Newham Council has launched a new blue badge for people with disabilities to combat fraud and forgeries

Newham Council has launched a new blue badge for people with disabilities to combat fraud and forgeries

All badges are now being printed electronically and will have security features such as a hologram and serial number - much like a photocard driving license, making them harder to alter, copy or forge than previous cardboard versions. Once issued, they will be valid for a three year period and as part of the changes to the scheme customers can now apply for and renew a badge online via the Direct.gov and the Newham.gov.uk websites. For customers with general enquiries a new national helpline has been introduced to signpost callers to the relevant local authority

A �10 fee for these new blue badges will cover the cost of issuing and producing the badges.

The changes to the scheme are part of the Government’s national Blue Badge reform to improve the administration of the scheme, making it easier to stop fraudulent production and illegal use of the badges and ensuring only genuine users benefit from the scheme.

Councillor Joy Laguda, Executive Member for Older People, said: “The blue badge scheme helps people with disabilities retain their independence, which makes an enormous difference to their quality of life.

“Sadly, fraudulent use of blue badges is widespread, and these changes will tackle this by making it much harder for someone to use a badge that they are not entitled to use.”