Where can I use my permit?
A personal carer’s permit can only be used in residential parking spaces, pay & display with resident bays and Shared Use bays only. It is not valid on yellow lines within the enforceable times of the controlled parking zone (CPZ) or council run car parks. It is only valid for 3 hours within the CPZ of the cared for person.
There is a limit to two permits per cared person’s address. The permit must be displayed clearly on the near side of the windscreen of your vehicle at all times. It can only be used by the carer and is not for use by any other third-party individuals.
To validate this permit, you must display the Carers clock and set it at the time you arrived. You should not re-set your Carer clock once you have parked. Failure to comply with this ruling may lead to the issue of a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN).
The issue of a permit does not guarantee a parking space. The personal carers’ permit is valid for 3, 6 or 12 months.
You are responsible for making sure your vehicle is parked correctly at all times.
This permit does not allow the permit holder to park near his/her regular workplace. You cannot use the personal carers permit in the following
- Doctors bays
- Disabled bays
- Single yellow lines (during the times they operate)
- Double yellow line -24 hours
- Car parks
Eligibility
To protect the interests of genuine applicants the Council has drawn up a list of criteria for eligibility with regards to the issuing of permits.
The criteria must be met for every application:
1. A ‘personal carers’ permit can only be applied for if a ‘carer’ has to visit a Lambeth resident who needs to be cared for by virtue of age, physical or mental infirmity or disability
- The applicant must provide a signed and stamped declaration from the cared for person’s GP or Social Services that they are in need of care. In some cases, additional information may be required regarding the frequency and nature of the home care services provided. Proof of address for the ‘cared’ for person is required
2. The ‘carer’ must not be a resident at the ‘cared’ for person’s address
- Proof of address for the ‘carer’ is required
3. The ‘carer’ must be a registered keeper or named user of the vehicle for which the permit is valid.
- Proof of vehicle ownership is required
It will be necessary to provide proof of address for the carer and for the cared for person.
If the medical condition is of a permanent nature the supporting medical evidence should state this.
For your address to qualify as your 'main residence' you would normally spend approximately four nights a week there and pay the relevant Council Tax. It is not the address of the cared for person.
Permit Proof
You must provide proof that you are the keeper and user of the vehicle. Please provide the following documents ensuring they are in the Carer’s name.
- vehicle registration document (V5/C) OR valid insurance schedule
If you are hiring or leasing the vehicle
- signed hiring/leasing agreement must be on letter headed paper must include the duration of hire/lease
If you drive a company car
- you will need to provide the vehicle registration document (V5)
- signed letter from your company confirming your employment and that you are the keeper and user of the vehicle at the property address (must be dated within the last 3 months) must be on letter headed paper
If you are a named driver but not the registered keeper
- you will need to provide the insurance schedule naming yourself as a driver.
Also, two items from the list below as proof of your address:
- driving licence
- bank or credit card statement - dated within the last three months
- utility bill - dated within the last three months (mobile phone bills will not be accepted)
- solicitor's completion letter - dated within the last three months
- current Lambeth council tax document
- home contents insurance policy
- signed current formal tenancy agreement
- an electoral canvas form or polling card-dated in the last year.
The London Borough of Lambeth may pass information we hold to relevant enforcement bodies for the prevention or detection of fraud. All processing of this data will be in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018 and the GDPR.
If you with intent to deceive, use, lend to, or allow the Personal Carer permit to be used by, another person, it may lead to prosecution and a fine up to £5000 and/ or up to two imprisonment.
If you knowingly make a false statement in order to obtain a Personal Carers permit for yourself or for another person, it may lead to prosecution and a fine of up to £2500.
Vehicle conditions Vehicles, for which permits are to be issued, must be passenger vehicles of eight sights or less, goods carrying vehicles, motorcycles or invalid carriages. The vehicle must be
of a size, which allows it to be parked wholly within the markings of a bay. Vehicles are to be no
more than 2.29m (7’6”) in height or 5.48m (18ft) in length or 1.8m (6ft) in width.
It is also important that any vehicle parked in a designated bay is done so wholly within the markings of the bay, failure to do so may result in the issuing of a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN).
Suspended bays
From time to time it may be necessary to suspend a parking bay, this is usually due to such things as Gas, Water or Electricity works being undertaken. During the period for which the bay is suspended parking is not permitted in the Bay. Even if a valid permit is displayed a PCN will still be issued to vehicles parked in bays that have been suspended. It is the permit holder’s responsibility to ensure that the bay in which their vehicle is parked is not suspended during the time their vehicle is there.
Change of vehicle
If you change your vehicle you must apply for a change of permit immediately as the permit is vehicle specific and you could be issued with a PCN.
Refunds
Refunds will be given at a pro rata rate per full calendar month remaining, minus an administration fee of £5.00 only if three months or more are left to the expiry date.
No refund will be given for lost permits and a replacement will cost £11.00. Refunds cannot be given for replacement permits.
The Council reserves the right to make additional checks to confirm the eligibility of an applicant and additional proofs may be requested at any time. Failure to provide these proofs may result in the refusal of the application or invalidation of the current permit. The permit is for carer use only, it must not be used for any other purpose. The permit is not transferable. You may not sell or pass the permit to another person. It does not guarantee you a space nor does it give you a preferential right over someone else who is already parked in a parking bay.
The permit must be surrendered to the Council if no longer required. Responsibility for applying for renewal of the permit rests with the holder. Any contravention of Terms & Conditions will render the permit invalid and a Penalty Charge Notice may be issued. The permit at all times remains the property of the Council.
A permit holder must take all reasonable precautions to safeguard the permit and prevent its fraudulent use. If it is found that the permit has been used for any other purpose other than as specified in the Terms & Conditions, the permit will become invalid and the holder will lose the right to apply for any further permits.
Any personal data that you provide will be processed in accordance with current data protection laws. It will be used by the Council and our partners to deliver and improve services and fulfil our legal duties. We will not disclose any personal information to anyone else unless required or allowed to do so by law. Read more about how we use personal data in our Privacy Notice on our website.
Replacement permits
Replacement permits will be issued where a permit has been lost, stolen or damaged. The existing permit will be made invalid upon issue of the replacement. However, in the event that your permit is stolen it must be reported to the police and supporting documentation provided by your insurers, so that a replacement permit can be issued free of charge.
For all other replacement permits there is a fee of £11.00.
Renewal of a personal carers permit
The onus is on the permit holder to ensure the permit is renewed before the date of expiry, if required.
Your application will be returned to you and the issuing of your permit may be delayed if your application is incorrect or incomplete, or if the correct documentation is not included.