Some private websites charge a fee for advice and help with applications for a Blue Badge. These websites are not connected with us or the government, and do not guarantee a successful application. If you've been affected by a private website that has charged you a fee, you should report it to the Citizens Advice consumer service.
We advise residents simply to follow the advice and links here on our website.
A Blue Badge is a parking permit which allows people with certain disabilities to park closer to where they need to go. This is a national scheme with legislation set by the Department for Transport with Thurrock Council responsible for the administration and enforcement of the scheme.
Applicants must have an enduring and substantial disability, lasting for, or expected to last for, at least three years. This does not include temporary conditions or whilst recovering from surgery. Applicants must provide detailed information about their condition and how it causes them to:
be unable to walk
experience very considerable difficulty whilst walking, which may include very considerable psychological distress
be at risk of serious harm when walking; or pose, when walking, a risk of serious harm to any other person
People who automatically get a Blue Badge
You automatically qualify for a Blue Badge if you are aged 3 or over and at least one of the following applies:
you receive the higher rate of the mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
you receive a Personal Independence Payment (PIP) because you can’t walk more than 50 metres (a score of 8 points or more under the ‘moving around’ activity of the mobility component)
you are registered blind (severely sight impaired)
you receive a War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement
you have received a lump sum benefit within tariff levels 1 to 8 of the Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation) Scheme and have been certified as having a permanent and substantial disability that causes inability to walk or very considerable difficulty in walking Armed forces pensions - GOV.UK
you receive the mobility component of PIP and have obtained 10 points specifically for descriptor E under the ‘planning and following journeys’ activity, on the grounds that you are unable to undertake any journey because it would cause you overwhelming psychological distress
People who may get a Blue Badge
You may be eligible for a badge if one or more of the following applies:
you cannot walk at all
you cannot walk without help from someone else or using mobility aids
you find walking very difficult due to pain, breathlessness or the time it takes
walking is dangerous to your health and safety
you have a life limiting illness, which means you cannot walk or find walking very difficult and have a SR1 form
you have a severe disability in both arms and drive regularly, but cannot operate pay-and-display parking machines
you have a child under the age of 3 with a medical condition that means the child always needs to be accompanied by bulky medical equipment
you have a child under the age of 3 with a medical condition that means the child must always be kept near a vehicle in case they need emergency medical treatment
you are constantly a significant risk to yourself or others near vehicles, in traffic or car parks
you struggle severely to plan or follow a journey
you find it difficult or impossible to control your actions and lack awareness of the impact you could have on others
you regularly have intense and overwhelming responses to situations causing temporary loss of behavioural control
you frequently become extremely anxious or fearful of public/open spaces
We may also ask you to attend an independent mobility assessment to confirm your eligibility.
This will take place at the Civic Offices, New Road, Grays, RM17 6SL.
The assessment will last approximately 30 minutes and will involve a discussion with the occupational therapist about your mobility difficulties, followed by a short walking assessment.
Blue Badges for organisations
An organisation can get a Blue Badge for a vehicle used to carry disabled people who are entitled to Blue Badges. Organisations can apply for a maximum of 3 Blue Badges which can then be used whilst transporting passengers who would themselves, meet one or more of the eligibility criteria for an individual Blue Badge.
To qualify, the organisation must:
care for and transport disabled people who would themselves meet one or more of the eligibility criteria for an individual Blue Badge and;
have a clear need for an organisational badge rather than using the individual Blue Badges of people it is transporting
It is 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.
Organisations applying for a Blue Badge must provide:
a copy of the vehicle registration certificate (V5), or lease agreement, showing that the vehicles are registered, or leased, to the organisation
proof of address
Applying for, renewing, and using a Blue Badge
For more information, go to:
On request, and following an assessment, we will place parking bays outside or close to the houses of disabled people for Blue Badge holders to use. Go to parking bays for disabled people.
