Blue Badge holders have been urged to check if they are entitled to a little-known travel benefit that could save them a significant amount of money. Thousands of people who hold Blue Badges in Scotland could get free bus travel, but many of them may be unaware. The National Entitlement Card in Scotland gives free travel to people who are living with disabilities. The card is usually awarded to individuals receiving a certain level of disability benefit, such as Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Adult Disability Payment (ADP), Child Disability Payment (CDP), Disability Living Allowance (DLA), or Attendance Allowance.
However, those with a Blue Badge could qualify. When you apply for the National Entitlement Card, you will either need your Blue badge or your latest V11 vehicle licensing reminder from DVLA or DLA404 from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Meanwhile, the Transport Scotland website states: “A valid Blue Badge issued outside Scotland, in the rest of the UK or by the authorities of another EU member state will be acceptable.”
There are several groups of people who qualify for a Blue Badge in the UK. They are:
- Those under 16 and have a letter confirming your eligibility from your visual impairment care team
- Those 16 or over and registered or certified as severely sight impaired
- Those hwo get the higher rate of the mobility component of DLA
- Those who get PIP and scored 8 points or more in the ‘moving around’ area of your assessment
- Those who get PIP and scored 12 points in the ‘planning and following a journey’ area of your assessment
- Those who get PIP and used to get the higher rate of the mobility component of DLA on an indefinite or lifetime basis
- Those who get PIP, used to get the higher rate of the mobility component of DLA, and your PIP decision is being appealed
- Those who get Adult Disability Payment and have been awarded either 8 points or more in the Moving Around activity or 12 points in the Planning and Following a Journey activity or enhanced rate mobility without reference to points
- Those who get the higher rate of the mobility component of Child Disability Payment
- Those who get War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement
- Those who got a lump sum payment from tariffs 1 to 8 of the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme and have been certified as having a permanent and substantial disability
Others might be eligible for Blue Badges in certain circumstances. For example, this includes:
- People with a substantial disability lasting at least 12 months which means you cannot walk at all
- People with a substantial disability lasting at least 12 months which means you’re virtually unable to walk
- People who regularly drive and cannot use parking meters because of a severe disability in both arms
- People who are responsible for a child under 3 years old who needs to be kept close to a vehicle for medical treatment
- People who are responsible for a child under 3 years old who uses bulky medical equipment that cannot be carried around
- People with a mental health condition, which means they lack awareness about the danger of traffic when making journeys
For residents in Scotland, full guidance on eligibility for the National Entitlement Card can be found on MyGov.Scot here.
