Disclosure Log

Blue Badge Independent Mobility Assessment Process (FOI/8527)

Message from Nottinghamshire County Council - 04 September 2026

Dear Requester,
Request FOI/8527
Further to your request received on 1^st September 2026, I confirm that the Council has now considered your request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA).

Questions & Answers)

Does the council rely on externally commissioned services or employ in-house assessors for blue badge Independent Mobility Assessments

The Council does not routinely use Independent Mobility Assessments as part of its Blue Badge application process. The Department for Transport guidance explains that detailed information and supporting evidence provided through the application process may enable a local authority to determine eligibility through a desk-based assessment, avoiding the need for an impartial mobility assessment.

The guidance states that referral to an expert assessor is unnecessary where the available information makes it self-evident that the applicant either meets or does not meet the eligibility criteria. It further explains that an expert assessor would be appointed only where the authority cannot satisfy itself, from the evidence available, whether the applicant meets the criteria, and that such appointments are anticipated to be by exception.

The Council’s established desk-based assessment process enables most applications to be determined fairly and consistently without referral for an Independent Mobility Assessment. Where a clear and robust decision could not be reached from the available information, the need for further assessment would be considered.

If you use an externally commissioned service, could you provide the name of this service provider

N/A

If the council internally employs in-house assessors, please specify the number of clinically trained assessors and administrative staff who work on blue badge applications

N/A

Do you collaborate with local GP services or NHS trusts to conduct blue badge assessments

We do not make direct contact with GP or NHS trusts as it is the applicant’s responsibility to provide the necessary supporting evidence with their application. However, we do have access to social care records and an NHS health portal for basic information as required.

How many of your applications are received through the .gov blue badge digital portal

84%

How many applications are received direct to the council outside of the .gov blue badge digital portal process

Phone applications – 14%
Call Backs – 2%

Do members of the blue badge administration team fill out an application on either the .gov blue badge digital portal, or an internal form on behalf of an applicant that feels they are unable to do it themselves

Yes – we offer a call back service for customers who are identified as having no internet access or support available to assists them in applying. On average this is around 3.5% of our customers. They will receive a call back from a customer service advisor who will run through the application process with them and directly type the customers responses into the Gov.UK application form so that the form still reaches the team as a digital entry for consistency.

Do you use an internal digital case management system for blue badge applications If so, what is the name of this system

Nottinghamshire County Council can neither confirm nor disclose the name of the internal system used to administer and manage Blue Badge applications, as this information is exempt from disclosure under Section 31(1)(a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, where disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the prevention or detection of crime.

The Blue Badge scheme is susceptible to misuse and fraud, including the creation of fraudulent applications, unauthorised access attempts, and the misuse of genuine badges. Disclosure of the specific software and case management systems used by the Council would reveal details of the Council’s operational infrastructure and could assist individuals seeking to exploit vulnerabilities, circumvent system controls, or target the administration of the scheme. This would be likely to prejudice the Council’s ability to prevent and detect fraud and other criminal activity associated with Blue Badge administration.

The Information Commissioner recognises that Section 31 may apply where disclosure would reveal information about operational procedures or systems which could undermine a public authority’s ability to prevent or detect crime, and that authorities may take account of the cumulative or "mosaic" effect of disclosures when assessing prejudice.

Public Interest Test
As Section 31 is a qualified exemption, the Council has considered the public interest in disclosure against the public interest in maintaining the exemption.

Factors favouring disclosure

Promotes openness and transparency regarding the Council’s administration of the Blue Badge scheme.
Increases public understanding of the systems used to deliver Council services.
Assists public accountability regarding the management of applications and decisions.

Factors favouring maintaining the exemption

Protects the Council’s operational systems and reduces the risk of those systems being targeted for fraudulent or criminal purposes.
Supports the prevention and detection of Blue Badge fraud and misuse.
Helps maintain the integrity and security of the Council’s service delivery arrangements.
Avoids the risk of information being combined with other publicly available information to build a more detailed understanding of the Council’s infrastructure and control measures.

Conclusion
The Council considers that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosure. Accordingly, the information requested is withheld under Section 31(1)(a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Information withheld: The name of the internal digital case management system used in connection with Blue Badge administration.

What is your current cost per assessment (i.e. triage, telephone assessment & Independent Mobility Assessment)

The average cost for processing a Blue Badge application is currently £3.79

We hope you find this information useful.
The Council publishes Access to Information requests and responses on its online Disclosure Log. Only requests deemed to be in the public interest will be included and any request included within this log will be de-personalised accordingly.
To view the Council’s Disclosure Log, please visit our website.
Your privacy: we use your personal information such as name and address so that we can comply with our legal obligations to respond to FOI requests. For further details about the use of information about you, please see the information handling privacy notice on our website at:
https://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/media/4323566/informationgovernanceandinformationrightsprivacynotice.pdf

If you are dissatisfied with the handling of your request, you have the right to ask for an internal review. Requests should be submitted within 40 working days of the date of receipt of the response to your original request and should be addressed to: Complaints and Information Team, Nottinghamshire County Council, County Hall, Loughborough Road, West Bridgford, NOTTINGHAM, NG2 7QP or [email protected].

Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, WILMSLOW, SK9 5AF or https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/foi-and-eir-complaints/.

Yours sincerely

Freedom of Information
Complaints and Information Team
Chief Executives Department
Nottinghamshire County Council
The Council is committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring all personal information is kept confidential and safe. For more details see our general and service specific privacy notices at: https://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/global-content/privacy