Welsh Government pledges to end repeated Blue Badge reassessments
A North Wales Member of the Senedd has welcomed a commitment from the Welsh Government to simplify and reform the Blue Badge renewal process for people with lifelong disabilities and long-term health conditions.
The move follows a campaign led by Carolyn Thomas MS to end repeated reassessments for those whose conditions will never improve.
During First Minister’s Questions, Ms Thomas pressed the First Minister to overhaul what she described as a stressful and bureaucratic system that places unnecessary burdens on vulnerable people.
She referenced a Senedd petition signed by more than 1,600 people across Wales calling for lifelong Blue Badges for those with lifelong diagnoses. The proposal gained cross-party support, including from Mark Isherwood MS, Chair of the Cross-Party Group on Disability.
Speaking in the Senedd, Ms Thomas said:
“I have supported many residents through the application process, and it can be really challenging and stressful – especially for those that are already vulnerable.”
She suggested that local authorities should add a ‘not for reassessment’ marker on databases for eligible applicants, meaning future renewals would only require an updated photograph and proof of address.
In response, Eluned Morgan, the First Minister, confirmed that the Welsh Government is reinforcing and strengthening the ‘not for reassessment’ route, supported by new guidance and training for councils.
Morgan said that for people with lifelong conditions that significantly affect mobility, “it is incompassionate” to require repeated reassessments. She confirmed that once a council is satisfied a person will always meet the criteria, future renewals should only require ID, address details, and a photograph – with no further medical evidence or paperwork.
Welcoming the announcement, Carolyn Thomas said:
“This is an important step forward for disabled people and their families across Wales. For years, vulnerable people with lifelong conditions have been put through needless stress, forced to repeatedly prove circumstances that will never change. I am pleased that the Welsh Government has listened to our calls for reform, and I will continue to work with campaigners and local authorities to ensure the new system is implemented consistently.”
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