The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for rain from 9am to 10pm on Thursday 15 January.
If you see a highways emergency, please call 0345 606 6171.
Find out more about severe weather affecting Suffolk, including how to prepare.
Blue Badges help people with disabilities or health conditions park closer to their destination. A badge is not issued on the basis of a diagnosis of a particular condition alone, the badge will be awarded on the severity of the effect the medical condition is having on the applicant’s mobility. The application will need to be supported by evidence relating to the above criteria.
You can apply for a badge for yourself, on behalf of somebody else or an organisation that provides both care and transport for people that need a Blue Badge.
To get a Blue Badge, the applicant must:
A Blue Badge is not issued on the basis of a diagnosis of a particular condition alone, the badge will be awarded on the severity of the effect the medical condition is having on the applicant’s mobility. The application will need to be supported by evidence relating to the above criteria.
This does not include temporary conditions that are likely to get better in the 3 years the badge is issued for.
The Blue Badge is issued to the person and not to a vehicle. This enables the Blue Badge holder to travel in any vehicle.
You can also read this easy read version outlining criteria for Blue Badge applicants.
You automatically qualify if you:
Note: If your DLA or PIP award is for less than 3 years, the Blue Badge will only be issued for the same duration.
If you get 12 points PIP for Planning and Following a Journey, you are not automatically eligible and you will need to apply under the non-visible (hidden) disabilities criteria. To do this, select the option if you experience very considerable difficulty whilst walking, which may include very considerable psychological distress and/or you are at risk of serious harm when walking or pose a risk of serious harm to any person when walking.
If you're not automatically eligible, you may still qualify if you have an enduring and substantial disability, and you:
A badge is not issued on the basis of a diagnosis of a particular condition alone, the badge will be awarded on the severity of the effect the medical condition is having on the applicant’s mobility. The application will need to be supported by evidence relating to the above criteria.
Processing time for applications is currently 12 weeks from the date the application is received. All applications are processed in the date order they are received.
If you have read the criteria above, you can apply for a Blue Badge on GOV.UK.
If you apply under the incorrect criteria, your application will be refused and you'll need to submit a new application.
If you’re applying for a Badge because of a Life-Limiting Illness where you have been given a prognosis of 6 months or less, please ensure that you select the option 'Yes, and I have a life-limiting illness' when you apply on the GOV.UK form. This enables us to fast-track your application if necessary.
Find out what information the Blue Badge service collects and uses, and your rights regarding your information in the Blue Badge privacy notice.
The non-visible (hidden) disability criteria is for individuals who:
A badge is not issued on the basis of a diagnosis of a particular condition alone, the badge will be awarded on the severity of the effect the medical condition is having on the applicant’s mobility. The application will need to be supported by evidence relating to the above criteria.
A parent of a child aged under 2 years and 9 months may apply for a badge on behalf of the child, if the child has a specific medical condition which means they:
A parent of a child aged between 2 years 9 months and 3 years of age may apply for a badge on behalf of their child with additional eligibility options relevant to the age chosen on the application form.
To qualify, the organisation (not an individual) must:
It's unlikely that taxi or private hire operators and community transport operators would be eligible for an organisational Blue Badge as they are not usually concerned with the care of disabled people who would meet one or more of the eligibility criteria for a badge. Such operators are, of course, still able to use an individual’s Blue Badge when carrying that person as a passenger.
The Department for Transport is responsible for giving guidance on who can get a Blue Badge. You can find more information about eligibility on GOV.UK.
If you have read the criteria above, you can apply for a Blue Badge on GOV.UK.
If you apply under the incorrect criteria, your application will be refused and you'll need to submit a new application.
We recently refreshed our Blue Badge scheme information on the Suffolk County Council website. Let us know what you think of it.