According to the latest government statistics, Blue Badge theft has risen by nearly 45% over the past 5 years. In this blog we dig deeper into the facts to discover how councils and organisations can work together to reduce blue badge theft.
What are Blue Badges?
Blue Badges are offered to people living with disabilities and other relevant conditions so they can park closer to their destination to make travel, work, and life in general more manageable.
If you need a Blue Badge, you can apply through Gov.uk for a badge to display in your vehicle. You can also apply on the behalf of a loved one or someone in your organisation, if suitable.
With the rise in Blue Badge misuse and theft, organisations such as The National Agency for Blue Badge Fraud Investigations (BBFI) work to support those who experience issues with Blue Badge fraud and partner with local authorities to reduce misuse.
Blue Badge statistics 2022.
The Department of Transport has just published 2022 statistics that reveal there are approximately 2.43 million people* (4.3% of the population in England) that are entitled to a Blue Badge without further assessment.
Only 41%* of these Blue Badge eligible people actively hold a Blue Badge. This shows that not everyone who is eligible for one is applying and exercising their rights.
How many Blue Badges are stolen?
The latest data demonstrates that in the year running to March 2022, 6,183 badges were reported as lost or stolen. Breaking this down further, 76% were reported as lost, and 24% as stolen.*
London Borough Council information points to Blue Badge fraud not only costing councils between £5,000-£10,000 per stolen badge each year, but also forcing badge holders who have had theirs stolen to pay hundreds of pounds a year in parking charges.**
All these statistics point to a rising trend in badge theft which is becoming a problem for those people who need a badge to live their lives as they want, and for local or national government organisations trying to uphold the law and protect citizens’ rights.
What is Blue Badge misuse?
Blue Badge misuse involves using a genuine Blue Badge when the badge holder isn’t present. It’s important that badge holders and people that they are in contact with know the appropriate ways to manage their badge so that it’s always used correctly.
Examples of Blue Badge misuse are:
- Parking in the wrong place.
- Using a badge that is no longer valid, reported lost or stolen.
- Letting another person use the badge.
- Using a copied badge.
- Altering the details on the badge.
- Continuing to use the badge when it is no longer needed.
Blue Badge theft – the facts.
It’s true to say that badge misuse has become more common over recent years. However, it’s the noticeable increase in stolen badges that are being used across the country that’s really alarming.
In one of our partner London councils, we seized more than 185 badges over a 5-month period, of which 48% were stolen. Our partnerships with councils are vital in winning the fight against Blue Badge theft and minimising the real-life impacts these crimes have on people living with disabilities and on the wider society.
The truth about Blue Badge theft.
Badge theft disproportionately affects the disabled community across the various regions of the UK.
As featured on BBC Morning Live in April 2023, there are real life cases of disabled people suffering terrible experiences with car windows being smashed so that perpetrators can steal their badges.
There’s no doubt that undergoing such an event is a challenge for those people living with a disability and is an example of the kind of disabled discrimination that characterises this kind of theft.
However, this is not an impossible situation. In fact, there’s help available and plenty that can be done by local authorities and support organisations, such as BBFI, to enforce the badge scheme and root out badge theft more rigorously.
We know from experience that when council teams and partner organisations are seen to be investigating Blue Badge misuse in an area, word gets out and compliance increases as a result.
Transparency and visibility are vital in the process of significantly reducing the occurrence of badge misuse or theft.
Reducing Blue Badge fraud.
It’s not easy to reduce or stop badge fraud and theft from taking place. That’s why we at BBFI – The National Agency for Blue Badge Fraud Investigations collaborate so closely with councils and other organisations to strategically plan for more governance around Blue Badge misuse and to highlight the problems around badge theft, particularly when it affects disabled or vulnerable people.
Working with groups to change negative or fraudulent behaviours is key to changing the mindset with Blue Badge misuse and fraud. At BBFI, we partner with invested groups to help people realise the importance of Blue Badges and why they need to be used responsibly.
One example of this working well is the joint effort between BBFI, Waltham Forest Local Authority and NSL. This collaboration involves the sharing of intelligence and resources to investigate and prosecute offenders.
On a day-to-day basis, the partnership involves a range of activities such as conducting spot checks, reviewing CCTV footage, and responding to reports of suspicious behaviour. Waltham Forest local authority and NSL use handheld devices to check the validity of blue badges, and carry out vehicle checks to ensure that blue badges are being used correctly.
The partnership between the BBFI, Waltham Forest local authority, and NSL is crucial because it helps to protect vulnerable individuals who depend on the Blue Badge scheme. By working together, sharing information and resources, allows for detecting and preventing fraud more effectively. The partnership also sends a strong message that Blue Badge fraud will not be tolerated, which deters potential offenders from committing this crime.
Mehmet Hassan from Waltham Forest Local Authority said: “There are several standout examples of the benefits of the partnership between the BBFI, Waltham Forest, and NSL. One such case involved a woman who had been using her mother’s blue badge after her mother had passed away. The woman was caught by NSL officers, and she was subsequently prosecuted for fraud. This case demonstrates how the partnership can detect and prevent fraud by using intelligence and conducting thorough investigations.”
How we can help.
As a Community Interest Company, BBFI – The National Agency for Blue Badge Fraud Investigations has a team of experienced investigators, including ex or retired police officers who partner with local authorities to investigate and prosecute those that are missing Blue Badges.
Being on the ground and providing support on a local level is just one of the practical ways we help local authorities drive down incidences of Blue Badge misuse. We are also instrumental in gathering evidence for badge prosecution cases.
BBFI are the only agency tackling Blue Badge misuse. Local authorities find partnering with us helps them reduce Blue Badge fraud. If you’re a local authority looking for help in this area, get in touch.
Contact us to find out how we can help to enforce the Blue Badge scheme in your local area to increase compliance and improve safety for local people.
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