Apply for or renew a Blue Badge

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If you are disabled, you may be able to get a Blue Badge parking permit which will allow you to park closer to shops and other facilities.

Who can apply

You automatically qualify for a Blue Badge if you are aged 3 or older and at least one of the following applies:

  • receive the higher rate of the mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance
  • receive a Personal Independence Payment (PIP) because you can’t walk more than 50 metres (a score of 8 points or more under the 'moving around' activity of the mobility component)
  • are registered blind (severely sight impaired)
  • receive a War Pensioner’s Mobility Supplement
  • have received a lump sum benefit within tariff levels 1 to 8 of the Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation) Scheme and have been certified as having a permanent and substantial disability which causes inability to walk or very considerable difficulty in walking
  • receive the mobility component of PIP and have obtained 10 points specifically for descriptor E under the 'planning and following journeys' activity, on the grounds that you are unable to undertake any journey because it would cause you overwhelming psychological distress

You may be able to get a Blue Badge if one or more of the following applies:

  • 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 terminal illness, which means you cannot walk or find walking very difficult and have a DS1500 or SR1 form
  • you have a severe disability in both arms and drive regularly, but cannot operate pay-and-display parking machines
  • 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 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

How to apply

You can apply for a Blue Badge online or by post. Permits are not automatically renewed. You must re-apply when your current badge is due to expire.

There is a £10 fee which will be refunded if your application is unsuccessful. 

The application process normally takes 12 weeks. It can take longer if an assessment is required.

You will need to include

A photo or scan of your:

  • proof of identity (such as a birth certificate, passport or driving licence)
  • proof of address (such as a Council Tax bill or government letter)
  • proof of benefits dated in the last 12 months (if you get any)
  • documents related to your condition (such as diagnosis letters or hospital correspondence)

Your National Insurance (NI) number. Find out how to find a NI number.

Details of your current Blue Badge, if you are reapplying.

A recent photo of your face and shoulders, in the style of a passport photo.

Further details if you use mobility aids, take medication for your condition, have had treatments for your condition and names of healthcare professionals that have treated you.

Photos included with an online application must be no more than 1.5MB.

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

Apply online

If you prefer, you can download and fill in a print application form. Return paper applications to:

Concessionary Travel Unit
London Borough of Hounslow
Hounslow House, 7 Bath Road
Hounslow
TW3 3EB

For assistance with applications or other enquiries, telephone 020 8583 3073 or email us.

Apply for or renew an organisation badge

Your organisation may be eligible for a Blue Badge if it is based in Hounslow and both cares for and transports disabled people who are eligible for a badge. Examples of organisations that may be eligible include residential care homes, hospices or local authority social services.

An organisational badge must only be displayed when someone who would be eligible for a Blue Badge in their own right is being transported.

You will need proof of your insurance for your organisation (this can be insurance such as motor or liability insurance) and you will be required to upload this as part of the application.

There is a £10 fee for each badge. It can take up to 10 working days to process your application.

Apply for an organisation badge

Appeal a decision

If your application is declined and you disagree with the decision, you can appeal within 28 days.

Please include as much information as possible, including any supporting evidence. 

Submit an appeal

Using your badge

Department for Transport has published guidance on using and displaying your badge, including use of a parking clock in time restricted areas. Read the Blue Badge guide on GOV.UK.

Displaying your permit, and parking clock where necessary, you can park free of charge:

  • in on-street pay-to-park bays
  • in disabled bays (except those designated for specific disabled permit holders)
  • in on-street resident permit or shared use bays
  • at all Hounslow Council managed car parks, in pay-to-park or disabled bays
  • on single or double yellow lines (except where there are yellow kerb stripes) for up to 3 hours
  • on single or double yellow lines for up to 3 hours if there is no prohibition on loading or unloading and the vehicle is not deemed to be causing an obstruction
  • in Hounslow Controlled Parking Zone resident parking bays, shared use or pay-to-park bays for unlimited periods, and any Hounslow Council managed off-street or car park spaces.

You can also register for a 100% congestion charge discount.

If you hold a Blue Badge you may be eligible to apply for a disabled parking bay.

Report a lost, stolen or damaged badge

If your Blue Badge has been lost or stolen, or if the information has become unreadable, you can request a replacement.

If your badge has been stolen, you must first report it to the police. You will be issued a crime reference number to include with your replacement request.

If you have moved to Hounslow since you applied for your Blue Badge, you must tell your previous local authority before requesting a replacement.

Reporting fraud

It is a criminal offence to misuse a Blue Badge. Doing so could lead to a £1,000 fine and confiscation of the badge. If you see this happening, contact us immediately giving us the vehicle number plate and Blue Badge number, if you can.

To report misuse of a Blue Badge or disabled parking bay telephone 0800 328 6453 or email fraud@hounslow.gov.uk.

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