Amid sweeping changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) rules, six groups will continue to qualify automatically for the Blue Badge scheme, which allows easier parking access for people with disabilities in the UK.
The government confirmed that forthcoming reforms will target the daily living component of PIP but leave the mobility component, which determines Blue Badge entitlement, untouched.
The announcement follows a broader pledge by Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall to refocus disability support “on those in greatest need” while ensuring the system remains sustainable.
While many feared repercussions for related support services, such as parking and transport assistance, core eligibility for the Blue Badge remains unchanged — at least for now.
PIP Reforms to Affect Daily Living Support Only
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed that new legislation will come into effect in November 2026, altering the way individuals qualify for the daily living element of PIP.
To be eligible, claimants will need to score at least four points in a single activity category. This is a shift from the current cumulative points-based approach and is designed to prioritise individuals with the most significant impairments.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Liz Kendall ruled out means testing, PIP freezes or voucher-based alternatives, rejecting several previously proposed Conservative reforms.
“This Government will not bring in the Tory proposals for vouchers because disabled people should have choice and control over their lives.” she said.
While the mobility element remains untouched in this reform, the changes sparked concerns that eligibility for support services linked to PIP might shift.
However, according to existing DWP guidance, automatic Blue Badge entitlement is tied specifically to the mobility component — not the daily living part — meaning no immediate change for those who qualify on mobility grounds.
Six Groups Remain Automatically Eligible Under Existing Rules
Under current legislation, individuals aged three or over qualify for a Blue Badge automatically if they fall into one of six specific categories.
According to the DWP, these include recipients of the higher rate of the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and those receiving PIP with eight or more points in the ‘moving around’ section of the mobility assessment.
Other qualifying groups include individuals registered blind, those who receive the War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement, recipients of Armed Forces and Reserve Forces Compensation Scheme lump sum benefits within tariff levels 1–8, and claimants who score 10 points under descriptor E of the ‘planning and following journeys’ activity due to severe psychological distress.
While Liberal Democrat MP Vikki Slade raised questions about whether these reassessments might affect Blue Badge eligibility or other Department for Transport provisions, Kendall responded that the matter was under review, and she would follow up directly.
