Advice about blue badges - foreign visitors

[Bryonyberries]

I have a friend in the US who has a disabled badge and when I visited her she had a card she had to hang off the rear view mirror in the way we leave a badge on the dashboard.

She is hoping to visit next year. Is she able to use her disabled badge/card here in the UK in my car to help us with parking? Her disability is obviously considered bad enough for support in the US so she will obviously need help during her visit here too.

Would we need to apply for anything here if her badge isn't valid here?

Just wondered if anyone knew or had experience of where I could find out.

No chance as this is not accessible to overseas visitors.

You could check out accessible UK tourism options as these will give details of accessing visitor attractions, if such an a private attraction MIGHT extend their disabled parking for exceptional overseas needs and so on. It might be worth looking at accessible taxis that could provide a set down and collect transport option if you are considering accessing options that are available from public roads.

focusondisability.co.uk/disabled-travel-motoring-parking/blue-badge-scheme/#:~:text=Disabled%20visitors%20to%20the%20UK,entirely%20at%20their%20own%20discretion.

I'd contact your local authority, they'd be the ones to issue blue badges so would know the rules. I think you can use European ones (well, you could pre-Brexit, not sure about now) but don't know about other countries.

It's logical that she should be able to use it given that she's unlikely to be miraculously stripped of her disability on the flight over, but when were local councils ever logical?!

Her ability to walk is affected so we need to be able to park close to shops, hotel or attraction entry points, as an example. We may have to get hold of a wheelchair too.

Also we want want to visit different areas of the UK so not just based in one county.

US disabled badges are not valid in the UK so your friend can't use it in your car. There isn't a temporary one for visitors either.

This isn't true. My parents have used their Cdn badge here with no problems. I usually read the fine print in the car parks. I contested the one ticket we've had over 20 years of using it during their visits and it was cancelled no problems.

You can hire a wheelchair through the Red Cross or maybe a local mobility shop. I hired a scooter for a holiday this year - thoroughly recommend these people if you're in the north east.

Edited link.

So did mine and got a ticket. Aren’t most blue badges linked to a specific car though? So car and badge wouldn’t match so authorities are in their rights to issue a ticket?

Many attractions will allow use of accessible parking without a Blue Badge. Also you may be able to borrow wheelchairs or mobility scooters on site, like at National Trust venues.

Aren’t most blue badges linked to a specific car though?

Not in the UK, no.

I don't think our uk badges are car specific but person specific. Both me and my brother would take mum out in our cars before she passed away with her badge used in whichever car she travelled in.

Thank you for your replies everyone. It seems to be a bit of a mix of thoughts on it but I will look at some of your links too.

Response was to the question asking about the possibility of a UK Blue Badge for an overseas visitor. Checked with disability networks. Some councils cause more headaches than others for blue badge users. had to appeal more than once. Private car parks may allow you to park in designated spaces but still charge and road parking can be very restricted. Despite the rumours of improved accessibility the reality is patchy as heck across the country.

Post surgery recently I’ve asked to borrow a wheelchair at place like the National Trust. They’ve been super helpful, often giving us accessible parking/providing a buggy transport/bringing a wheelchair to the car. Shopping malls or supermarkets let you borrow one free. This was all a great help when I needed it. Ask in advance of your trips out and places will reserve one etc.

Ring the council and ask advice from them. They issue the blue badges.

BB aren't linked to cars,they're linked to the person who needs it.

Ah okay wasn’t sure. Thanks for the clarification.