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UK Cancels 22,000 Blue Badges After Holders’ Deaths in Fraud Crackdown

Officials credit data‑matching plus AI for flagging permits that stayed active after bereavement.

Overview

  • Cabinet Office officials said the cancellations followed checks that found some permits reused or traded by relatives after a holder died.
  • The wider anti‑fraud programme recovered £480 million in the last year, attributed to central data‑matching and an AI tool.
  • Ministers described an illegal market for Blue Badges, while acknowledging the department lacks a UK‑wide tally of deliberate misuse.
  • Local councils handle enforcement and keep case‑level data, resulting in varied safeguards and penalties across authorities.
  • Stakeholders warn misuse limits access for genuine users and may cost taxpayers up to £800 per improperly active badge in lost fees and charges.