2.1 The Blue Badge (Disabled Person’s Parking) Scheme was introduced in 1971 under Section 21 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 (‘the 1970 Act’).
2.2 The aim of the scheme is to help disabled people with severe mobility problems to access goods and services, by allowing them to park close to their destination. The scheme is open to eligible disabled people irrespective of whether they are travelling as a driver or passenger.
2.3 From 30 August 2019, the scheme was extended to include people with nonvisible (“hidden”) disabilities.
2.4 The Blue Badge scheme provides a range of parking concessions for people with severe mobility problems. The scheme operates throughout the UK and is recognised within the European Union.
2.5 The Department for Transport (DfT) is responsible for the legislation that sets out the framework for the Blue Badge scheme and issues non-statutory guidance in order to share good practice.
2.6 The DfT cannot intervene in the case of individual applications or eligibility decisions.
2.7 Local Authorities are responsible for the day-to-day administration of the scheme. It is the responsibility of Staffordshire County Council to ensure that badges are only issued to residents who satisfy one or more of the eligibility criteria set out in the legislation that governs the scheme. Under no circumstances should anyone who does not satisfy at least one of the criteria receive a badge.