For people who have problems walking outside their home
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) Mobility - available if you are under 65 years of age when you first claim.
Claim from the Disability Benefits Centre - 0845 712 3456, or from the free Benefit Enquiry Line - 0800 882 200.
War Pensioners
You may be able to claim a mobility supplement if you have walking problems caused by your war disablement. You can claim this at any age.
Claim! For more information ring War Pensions Helpline - 0800 169 22 77, or textphone 0800 169 3458.
The Blue Badge Parking Scheme
The Blue Badge Parking scheme (external website) is for people who have severe walking difficulties or are registered blind. You qualify if:
- You get higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance, or
- You get War Pensioner's mobility supplement, or
- You are registered blind, or
- You have a specially adapted vehicle or get a grant towards a vehicle like this.
- In other cases you need to give details of your G.P. on the application form and you will be contacted for a medical assessment.
Apply for a Blue Badge online (external website) or get an application form from St George's Office, Barrack Street, Hulme, Manchester M15 4ER, phone 819 1993, or textphone 834 4201.
Exemption from Road Tax
If you get the higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or War Pensioners' Mobility Supplement (WPMS), you, or your appointee, or someone you choose to nominate in your place, can apply for exemption from Vehicle Excise Duty (VED), better known as road tax.
If you have not been sent an application form, contact the Disability Benefits Unit, (for DLA) on 0845 712 3456, or the War Veterans Agency on 0800 169 2277 (for WPMS).
Free Travel on Buses, Trains and the Metrolink
National concessionary travel pass
The Concessionary Bus Travel Act states that everyone aged 60 and over in England can get free off-peak travel on all local buses anywhere in England from April 2008.
The national concessionary travel pass replaces concessionary passes that we issued before April 2008. If you have an old-style paper pass and want to continue to travel for free or for the current standard concessionary fare, you must get a new-style plastic national travel pass.
For futher information on who qualifies and how to get a pass see GMPTE (external website).
If you are disabled, you may be entitled to free travel on buses, trains and Metrolink trams, or to Travel Vouchers which provide cheaper taxi travel, no matter how old you are. For more information, please phone our Travel Concessions department on 0161 244 1050 and ask for a leaflet.
Help with Taxi Fares
If you are registered blind, get the high rate of mobility for Disability Living Allowance or have serious walking difficulties and cannot use ordinary buses you may be able to get travel vouchers instead of a travel pass. These vouchers entitle you to use taxis at a third of the normal cost of fares.
For more information, contact GMPTE, see above.
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Information Provider:
Manchester Advice
Date Written:
September 2005
Date Reviewed:
13 April 2006
This information is for guidance only and is not an authoritative statement on the law. Please read our Terms and Conditions.
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