When a Blue Badge is issued

5.1   When the Blue Badge team is satisfied that relevant eligibility criteria are met: 

• the Blue Badge team will write to the applicant to confirm that they will receive a Blue Badge. The badge will be issued by a provider commissioned by the Department for Transport  
• badge holder details will be added to the national Blue Badge database 

Period of issue 

5.2   Most Blue Badges will be issued for a period of three (3) years.  Exceptions apply for: 

• children under the age of three (3) years. Children’s badges will be issued for a maximum period which ends on the day after the child’s third birthday  
• entitlements linked to HRMCDLA, WPMS or PIP awards where the allowance period is less than three (3) years. Blue Badges will be issued for a period which corresponds with the period of the HRMCDLA, WPMS or PIP award  

5.3   Badge holders have a duty to return the Blue Badge to the council before the expiry date if they no longer need the Blue Badge, for example because their condition has improved or they become housebound.     

Re - applications 

5.4   Blue Badges are valid only until the expiry date shown on the badge. 

5.5   The Blue Badge team will send badge holders a written reminder to re-apply for their Blue Badge in advance of the expiry date. Badge holders should re-apply for their Blue Badge at least twelve (12) weeks prior to the expiry date.  

5.6   The re-application process is the same as the application process described at section 3. Re-applications must be accompanied by: 

• all required information and supporting evidence that the Blue Badge is still required 
• an updated passport sized and passport standard colour photograph taken within one month prior to the date of re-application 
• the £10 re-issue fee  

5.7   The Blue Badge team will re-assess eligibility against the relevant criteria. This includes re-assessment of eligibility for Blue Badges issued by another local authority where the Blue Badge is due to expire and the applicant has since become resident in Gloucestershire.   

5.8   Applications awarded under Type 1 eligibility criteria will be re-assessed against Type 2 criteria if the badge holder no longer receives the qualifying benefit. 

5.9   The Blue Badge team will write to the badge holder to advise them of the outcome of the re-assessment.  If this results in re-issue, a new Blue Badge will be issued by a provider commissioned by the Department for Transport. 

Replacement of damaged lost and stolen badges 

5.10   Badge holders may request a replacement Blue Badge if the original has been lost, stolen, damaged, destroyed or has become illegible.  

5.11   Badge holders should report stolen badges to the Police and provide the Police crime reference number to the Blue Badge team.  

5.12   Badge holders / their representatives can request a replacement badge by using the online form on GOV.UK or by downloading a Replacement Blue Badge Application Form   from the council website. Our staff will provide the form on request to anyone who is unable to download the form for themselves. 

5.13   Requests for replacements must be accompanied by payment of the £10 re-issue fee.  

5.14   The original badge will be cancelled when a replacement is issued.  

5.15   In most cases, the replacement badge will be valid until the expiry date of the original.  If the original badge was due to expire in less than three (3) months, the badge holder / their representative may make a fresh application for a new badge which will be issued for three (3) years or as indicated at paragraph 5.2. 

5.16   The date and reason for re-issue of a badge will be recorded on the badge holder’s record for monitoring purposes. 

5.17   Damaged badges and badges reported as lost or stolen which are later found or recovered must be returned to the Blue Badge team for secure destruction.  

Badge holder duty to return Blue Badges to the council 

5.18   Blue Badges remain the property of the council at all times. Badge holders  must return the badge to the Blue Badge team when: 

• the badge expires 
  
  
• the badge holder is no longer eligible or, in the case of an organisational badge, the organisation no longer exists or is no longer eligible  

Note: HRMCDLA recipients may retain their badge until the expiry date where they are reassessed by the Department for Work and Pensions and fail to score: 

• • 8 points or more under the ‘Moving Around’ mobility component of PIP or 
  • 10 points specifically for Descriptor E under the ‘planning and following journeys’ activity of the mobility component of PIP on the grounds that they are ‘unable to undertake any journey because it would cause them overwhelming psychological distress’ 
    
    
• the badge was issued as a replacement for one that was lost or stolen and the original has been found or recovered  
  
  
• the badge is so damaged or faded that it is no longer completely legible or it cannot be identified correctly or distinguished from a forgery 
  
  
• the badge holder no longer needs the badge, for example because their condition has improved so they are no longer eligible or they have become confined to the house 
  
  
• another valid badge has been issued to the badge holder by another issuing authority.  Badge holders may hold only one valid badge issued to them in the local authority area in which they are resident  

5.19   Badges must also be returned to the Blue Badge team when the badge holder dies.  

Fraud and misuse – withdrawing a blue badge 

5.20   The council will investigate concerns about fraudulent applications and / or badge misuse and may withdraw a Blue Badge if it is satisfied that fraud / misuse has occurred. If fraud or misuse is identified then this may result in prosecution in court.

5.21   The council may withdraw a Blue Badge when: 

• a badge holder or third party is successfully prosecuted for:  

• • an offence under section 21(4B) of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 (misuse of a real blue badge by a third party or use of a fake/altered badge by a third party or the badge holder while the vehicle is being driven) 

• • an offence under sections 115 or 117 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (misuse of a real blue badge by a third party or use of a fake/altered badge by a third party or the badge holder while the vehicle when the vehicle is parked)  

• • dishonesty or deception committed under any other UK legislation in relation to the badge (for example offences under the Fraud Act 2006, the Theft Act 1968, the Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981, and so on)  

Note: Where a third party committed the prosecuted offence, the council will not withdraw the Blue Badge if it is satisfied that the badge holder was unaware that the third party was using the badge.  

5.22   The council may withdraw a Blue Badge where it is satisfied that the badge holder has acted fraudulently or misused the card, for example: 

• obtained the badge through a fraudulent application (providing false information)  
• used an expired or illegible badge 
• Used a badge of a deceased person 
• used a badge declared as lost or stolen for which a replacement was issued 
• used a badge which they are no longer entitled to use 
• permitted a third party to use the badge 
• allowed a third party to copy, alter, fake or forge the badge