Suffers of 'hidden disabilities' such as anxiety and Crohn's Disease can now apply for the Blue Badge scheme.
From today (August 30), even more people can now access the scheme which cover those with invisible illnesses including mental health conditions.
The Blue Badge Scheme has been extended by the Government in the hope it will help to make daily tasks of those with 'severe psychological distress' easier.
Around 2.35 million people in the UK currently have blue badge permits because they have physical mobility difficulties or are registered blind, Mirror Online reports.
These permits help them access goods and services by allowing them to park closer to their destination.
Under the changes, more people with invisible disabilities will be able to benefit from this, making everyday tasks easier and reducing loneliness and isolation.
But despite the new criteria, local authorities will still have the final say on who does and does not qualify.
Scotland and Wales have already implemented similar rules to include some mental impairments, but the criteria is yet to be altered in Northern Ireland.
The UK Government said it would provide an extra £1.7million to help councils cope with the expected increase in applications.
Under the new guidance, permits will be extended to those with hidden disabilities, including:
- People who cannot travel without risk of serious harm to their health and safety or someone else's (such as young children with autism)
- People who cannot travel without "very considerable psychological distress"
- People who have very considerable difficulty when walking, meaning "both the physical act and experience of walking"
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said he hoped the change would make "a real difference to people's lives".
"As a society we don't do enough for people with hidden disabilities," he said.
The changes follow an 8-week consultation in 2018 and forms part of the Government's drive for greater parity between physical and mental health.
It will also include a review into how councils can tackle Blue Badge fraud which has risen by 45% in the past twelve months.
