Motability

We had a post recently from a lady who was getting a Motobility car and wanted her son/daughter to sell their car so that they could use hers instead …

This is where competition via the marketplace would be better.
We all remember the days when a telephone line and handset could only be paid for by going through BT. Not good for the customer. No wonder Motability made such huge profits and finally the spotlight is being turned on them. Taxpayers are demanding better value these days. Quite rightly so.

DD2 has a Motability car - she can’t walk and wouldn’t be able to get to work without it, so, in my opinion, she deserves it. I sometimes think she’s a little penalized because the down payment is much higher, as she needs an automatic gearbox. However, it’s wonderful that she is mobile and able to go out and about.

However, I do know of several people, who I believe, abuse the system. My friend’s sister lives in St Albans, but her son uses the car - he lives in London, but does take her to various appointments.

I think FGT has a point in saying there should be more competition. Motability is the biggest fleet hire company in the UK.

My understanding is that the car can be driven by a limited number of people (3 I thought) for the benefit of the person who is disabled.

I read that you can use it to do, say, grocery shopping for the person but not to commute to work (say) to help the family coffers.

I don't know all about it but have heard some fanciful abuse of the system. I just wanted to say everything is not how people seem to think it is. It is not the freebie that some think it is!

The son in London obviously shouldn't be using it if the journeys aren't directly of benefit to the person with the disability. Yes. That may be an abuse - but do we know he is doing this? Sr Albans to London isn't very far depending on where in London (I thought there was a mileage limit on where drivers could live?).
Maybe he is living with her and London is a p/t address?

Not saying there is no abuse but can't understand the anger about the scheme and people using it!

Georgesgran I'm sorry your daughter needs a motability vehicle - there are definitely people who are able to live more ordinary lives because of the opportunity to be mobile.

I'm grateful for this scheme.

The problem with a scheme like this, is that it is very difficult to monitor, especially if the disabled person is unable to drive and is dependent on other people, to drive them around. There are quite a number of car clubs around where the member accesses the car through an app. Could that system be developed so that, when the car of a non-driving motability member is used, the member remotely keys entry, providing the car is, say, within a mile of the member.

I was also surprised by the value of some of the cars supplied and do wonder whether there could be a price limit or engine size limit on the type of car that is supplied, unless there is a clear case can be made out for needing an upmarket vehicle.

I think something like 97% are "ordinary" cars.

I suppose if you need a motability vehicle and want to enjoy (say) a BMW you should be able to.
The money after all does come from the person themselves.

You wouldn't say (for example) that if you are in receipt of a different disability allowance you can't spend it on expensive footwear if it fits well and makes you feel good.

I get your point NotSpaghetti but disability benefits are a fixed amount so surely if you get a low value car, you ought to get some money back as it must be cheaper to supply, insure etc than a bigger car, that or the big car costs more than the benefit and cross-subsidisation is taking place, which is certainly unfair.

I exclude from this where a person's need is very specific and a car needs lot of adaptation.

This is the latest price list.
I think the government part is the same irrespective of the vehicle.

news.motability.co.uk/scheme-news/latest-prices-for-the-motability-scheme/

It’s interesting reading - the car availability list changes several times a year. Often (for my DD) because she needs an automatic gearbox and with limited availability, they’re in short supply, she has had to extend the lease of the car she’s driving - not a problem.
Most cars take up TBA - total benefit allowance and it’s only non-autos that come with a zero down payment. The Mini DD2 is currently driving was £2,499 down payment (which I paid) and her mobility allowance goes direct to Motability.
I often think that those more mobile could probably get a better deal with a PCP from a local garage, but the appeal of having insurance covered through Motability is a big consideration for DD2, as she has to use hand controls.

Georgesgran

DD2 has a Motability car - she can’t walk and wouldn’t be able to get to work without it, so, in my opinion, she deserves it. I sometimes think she’s a little penalized because the down payment is much higher, as she needs an automatic gearbox. However, it’s wonderful that she is mobile and able to go out and about.

However, I do know of several people, who I believe, abuse the system. My friend’s sister lives in St Albans, but her son uses the car - he lives in London, but does take her to various appointments.

I think FGT has a point in saying there should be more competition. Motability is the biggest fleet hire company in the UK.

If her son uses the car to take his mother to appointments or to drive her for other reasons that is perfectly acceptable but it is not acceptable to drive it for his own use.

Of course all these benefits are limited to those whose disability is severe enough to get a mobility paymenst, however much a lesser injury may affect driving ability.

DD severely damaged her right arm in a road accident which was not her fault. She now needs to drive a car with an automatic gear box because of the substantial loss of strength and grip in her right arm. She does not qualify for any disability payment and neither of us thinks she should, but she does have to pay extra for an automatic car.

Yes - Jane43.
That’s the point - it is fraudulent use, but there’s no real attempts to discourage it. DD2 has been asked on several occasions to turn her Blue Badge over, as she looks perfectly fine when driving, but that’s a separate issue (I know) to this Motability thread.

My DH became semi-paraplegic 10 years ago following spinal surgery. We queried Motability but as he was over 67, he didn’t qualify. I have not heard the age restriction mentioned. We have had to fund car, mobility scooter, hoist for car ourselves.We applied for a grant to add an accessible extension to our house. We could have a grant as long as we met £300,000 ourselves. Our house wasn’t worth that!

Had your DH become disabled before retirement, qualified for and got a car under the Motability Scheme, he would keep on in the Scheme. Friend’s DH has just got his new car and he’ll be 70 this year, but became disabled in his 50’s.

A relative on mine, now sadly deceased, was very disabled and couldn’t drive. However, the mobility scheme allowed her son, who didn’t live with her, to buy a car to, supposedly, drive her around. He bought a huge American thing ( can’t remember the make) that she couldn’t get into so never went in it. She was so disabled that she couldn’t go out anyway. Dreadful abuse of the system.

Being involved in the care sector before retiring always amazed at the people who once the mobility entitled person was admitted to care, family members expected to have the vehicle at their disposal. The vehicle had to be parked where the resident resided ie the care home. Also, a person living at home and usually a family member using the vehicle yet living 100s of miles away. All systems are open to abuse and sadly Motability is included.

You cannot have permanent insurance cover for someone who lives hundreds of miles away from you without good reason. The rules were changed some time ago. Neither can a car be kept hundreds of miles away from the person it is for. Occasionally I have to telephone to have a temporary driver put on my insurance if I am driving long distance just in case I am in too much pain to drive all of it. I have to explain why they need to be on the insurance if they don't live close by.

There will always be those who take advantage of any scheme but for every person doing that there will be so many who are using the scheme with legitimate needs. Oh and you can only have a Motability car once you have been awarded a PIP for a certain amount of time. If at any time you are denied a PIP , the car is taken away within weeks and an appeal takes over a year to get to the point where you might be in a position to lease another vehicle. You get the balance of your deposit back but if you have paid for extras like a wheelchair hoist, that money is lost forever. Why anybody should begrudge the disabled having a means of getting around which is one of the biggest difficulties they face is a mystery to do.

Thanks for sharing about the block blast. I am really tired of people blowing up individual cases of fraud into a widespread problem. As you say, fraud exists everywhere, but it is unfair that a few abusers take away the necessity and dignity of the thousands of people who really depend on the Motability program.