Blue Badge holders urged to to claim £195 saving this month

Significant changes to road tax are set to come into effect next month, potentially impacting Blue Badge holders across the UK. From 1st April, the standard rate of road tax for cars registered after April 2017 will increase by £5 to £195 annually, with the exact amount varying depending on the year of registration and fuel type.

Electric vehicles, previously exempt from road tax, will now be subject to it. EVs registered from April 2025 will pay a minimal rate of £10 in the first year, before moving to the standard rate - this will also apply to EVs first registered after April 2017.

Disabled individuals can claim an exemption when applying for vehicle tax. However, Matt Fieldhouse, Car Expert at Mobility in Motion, is urging Blue Badge holders who registered an EV in the past eight years to check their exemption entitlement now or risk losing out on a saving of £195.

Matt explained: "An estimated 1.35 million disabled drivers reliant on public charging points for their EVs or hybrid vehicles could wrongly fork out £195 in road tax this April. The introduction of this new tax for vehicles registered in the last eight years could see Blue Badge holders incorrectly paying up to £250m in road tax across the UK."

It's crucial to note that many Blue Badge holders in the UK may be exempt from paying vehicle tax. According to GOV.UK, this is the case if you already get:

There's also a 50 per cent discount available for those who receive PIP standard rate mobility component or the ADP standard rate mobility component.

Blue Badge holders must also be aware that there are stipulations when it comes to claiming this exemption:

Matt highlights certain rules Blue Badge holders need to follow when seeking this benefit: "If you are claiming this exemption for a vehicle for the first time, this must be claimed at a Post Office that manages vehicle tax. To find your local Post Office to apply for an exemption, use the Post Office branch finder here and choose 'vehicle tax' from the menu. Alternatively, you can call the Post Office and ask for the closest branch to you that deals with vehicle tax."

If you struggle with your mobility due to a physical disability, health condition, or ailments like dementia, autism or Parkinson’s disease, getting hold of a Blue Badge might just make life a bit easier, allowing you to park up closer to your destination.

Drivers and passengers with a Blue Badge can take advantage of free parking in disabled bays and may also be clear of some other parking charges.

Want to get one?

You can apply for a Blue Badge online, or by contacting the Department for Infrastructure's Blue Badge Unit on 0300 200 7818 and requesting a paper form.

The processing time for new applications or Blue Badge renewals can take approximately 8 weeks, and applications cost £10.

With a Blue Badge, you can park in certain restricted areas for free, including at on-street parking meters, in pay and display bays, in disabled parking spaces, and on single and double yellow lines if there are no loading restrictions.

Your Blue Badge is also valid in most other countries. If you're using your Blue Badge in England or Wales, you will need to use a parking clock - this comes with your Blue Badge. The Timer Clock is a plastic dial with hands that can be adjusted to show the time of parking arrival.

To apply for a Blue Badge, you'll need to submit an online application to the Department for Infrastructure. You'll need one recent photograph which you should sign on the back. It should be a colour passport-type photograph (head and shoulders) or any suitable photograph cut down to 45mm in height and 35mm in width.

For more information on how to apply for a Blue Badge, click here.

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

Story Saved

You can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.