Figures show scale of county's blue badge misuse

Just 10 of the 120 people in Norfolk reported for misusing blue badges in the last financial year were prosecuted, figures show.

Court action by the county council resulted in rule-breakers being ordered to pay £10,326 in fines and costs, according to an annual report by its blue badge investigator.

Graham Footer, chief executive of charity Disabled Motoring UK, said enforcement was vital and he warned that misuse of disabled bays was a problem in car parks that were not monitored by inspectors.

The council said court action was a last resort and dozens of people had been issued with warnings.

The figures from April 2025 to April 2026 were revealed as blue badge users complained to the BBC about long waits to hear if applications had been successful and problems proving that they meet the strict requirements.

Blue badges are disabled parking cards issued by local authorities to help people with mobility issues park closer to the services they need.

On average, Norfolk County Council said it issued 15,000 blue badges to residents each year.

But Footer said across the UK the scheme was open to abuse. He said people used fake badges, expired ones or even badges originally given to relatives who had since died.

According to annual reports from the past five years from the council's blue badge inspector, the number of people reported for misusing blue badges has risen since the 2021/2022 financial year by nearly 17%, going up from 103 to 120 in 2025/2026.

In that five-year period, there have been 529 reports of misuse, resulting in 217 people receiving warnings, 129 blue badges being seized and no action being taken against 177 people. The council reported 47 people to other agencies.

People prosecuted for misusing blue badges in court have been ordered to pay a total of £48,445 since 2021.

In the 2025/2026 financial year, fraudsters prosecuted had been caught using badges given to their deceased grandmother, mother or partner.

A council spokesperson said taking people to court was a "last resort" and it was time consuming to prove offences had been committed.

They added: "It's really important that blue badge abuse is reported to us and we will always take any reports of misuse seriously.

"Misuse has real consequences. These spaces are vital for those who genuinely need them, and we will take action to protect that."

About 3.07 million blue badges were held nationwide by March 2025 - an increase of 228,000 (8%) compared with 31 March 2024, according to the Department for Transport (DfT).

Footer said this equated to about 52 blue badge users competing for each disabled bay in the country.

"That is a big problem - there is a huge pressure on bays already before you start considering misuse," he said.

Genuine disabled motorists may find they cannot park, forcing them to cancel plans and miss health appointments.

He said: "It is highly frustrating for disabled motorists, especially for those with complex disabilities."

He added that enforcement was essential.

"We know from our research if people know enforcement is not there, then abuse of blue badges will take place," Footer said.

He added that, in his view, Norfolk was "pretty good" at investigating misuse compared to other areas.

Misuse was highlighted by Disabled Motoring UK's Baywatch campaign, which found a staggering number of disabled bays being misused at supermarkets, where there is less enforcement compared to council-owned car parks.

A survey carried out last year showed up to 97% of disabled bays surveyed were being used by people without blue badges at one supermarket chain.

Footer said misuse was rife at privately-managed car parks that relied on cameras to check if drivers were paying for parking tickets.

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