The Blue Badge is a national parking scheme administered by local authorities on behalf of the Scottish Government. The Blue Badge scheme was introduced in 1971 to help disabled people achieve more independence. BLUE BADGES

There are 32 Regions in Scotland, surprisingly and shockingly each Region has a different set of Blue Badge Application Forms and notes. WHY? A person’s disability doesn’t change from region to region. BLUE BADGES

Of the 25 Regions who supplied documentation: 10 have 2 separate sets of application forms and 2 sets of notes 15 use one form of between pages, plus accompanying notes. Charges 17 Regions charge £20.00 for a Blue Badge. 4 Regions make no charge, including Fife. 1 Region makes a charge only for Non Assessed Blue Badges. 2 Regions (Orkney and Shetland) charge £10.20 & £13.50 respectively! West Dunbartonshire charges £2.50!! BLUE BADGES

Consider the confusion to the disabled who are confronted with the plethora of forms and notes Both local authorities & the CAB invest many staff hours helping to complete this paperwork on behalf of the disabled because of its complexity. How is this a cost effective use of limited resources? BLUE BADGES

Each Region uses different language across its varying number of pages and it’s not always correct, one Region doesn’t know that ‘criterion’ is in fact singular and the plural is ‘criteria!’ BLUE BADGES

Rationalisation and centralisation would harmonise everyone’s understanding, simplify the process, save time and reduce costs in: Design, Layout & Language Staff training Applicant Appointments. Paper & Printing BLUE BADGES

Not all applicants, many of whom are elderly, will have the technical knowledge or facilities to download and print their own form. BLUE BADGES

Using Fife’s 2 separate application forms as a control: Application Forms vary in length from 11 pages to 16 pages for ‘Assessed’ and from 6 to 9 pages for ‘Non Assessed’ applicants, plus accompanying ‘Notes.’ The single form for ‘Assessed’ and ‘Non Assessed’ consisting of between 5 & 9 pages 3 Regions have different coloured forms including yellow and blue, the remainder are white except for West Dunbartonshire & South Ayrshire which are unbleached. Most are loose leaf except for Aberdeen, which is printed in booklet form. BLUE BADGES

EVEN THE DOCUMENT TITLES ARE DIFFERENT! ‘ Further Assessment & Automatic Award’ (Western Isles) ‘Further Assessment & Automatic Entitlement’ (Shetlands) ‘Further Assessment & No Further Assessment’ ‘Independent Mobility Assessment Required’ & ‘Automatic Criteria’s [sic] & ‘No Future Assessment Required’ ( Argyll & Bute, Scottish Borders) Without Further Assessment & NOT STATED (Stirling & Clackmannanshire) ‘ Discretionary Criteria’ & ‘Automatic Criteria ’ (Dumfries & Galloway, Fife) ‘ Discretionary & Automatic’ (West Dunbartonshire) ‘Discretionary Eligibility & Automatic Eligibility’ (Clackmannanshire) ‘Subject to Further Assessment’ & ‘Without Further Assessment’ (Aberdeen, Angus, Dundee, East Ayrshire, East Lothian) BLUE BADGES

For those who are required to be ‘Assessed,’ it is a demeaning and distressing intrusion into a disabled person’s condition and walking ability which is is not carried out by a doctor and can often take place in a public place! BLUE BADGES

Some of the differing instructions include: ‘Use a paper clip to attach (photo) to the front of the application at the top of the page.’ (Scottish Borders) ‘HM Forces ID Card’ (Fife) ‘I am over 2 years of age and unable to walk, or virtually unable to walk due to [sic] a permanent disability.’ (Scottish Borders) ‘Proof of your identity eg. Driving licence, Passport.’ (Angus) BLUE BADGES

Continued: ‘Do you have a terminal illness that limits your mobility?’ (Scottish Borders) ‘Are you receiving care and support from MacMillan?’ (Scottish Borders) ‘Was your wheelchair provided by… etc?’ (Scottish Borders) ‘If you already hold a Blue Badge, please use the space below to describe what you use the badge for and how not having this badge would affect your day to day living.’ (Scottish Borders) BLUE BADGES

Continued: ‘Do you have a disabled parking bay? ’ (Scottish Borders) ‘Have you ever been refused a Blue Badge?’ (Scottish Borders) ‘Provide original documents where relevant.’ (Scottish Borders) ‘I give my consent to Scottish Borders Council to check school records to confirm their address.’ (Scottish Borders) ‘Badge Issue Fee ……….’ (Angus) BLUE BADGES

Confusingly, some areas labelled ‘Section 2’ can relate to either ‘Without Further Assessment’ (Angus) or ‘ Subject to Further Assessment’ (Fife) Equally, some forms refer to the Disability Living Allowance ‘DLA,’ and some refer to Personal Independence Payment, ‘PIP.’ (Angus) South Ayrshire’s documentation is not numbered. BLUE BADGES

Blue Badges were designed to provide the disabled with a parking space close to where they need to be to minimise pain caused when walking. Often, it is the cumulative effect of additional, unnecessary walking that increases pain. The Blue Badge application process has now become an exercise focussed on preventing its misuse but has resulted in punishing the innocent disabled! BLUE BADGES

PIP candidates do not have to be ‘Assessed’ and therefore qualify for ‘Automatic Eligibility’ under the scheme. Not being in receipt of benefits does not minimise disability or pain! It simply means that the applicant has either chosen to maintain their financial independence or is not aware that PIP exists! BLUE BADGES

We are fortunate in Scotland that there is still FREE parking in many areas for everyone, and we are also fortunate that parking is still FREE with a Blue Badge. The maximum you can be charged for a Blue Badge in England is £10, Scotland £20, Northern Ireland £2 and in Wales it is free of charge. The devolved Governments have set the cap on the fee, but local authorities can charge what they want up to the limit and obviously do. BLUE BADGES

Is the Blue Badge application process serving the needs of the disabled fairly and without inflicting undue stress? BLUE BADGES

The scheme has suffered from those who abuse it. The Blue Badge Improvement Service (BBIS) has been created to carry out secure printing and distribution of the Blue Badge itself to create a central database and an online application service. Clearly the application service is not yet centralised or harmonised to include the application process! BLUE BADGES

The 32 Regions of Scotland need to lead by example and re-examine their Blue Badge Schemes and harmonise Scotland’s application process using plain English to make it the most efficient, cost effective service and thereby enable the disabled. BLUE BADGES