Over the past four years, North Somerset has seen a surge in blue badge misuse, with more than 7,000 penalty charge notices (PCNs) issued for parking violations involving invalid or misused blue badges.
Data obtained via a Freedom of Information request to North Somerset Council by Witan Solicitors revealed that between January 2021 and December 2025, a total of 7,198 PCNs were served for parking without a valid blue badge. Additionally, 396 blue badges were seized during this period.
Blue badges are official permits granted to individuals with disabilities to enable closer parking to their destinations. Unfortunately, these permits are frequently stolen, counterfeited, or misused by people who are not eligible.
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Qarrar Somji, solicitor-advocate and director of Witan Solicitors, emphasized the seriousness of this issue: “Blue badge misuse constitutes criminal fraud, depriving those with genuine needs of essential parking access. Misuse includes using a badge when the holder is not present, exploiting lost, stolen, or expired badges, altering badges, or using badges of deceased individuals — all of which intentionally exploit the system.”
Somji warned about the alarming trend of fake and stolen blue badges being sold online to ineligible individuals, highlighting the need for increased public awareness.
Witan Solicitors are keen to clarify that disabled people who lawfully hold blue badges are not responsible for this misuse. Somji added, “Obtaining a blue badge is not easy for those without higher-rate mobility benefits. The eligibility criteria demand a substantial disability, making it nearly impossible to fake or fraudulently obtain a badge. It’s important to understand that many disabilities are not visible, and those who hold blue badges legitimately depend on them.”
The consequences of blue badge misuse can be severe, including fines up to £1,000, criminal records, and confiscation of the offending badge.
North Somerset Council was contacted for comment on this issue.