MPs debated our idea of a national ‘green badge’ parking permit for care workers in Westminster on Thursday 16 March, and the Minister of State for Social Care, Helen Whately was sympathetic to the arguments – a huge moment for the first Engage Britain policy to reach Westminster.
How you can help
Alongside our advocacy work here are 3 things you can do to help make the ‘green badge’ a reality:
1. Write to your MP
Find out who your MP is by using a service like They Work For You and write to them explaining why you think this policy can make a difference.
2. Share on social media and spread the word
Share our Tweet about the Green Badge, and talk about it with friends and family, and wherever you’re active on social media.
3. Talk to us
If you have a story about how the Green Badge can make a difference to you, or you have more to say about this important issue you can email us.
About the Green Badge
If you decide you want to talk or write to your MP, you can read more about the Green Badge and how it was created. But here are some facts to help you explain why it’s so important:
- Working in a similar way to the Blue Badge for disabled people, it would allow care workers and personal assistants to park without worrying about residential parking restrictions.
- This would allow them to park close to people they are visiting – reducing stress, cost and wasted time.
- While some local authorities are providing parking schemes for care workers, the Green Badge would be nationwide. That would allow it to be adopted as universally as the Blue Badge is now.
- This would be a first step: The Green Badge alone won’t tackle the big issues that mean we do not have enough social care staff in Britain. But it would help make care workers’ jobs easier by removing a major pressure from visiting people’s homes.
Read more about how the policy package and the process for developing it