Help with your Blue Badge application

Get help with your Blue Badge application, including sending documents by post or paying over the phone.

How to apply for a Blue Badge

The only way to apply is by using the online form. But, when you go through the online form, you have the option to post paper copies of your documents or pay by phone.

Help to apply for a badge

If you need help with the online form, you can:

Send documents by post

As you go through the online form, it will ask you to upload a recent passport style photo and some documents.

If you cannot scan or take photos of them, you can post paper copies to:

Blue Badge Team
PO Box 657
Leeds
LS1 9BS

Make sure you send copies of your documents. We cannot return originals. 

If we do not get your documents within six months of when you submit your online form, your application will be deleted and you will need to reapply.

Documents to send

The online form will tell you which documents we need from you. It’s best to make a note of them as you go through the application.

As a guide, we usually ask for:

A recent passport size photo

The photo must be:           

  • recent, taken within the last six months
  • a good quality image, with no filters or editing
  • showing the applicant's head and shoulders
  • ideally against a plain background
Proof of identity

To prove your identity you can send a copy of either:           

  • birth or adoption certificate
  • passport
  • driving licence
  • marriage or civil partnership certificate
  • divorce or dissolution certificate

If you are registered blind then you do not need to supply this proof.           

Proof of address

To prove your address you can send a copy of either:           

  • a recent council tax bill, that's less than three months old
  • a recent letter from a government department such as Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), that's less than three months old
  • driving licence
  • a recent letter from a school (if you are under 16), that's less than three months old
  • a rent book or tenancy agreement
Proof of benefits (if it qualifies you for a badge)

If you qualify automatically because you get a certain benefit, you will need to provide proof of it. Find out how to provide proof of your benefit.             

Proof of terminal illness

If you qualify for a Blue Badge because you have a terminal illness, you will need to provide proof of terminal illness, such as an SR1 form or letter from a doctor or specialist, such as a Macmillan nurse.    

Proof of eligibility (if you do not automatically qualify)

If you do not automatically qualify, you may need to provide supporting documents to help your application. The more proof and information you can give, the stronger your application will be. This could be:             

  • letters from specialists, for example gastroenterologists, psychiatrists, paediatricians, social workers and special educational needs coordinators (SENCOs)
  • diagnosis letters
  • medical reports, for example behavioural reports
  • information about ongoing treatments
  • copies of prescriptions
  • an Educational Health Care Plan (EHCP), if you're applying for a child

Pay by phone

It's quicker to pay for your badge online when you complete the online Blue Badge application form. But if you have problems, you can pay by phone instead. 

Pay by phone using your debit or credit card.

0113 222 4444

(Monday to Friday, midday to 3pm)

Waiting times

It can take six to eight weeks to process your application if you automatically qualify. If not, it can take longer and we might contact you for more medical evidence or to arrange an assessment.

It can take much longer if we do not get all the information we need, such as supporting documents or details of doctors we may need to contact.

Appeal a Blue Badge refusal

If you are refused a Blue Badge, and want to challenge the decision, you can appeal to have your application reviewed. You might also want to appeal because your needs have changed since you first applied. It will help your appeal if you can provide new information that shows how you qualify for a badge.

If it has been more than 9 months since you were assessed, you may be advised to reapply rather than appeal the decision. 

The full appeals process is on the refusal letter we send to you. You can start your appeal through the complaints department, by phone on 0113 378 3080, by emailing complaints.SOCS@leeds.gov.uk or by post - Adults and Health, PO Box 848, Complaints, Leeds, LS1 9PQ.