Blue badge parking fraud on the rise, investigation finds

An investigation into blue badge crime shows there are more fake parking badges than ever before. 

Blue badges allow disabled people to parking in specially adapted, designated bays which are closer to their destination.

But fraud investigators warn the badges are being faked, doctored, stolen and sold online.

The investigators are also finding people are using blue nadges belonging to family members when the badge holder isn’t present. 

Some people are even using badges from deceased relatives which is illegal.

Finding more fake badges than ever, Paul Slowey, from the Blue Badge Fraud Investigation (BBFI) agency, told the BBC the scheme is being ‘thoroughly abused’ by those wanting free parking.

In May, the Daily Mail reported blue badge crime has increased by 1,000 per cent in less than a decade, highlighting a ‘serious and growing problem of fraud and abuse’.

Fraud investigators are warning that the badges are being faked, doctored, stolen and sold online and that there are ‘more fake badges than ever before’

Blue badges are free in Wales, cost £10 in England and £20 in Scotland and usually last up to three years.

Blue badges let you park for free, usually for as long as you need (although this can depend on the local area).

As of March 2023, Government figures show there were 2.57 million blue badges held in England – an increase of 5.7 per cent compared to the previous year. 

This represents one in twenty of the population holding a Blue Badge.

But instances of reported abuse of the scheme have grown from hundreds per year in 2016 to over 3,500 cases by 2023. 

Misuse, fraud, and theft are rampant as people want to avoid the hefty premium parking costs.

Thieves and fraudsters sell badges on for hundreds of pounds as they are highly desirable when parking in parts of the UK, notably London, can costs as much as £5.90 an hour. 

In May Daily Mail revealed instances of reported abuse of the blue badge scheme have grown from hundreds per year in 2016 to over 3,500 cases by 2023

The British Parking Association (BPA) said in a statement in May that the startlingly high instances of misuse and fraud by dishonest motorists are ‘undermining the integrity of the scheme’ and making ‘day to day life more difficult for those who genuinely need it’.

Mr Slowey who runs the BBFI agency, a community interest company situated in Brighton and Hove that helps local councils check blue badges are being used correctly, is among those calling for more enforcement to help check and seize badges with the hope it will lead to prosecutions.

The Local Government Association told the BBC that councils will do what they can, but they have to take into account a number of competing priorities when using their limited resources to take enforcement action against blue badge fraud.

A DfT spokesperson told us: ‘Exploitation and abuse of the Blue Badge scheme is completely unacceptable – it is an essential resource that helps many people with disabilities or health conditions travel with confidence, enabling them to park closer to their destination.

‘We are supporting the police in tackling this issue by working closely with local authorities, who have strengthened powers to help them tackle fraud and misuse in their area.’

The most common type of abuse is the presumed ‘innocent’ act of ‘borrowing granny’s badge’ to take advantage of free and convenient parking

What are the most common forms of blue badge crime? 

National Blue Badge – an enforcement agency working on behalf of local authorities to identify misuse – identified a range of abuse between 2016 and 2023: Intentional theft, organised fraud, producing and selling counterfeit badges online, and using deceased people’s badges were all common.

The most common type of abuse though is the presumed ‘innocent’ act of ‘borrowing granny’s badge’ to take advantage of free and convenient parking.

But it’s not innocent because for every badge being misused, a space has been denied to a genuine badge holder, potentially preventing them from attending appointments, socialising and being able to get around independently, the report said.

The BPA wants local authorities and councils to be given greater ability and mechanisms to effectively tackle the issue and put a stop to this ongoing abuse.