Thousands of pounds in fines and costs were handed out to 9 blue badge fraudsters by Ealing Magistrates’ Court last week.

One offender told the court they bought the blue badge from a social messaging platform for £250, to use for convenience. The court fined them £704 and ordered them to pay £1,085.25 in court costs, and a victim surcharge of £282.

In total, the fraudsters were ordered to pay nearly £4,000 in fines and court costs. They landed in court following enforcement action by Ealing Council.

Dozens of misused blue badges are seized by the council every month, so it is cracking down further on the fraudsters who take away disabled residents’ access to the essential parking spaces they rely on, as well as introducing changes to improve parking for blue badge users.

Since April 2025, the council has taken court action against more than 115 fraudsters. resulting in fines of more than £20,000. They were also ordered to pay costs totalling more than £70,000, and £8,310 in victim surcharge costs.

What is a blue badge?

A blue badge is a parking concession given to people with conditions that impact their mobility. It allows them, and their carers, to park in spots closer to their destination, where other motorists are not permitted.

Badges can only be used by the person they are issued to, or by someone transporting them. Using it in any other way is a criminal offence and can lead to a fine of up to £1,000, and even prison.

The council’s enforcement officers use mobile phone applications linked to the Department for Transport database, allowing them to verify instantly whether a badge is valid, cancelled or reported stolen.

For the first time, police teams in the borough can also carry out on-the-spot blue badge checks without needing to contact the council, speeding up identification of misuse.

Improvements for blue badge users

Alongside enforcement, the council has introduced a package of changes to improve access and reduce costs for disabled residents:

• free Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) permits for blue badge holders now last 3 years instead of 1, reducing paperwork and inconvenience
• disabled bay permits are now free and renewed every 3 years, rather than annually with a £35 fee
• blue badge applications are now free for residents with a terminal illness, removing financial pressure for those facing extremely difficult circumstances

CPZ permits allow blue badge holders to park outside their home without needing to display a badge in their car, reducing thefts of badges left in cars overnight. These permits are only available to blue badge holders who live within a restricted parking area and are only valid within that specific zone.

‘We will continue to pursue offenders’

Council Leader Peter Mason said: “The blue badge service is vital for disabled people to access the support they need and deserve. It is our goal to make sure that those who need support receive it by slashing the bureaucracy and red tape.

“These improvements will make life easier for those who need support, while our tougher enforcement makes sure that access is not stolen by people who choose to cheat the system.”

Councillor Paul Driscoll, the council’s cabinet member for climate action, added: “Every badge falsely used is a disabled person deprived of the access they need. We will continue to pursue offenders with the severity needed to uphold fairness for those who rely on these spaces.”

If you have a disability, you can check if you are eligible for a Blue Badge on the government’s website. If you are eligible, you can apply for one on the council’s website.

If you suspect someone of using a Blue Badge fraudulently or want to report your Blue Badge as lost or stolen, you can call the council on 0800 328 6453.