‘Shocking’ figures over Blue Badges

People with non-visible disabilities are far less likely to have their application for a Blue Badge approved by Bath and North East Somerset Council, “shocking” new figures have revealed.

The Blue Badge parking permit scheme was extended on August 30, 2019 to include people with non-visible disabilities such as autism, Parkinson’s disease, dementia and anxiety.

But a BBC Shared Data Unit and Local Democracy Reporting Service investigation has exposed a “shocking disparity” between the approval rates of people with nonvisible disabilities and those of people with physical disabilities.

While B&NES Council has approved 74 per cent of all Blue Badge applications they have received since August 30, 2019, they have only approved 59 per cent of those from people with non-visible disabilities.

James Taylor, executive director of strategy impact and social change at disability equality charity Scope, said: “This new data shows a shocking disparity between the allocations of Blue Badges to people with invisible and visible impairments.

“Our helpline has also heard from disabled people with hidden impairments being denied a Blue Badge, for ‘not qualifying’.

“This research highlights the urgent need for staff training of the decision makers in the councils, so they can recognise and understand the range of hidden impairment.

“Councils need also to understand the devastating impact their negative decision can have.”

The removal of accessible parking bays next to shops and amenities “overnight, without any consultation” to allow for social distancing during the Covid-19 pandemic had also had a “massive impact” on disabled people, Scope said.

People who had applied online also told of the “trauma” of having to produce evidence of their disabilities to be scrutinised, and the difficulty of completing the form.

In addition, they spoke of their reluctance to send original personal identity documents such as birth certificates in the post.

But it’s not just B&NES Council that has seen a disparity between Blue Badge approval rates for physical and non-visible disabilities.

The data was obtained through Freedom of Information requests made to all 216 upper-tier councils in the UK.

Of the 109 councils who gave a full response to the request, 92 had lower approval rates for applications from people with non-visible disabilities.

The Department for Transport said it would review the impact of the new criteria.

Tim Nicholls, head of policy and public affairs at the National Autistic Society, said: “These figures highlight the postcode lottery that has developed around Blue Badges.”

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This new data shows a shocking disparity between the allocations of Blue Badges to people with invisible and visible impairments. James Taylor, of Scope