Blue Badge scheme

A Blue Badge parking permit will allow you to park in many disabled parking bays in town centres and car parks for free and without a time limit. It also allows you travel through the Tyne Tunnel for free.

You can apply for a Blue Badge on the GOV.UK website.

You can apply for a badge for yourself, on behalf of somebody else (including a child) or an organisation that transports people that need a Blue Badge.

A Blue Badge costs £10.

They usually last up to 3 years.

You must reapply for a Blue Badge at least 8 weeks before your current one expires.

Where you can park

On the street, you can park for free where there are:

• Parking meters
• Pay and display machines
• Places for disabled people with a blue wheelchair symbol

You may be able to park for free in the following places. Please check before you park.

• Car parks (some car parks allow disabled people to park for free)
• Places where anyone can park on the street for a certain time
• Private roads (for example, at an airport)

You will also get a blue parking clock with your Blue Badge. You will need to display this in places with a time limit.

You can also park on yellow lines for up to 3 hours (unless there is a loading ban). You will need to display your blue parking clock showing when you arrived. You also have to wait for at least 1 hour before you go back and park there again.

Using your Blue Badge at the Tyne Tunnel

From November 2021, the Tyne Tunnel will operate a new Tyne Pass which allows people to drive through without stopping. This is to speed up travel time and reduce congestion.

Blue Badge holders will continue to receive exemption but will need to register your vehicle.

To register your vehicle, see TT2: Blue Badge Exemption Application

Inspection lanes will be available at Tyne Pass as a temporary measure until you register your vehicle.

If your situation changes

You need to tell us if something changes, such as:

• your condition changes, so you don't need the badge
• the badge is lost, stolen or damaged
• you change address
• your name changes
• the holder of the badge dies

Call the Customer Contact Centre on 0191 427 7000 or email: BlueBadge@southtyneside.gov.uk

Opening hours are 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday, 9am to 1pm Saturday.

Reporting lost, damaged or stolen Blue Badges

If you have lost or damaged your Blue Badge, please report it to the Customer Contact Centre on 0191 427 7000, or email BlueBadge@southtyneside.gov.uk.

If your Blue Badge has been stolen, you will need to get a crime reference number from the police and then call the Customer Contact Centre.

If a badge holder dies

If a Blue Badge holder dies, their badge should be returned to us at:

Let's Talk Blue Badges,
Town Hall and Offices,
Westoe Road,
South Shields,
NE33 2RL

Misusing a Blue Badge

It is illegal for anyone to misuse a Blue Badge. You could be fined up to £1000 and have your badge taken off you.

Examples of Blue Badge misuse include:

• using someone else's badge without the badge holder being in the car or if the badge holder has died
• letting someone else use the badge
• parking in the wrong place or parking for too long where there is a time limit
• using a badge that has expired
• using a badge that has been reported as 'lost' or 'stolen'
• using a copied badge
• changing the details on the badge, for example, the expiry date
• providing the wrong information on the application form
• using a fake badge

For more information on how to use your Blue Badge, visit GOV.UK: The Blue Badge scheme

You will automatically be eligible if any of the following apply:

• you get the higher rate for the mobility part of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
• you get a Personal Independence Payment (PIP), and in mobility you get either:
  • 8 points or more for 'moving around'
  • exactly 10 points in Descriptor E for 'planning and following journeys' because any journey would cause overwhelming psychological distress
• you are registered blind
• you get the War Pensioners Mobility supplement
• you have been awarded a benefit by the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme and:
  • get a lump sum payment within tariff levels 1 to 8
  • have been assessed and certified by Veterans UK as having a disability which means you can't walk or find walking very difficult

You may be eligible if any of the following apply:

• 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 puts you at risk of serious harm to yourself or others
• you have a terminal illness, which means you cannot walk or find walking very difficult and have a SR1 form from your doctor, consultant, or other healthcare professional 
• you have a severe disability in both arms and drive regularly, but cannot use pay-and-display parking machines
• you struggle severely to plan or follow a journey
• you find it difficult or impossible to control your actions
• you often become extremely anxious or fearful of public / open spaces
• you are applying for a child under 3 who either:
  • needs to be kept near a vehicle in case they need emergency medical treatment
  • has bulky medical equipment which is difficult to carry around
• you are an organisation who either:
  • transports people who need a Blue Badge
  • cares for or helps people who need a Blue Badge

You will need to give evidence and more information about your condition. We will then make a decision if you are eligible for a Blue Badge.

If you are automatically eligible for a Blue Badge, you need to provide proof of the benefits you get.

Severely sight impaired (registered blind)

You will need to provide:

• a Certificate of Vision Impairment (CVI), signed by a Consultant Ophthalmologist which states that you are severely sight impaired (blind)

Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

You will need to provide either:

• an award notice letter from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) which is less than 12 months old
• an annual uprating letter which says you get DLA

If you have lost your award notice letter or your uprating letter, you can ask for a current award notice from the Disability Service Centre

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) - moving around descriptor

You will need to show that in the mobility component, you get at least 8 points or more for the moving around part.

You will need to provide:

• your PIP decision letter from DWP which shows:
  • you get PIP (front page)
  • the assessment scores (second to last page)
  • the mobility scores (last page)

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) - planning and following a journey descriptor E

You will need to show that in the mobility component, you get exactly 10 points in Descriptor E for 'planning and following journeys' because any journey would cause overwhelming psychological distress.

Please note - a higher score of 12 points in descriptor F does not meet the automatically eligible criteria.

You will need to provide:

• your PIP decision letter from DWP which shows:
  • you get PIP (front page)
  • the assessment scores (second to last page)
  • the mobility scores (last page)

If you have lost your PIP decision letter, you can request a new letter from the DWP (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm): 

• Telephone: 0800 121 4433
• Textphone: 0800 121 4493

Read more about Personal Independence Payment

War Pensioner's Mobility Supplement (WPMS)

You will need to provide:

• your official letter from Veterans UK which shows you get the grant

If you have lost this letter, contact Veterans UK:

• Email: veterans-uk@mod.gov.uk
• Freephone: 0808 191 4218

Armed Forces and Reserve Forces Compensation Scheme

You will need to provide:

• your official letter from Veterans UK

If you have lost this letter, contact Veterans UK:

• Email: veterans-uk@mod.gov.uk
• Freephone: 0808 191 4218

If you are not automatically eligible for a Blue Badge, you need to provide proof of your disability / condition and supporting information.

Being eligible for a Blue Badge does not depend only on whether you do or don't have a particular diagnosis or condition, and we will need extra information to support your application.

Walking difficulties

To help us understand your situation, please provide as much information as possible when you apply, including:

• information about how difficult walking is for you on a journey
• details and history of your diagnosed condition or disability
• the longest distance you think you can walk without help from another person, or without severe discomfort

It can be difficult to work out the exact distance you can walk. There are some things that can help you:

• ask someone to walk beside you. The average adult step is just less than 1 metre, so if the person walking with you took 100 steps, you would have walked about 90 metres.

If you still find it difficult to work out the distance you can walk in metres, please tell us:

• the number of steps you can take, and how long, in minutes, it would take you to walk this distance
• about your walking speed
• the way that you walk, for example, shuffling or small steps etc.

We may ask you to go for an assessment with an occupational therapist, to decide whether you meet the eligibility criteria. 

If your disability isn't easy to see

If your disability isn't easy to see (sometimes known as a 'non visible' or 'hidden' disability), you will only be given a Blue Badge if we feel the badge will help to make a journey that:

• would not have been possible without it
• would only be possible with a lot of difficulty

You will need to provide:

Evidence of your disability

Evidence can include reports or documents that describe your needs or disability (not appointment letters), from a health or social care professional. 

If you are struggling to provide evidence of your disability, you can ask a health professional that you have been involved with to fill in the Blue Badge health or social care professional form. 

Please also be aware that this may slow down the process of getting your blue badge, and does not always mean that your application will be successful. 

Details about the difficulty you experience

Please provide as much detail as you can about how difficult it is for you to go from your car to your destination, for example, you:

• are unable to walk, drop to the floor, become deadweight
• are likely to wander off, or run away, without awareness of your surroundings and the risks
• are unable to follow instructions
• experience severe or overwhelming anxiety
• experience an overwhelming sense of fear of public / open / busy spaces
• are a serious risk to yourself or others
• become physically aggressive towards others, either not on purpose or without realising the effects of your actions
• other (please tell us more)

Tell us how likely you are to have the above difficulties, for example:

• never (not happened before)
• occasionally (only on some journeys)
• regularly (more often than not)
• always (every journey)

Coping strategies you use

Provide details of any coping strategies you use to help manage these difficulties.

For example travelling with another person such as a parent, carer, or personal assistant is a coping strategy. 

Disabilities in both arms

You will need to provide:

• a medical summary from your doctor or specialist that shows your name and address, and confirms your conditions
• a repeat prescription that shows your name and address, and confirms the medication you are taking

If you are applying for someone under the age of three

A parent or guardian must apply on behalf of a child under the age of three. 

You will need to provide:

• a letter from a medical professional involved in your child's treatment which confirms their medical conditions and any equipment they need

Applying online is the quickest way to apply for or renew your Blue Badge.

You can apply for or renew a Blue Badge on the GOV.UK website.

GOV.UK: Apply for or renew a Blue Badge

What you'll need

You'll need a recent digital photo showing your head and shoulders.

You'll also need a photo or scan of your:

• proof of identity (such as a birth certificate, passport or driving licence, marriage or civil partnership certificate, divorce or dissolution certificate)
• proof of address (such as a Council Tax bill, a government letter, driving licence, a recent letter from a school if you are under 16)
• proof of benefits (if you get any)

You'll also need to know:

• your email address (if you have one)
• your national insurance number (if you have one)
• the details of your current Blue Badge (if you're renewing)

You can save and return to your application at a later date if you need to.

Help with applying online

If you are unsure about using a computer, the following places can help you with getting online, filling in the form and taking your digital photograph:

• Age Concern Tyneside South (ACTS) - call 0191 456 6903 or email info@ac-ts.org.uk to book an appointment

Free computer access

If you already have an email address and you are able to use a computer, but don't have access to one, you can go to the following places and use our equipment to complete your online application:

• South Shields Town Hall
• Jarrow Town Hall
• The Word
• Cleadon Park Library
• Hebburn Central

Other ways to apply

You can also apply by post if you live in South Tyneside.

You need to check if you are eligible before you apply.

• Blue badge application form- eligible without assessment
• Blue badge application form- eligible subject to assessment

Print the form and post it to:

Let's Talk Blue Badges
Town Hall and Offices,
Westoe Road,
South Shields,
NE33 2RL

You will also need to send photocopies of your documents - please don't send original copies as we may not be able to return them.

We cannot process your application until we receive all of your documents.

You can also collect a printed form from South Shields Town Hall or Jarrow Town Hall, or phone the Customer Contact Centre on 0191 427 7000, who will tell you whether you are eligible and send you the form in the post.

If you want to email your information, this must be done securely. Before sending any of your personal information please email BlueBadge@southtyneside.gov.uk and we'll send you a secure link.

If you have sent all of the supporting evidence, the decision will be made within 12 weeks.

If you are not automatically eligible, you may need to have an assessment with an occupational therapist, to decide whether you meet the eligibility criteria.

If your application is approved

You will get a letter to let you know if your application has been approved.

If your application is refused

We will tell you why you have not been given a Blue Badge by letter.

You can ask us to look at your case again if you don't think the information you provided was taken into account.

You can also re-apply if your mobility problems become more serious. 

If you are not automatically eligible for a Blue Badge, you may be asked to go for a mobility assessment with an occupational therapist.

Assessments take place at Hebburn Central. They usually last about 30 minutes to 1 hour.

You will be asked about your condition and how it affects you when walking.

You will be asked to walk so the occupational therapist can see how your condition affects you.

You do not need to bring anything with you (such as documents or medication). However, you will be asked about your condition and any medication you take, based on the information you gave during your application.

You can bring someone who can sit in with you during the assessment.

After the assessment, you will be told by the occupational therapist what the decision is. You will also get a letter soon after. 

What to talk about at your assessment  

Remember to be honest and give as much information as you can about the difficulties you have when walking. Remember to include anything the occupational therapist won't be able to see while watching you walk.

For example:

• any pain you are in when walking
• how long it takes you to walk on a normal journey (eg walking to the shops)
• not being steady on your feet on different surfaces
• if you find it hard getting back up after you have fallen down

There may be some days you find more difficult than others. Even if you are not having much difficulty on the day of your assessment, remember to talk about how difficult walking can be for you on other days.

You pay after your application is approved.

You can pay the £10 by phone or by cheque.

After we receive your payment, you will get your Blue Badge within 19 working days.

Pay by telephone

Call the Customer Contact Centre on 0191 427 7000 and press option 4. You will need to enter your Blue Badge Reference Number (this is at the top of the application approval letter).

The Customer Contact Centre is open 8am to 6.30pm Monday to Friday.

Pay by cheque 

Make the cheque payable to 'South Tyneside Council' and post it to:

Let's Talk Blue Badge Team
Town Hall and Offices,
Westoe Road,
South Shields,
NE33 2RL

Please write the cheque in black ink. We cannot accept cheques written in blue ink.