A congestion charge operates in central London. It is designed to reduce traffic congestion and speed up travel within the area. Vehicles which drive within the clearly defined area of central London between 7am and 6pm Monday to Friday have to pay a daily congestion charge (between £9 and £12 depending on how you pay), but people with disabilities can apply for an exemption. This allows the vehicle you use to enter and leave the congestion charge zone as often as you like on the day.
Exemptions
Not everyone has to pay the congestion charge for central London. Vehicles that are used by people with a disability and those that are exempt from road tax do not have to pay.
If you use a vehicle with a Blue Badge permit for the person you look after you can apply for a 100% discount on the congestion charge. You can do this by registering the vehicle with Transport for London (TfL), which runs the congestion charge scheme.
You don't need to own or drive a vehicle in order to register for the 100% discount. It can be a vehicle that you often travel in. You can register up to two vehicles that you would normally use to transport the person you are looking after into and around central London.
How to apply
As a carer you can apply for the 100% discount on behalf of the person you look after. You must complete a registration form (see External links) and be issued with a discount registration approval letter in order to get the discount. Once you receive the registration approval letter, you can use the vehicle stated on the letter to travel in the congestion charge zone without paying the daily charge, until the Blue Badge permit expiry date.
There is a £10 registration fee when you apply for the registration approval letter for the first time. You can renew the registration without charge once your Blue Badge permit expires. However, you must do this within 90 days of receiving your new Blue Badge, otherwise you will have to pay the £10 registration fee again. The 100% discount applies to the Blue Badge permit holder and not the vehicle they use.
To apply for the registration approval letter you will need:
- a photocopy of the Blue Badge permit,
- a photocopy of one document of additional proof for the permit holder (such as a driving licence or marriage certificate),
- a completed registration form, and
- a £10 registration fee.
If the person you look after doesn't have a Blue Badge permit, check with TfL about other discounts (for example, by using a vehicle powered by alternative fuels or because the person you are looking after lives within the congestion charge zone).