citizens Advice Exeter and The Express and Echo weekly advice column we focus on eligibility for the Blue Badge scheme.
My mum has a non-visible disability which causes her walking difficulties. I heard that there have been some changes that mean she may now be eligible for a blue badge. How can I find out about this and help her apply?
In 2019, the Blue Badge scheme was extended in England for people who have non-visible disabilities or conditions which affect their ability to walk. As a result, your mother may qualify for a badge.
Your mother will be automatically eligible if she gets certain types of benefits. These include some categories of Personal Independence Payment and the higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance.
If she’s not automatically eligible she can still apply for a badge. Her local authority will use evidence from doctors and other healthcare professionals to determine whether she qualifies or not.
Your mother can check her eligibility and apply for a local authority-issued Blue Badge at www.gov.uk/apply-blue-badge If she can’t do this herself, you can apply on her behalf.
You’ll need a recent digital passport-style photo, proof of her identity, address, details of any benefits she receives, her National Insurance number, and evidence of how her non-visible disability or condition affects her mobility.
For further help visit: www.citizensadvice.org.uk
Look out for our column next week when we focus on nuisance neighbours.
The information contained in these articles does not constitute advice. Citizens Advice Exeter and The Express and Echo accept no liability for the information published. Citizens Advice Exeter is unable to respond to individual requests for advice through these columns. Copyright Citizens Advice. For the most up-to-date version, please visit the Citizens Advice website at www.citizensadvice.org.uk