More than 20 people in Blue Badge fraud crackdown in Sandwell with 13 prosecutions

The enforcement team stopped 24 people from fraudulently using the parking badge – which is meant to help residents who have disability issues to leave their vehicles close to location points. The council has also successfully taken 13 of those stopped to court.

The figures have been released in the council’s Audit Risk and Assurance Committee's annual counter fraud report. In one case, an individual was found to the misusing the badge belonging to an elderly relative. 

The man was using the badge to park while at work. He subsequently pleaded guilty to a road traffic offence of misusing an blue badge and was fined £120 as well as being ordered to repay costs of £350.

In a separate case, a benefit cheat who fraudulently obtained Direct Payments resulting in an overpayment of £27,500 was also convicted. In January 2026 the male resident was sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court after pleading guilty to an offence of fraud under the Fraud Act 2006. 

He was jailed for two years suspended for 21 months.  In his case the council is also attempting to recoup the man's ill-gotten gains under the Proceeds of the Crime Act to recover the losses and costs to the borough.

Committee chairman Councillor Liam Preece said: “Fraud now represents over 40 per cent of all crime nationally so the council has stepped up its actions to stop these criminals stealing from Sandwell taxpayers. I’d like to thank all of the teams involved for their vigilance. 

"I hope that the work of our dedicated anti-fraud officers makes any fraudster thinking about stealing from the residents of our borough that we are watching and waiting to stop you in your tracks." 

Sandwell's finance boss Councillor Paul Moore added: “The amount of money involved in these thefts only gives us greater resolve to support our teams of investigators and to work with West Midlands Police and to support the Cabinet Office’s National Fraud Initiative. We need to be clear – fraud against the council is theft from every Sandwell resident and we will use the full force of the law to stop it.”

The council was previously shortlisted in the 'breakout award' category at the British Parking Awards for their efforts in cracking down on blue badge misuse and fraud. 

Anyone wishing to report any suspected fraud in the borough can do so by emailing fraud_investigation@sandwell.gov.uk or by calling 0121 569 2650.