Crazy benefits system need an overhaul

You are right about the staff, mcem. They know their cars, and the problems involved. They do not try and lease you the most expensive car, but the one most suited to your needs.

Do you want to share my brick wall, Nezumi?

But fgs put down the Daily Mail and read the facts of the scheme.

It makes no difference to you (or me) 'the tax payer' whether my son is driven around in his 7 seater or a tiny 'budget' car or a posh luxury car. It costs the state the same.

It is safer for him and everyone else on the road is he can sit at the back of a 7 seater in a seat which fits his harness. My 'road testing' for his latest car was to sit in the back seat myself and to check that his harness would fit then to check the upfront payment. I didn't take it out for a drive or ask about alloy wheels or check the luxury extras as none of that is any use if his harness doesn't fit or he can touch the driver.

But all of that is no-one else's business. Because whichever car we chose - the cost to the State is exactly the same.

Here it is again

HOW THE MOTABILITY SCHEME IS FUNDED

www.motability.org.uk/3._How_the_Motability_Scheme_is_funded.pdf

Motability is a charity which subsidises the cost to the disabled person through carefully-chosen suppliers - not Arthur Daly shifty secondhand dealers!
The staff who deal with Motability clients are known to be experienced and supportive.

Fgs gardenman - just the bloody thread. I provided a link earlier to how it works.

If you qualify for higher rate mobility DLA or enhanced rate mobility PIP, then you can choose to spend part or all of that money on leasing a Motability car. You can also choose not to get a car and instead get the cash.

Motability is a charity that arranges the car leading with the manufacturers.

IT COSTS THE STATE THE SAME WHETHER OR NOT YOU GET A CHEAP CAR OR AN EXPENSIVE CAR

If you choose an expensive car as well as the lease being all you DLA or PIP you will probably also have to pay an up front payment.

Elegran. If MOBILITY CARS ARE HIRED OUT BY PRIVATE FIRMS THEN AS SURE AS NIGHT FOLLOWS DAY IT IS THE TAXPAYEY WHO IS PAYING FOR IT. THE FIRMS ARE NOT DOING IT FOR LOVE.

Celebgran I know someone who has recently inherited hundreds of thousands- as she's not disabled she's splashing it around on incredibly expensive holidays, huge deposits for her children buying houses- of course, if she were disabled, you think she should spend it all on meeting all the needs of her disability - really really fair that, isn't it?

Paddyann have you tried applying to the council for a blue badge in some circumstances they will issue a blue badge so long as you have proof from your Gp or consultant. It's worth a try

Motability is a charity. They have a monthly magazine, which tells you a lot about what is happening with the scheme.

www.motability.org.uk/about-charity/latest-news-and-updates/lifestyle-latest-issue

And, I am saying this yet again because it doesn't seem to be heard, THE GOVERNMENT DO NOT SUPPLY THE CARS AT THE TAXPAYERS EXPENSE. THEY ARE HIRED OUT AS A SEPARATE ENTERPRISE BY PRIVATE FIRMS WHO MAKE NOTHING FROM THE TAXPAYER.

Celebgran Do you think that no disabled person should get anything then? No help with getting around? Even if they are unable to walk more than 20 yards? Should they just stay indoors out of sight? Or as Hazel suggested, their families could push them around in wheelbarrows?

The higher allowance is quite hard to get. If people you know have been granted it, them they are less mobile than you are. Have you applied?

Read the explanation again. The cars are not relevant - no-one is eligible to apply to rent a car unless they have a recognised level of disability award. Then if they want to they can use that award to pay for a car. If they want a bigger car, that is their expense. The only cost to the taxpayer is the standard £58 higher disability allowance. That goes to EVERYONE who is eligible, whether they use it to rent the car or to get taxis. No-one gets any more than that!

You could get that if you applied and were eligible.

Celebgran the DWP's own figures put the DLA fraud rate at 0.5% PIP will be lower (a larger problem for PIP is the number of appeals finding in favour of the claimant i.e. People are being turned away who should not be).

So unless you know more than the DWP DLA & PIP are not 'well abused'

Celebgran, David Cameron applied for DLA for his son. Should he not have done, being a millionnaire?

My amazement is saved for the lack of decent designs of cars for people with limited mobility on or off benefits and schemes...would it, kill them to make doors easier to get in and seats more adjustable etc? We do have an ageing population and will all creak a bit later on in life..cars seems to be bigger but beefier too, occupying more than most parking spaces are capable of taking and very high.

When people get motbility car it saves the tax payer money because it takes pressure off famillies so they can get nearer to normal living, does anybody really have a problem with that???

Elegran where do you think the disability allowance comes from?

Sadly I know 2 people bragging over their cars who are far more nobile than me at the moment one who just Inherited thousands. IMO that is very wrong when there is real.hardship for elderly

The system is well.abused

Sarahhelenwhitney like another poster on her my daughter has Fibromyalgia its a chronic disease that has horrible symptoms one of which is pain from head to tow ,Flares of the illness can mean my daughter spending 5 out of 7 days a week for several weeks at a time bedbound.On the rare times when she has some respite you would never believe there was anything wrong with her if you saw her on the street ,apart from being overweight (a side effect of the 20 odd pills a day she takes) like the other poster my D has children and has been applying for PIP for over 2 years ,getting it refused time and again...she didn't WANT the benefit OR a car ,just a blue badge so that on days when she can manage she would be able to take her girls swimming or out and as long as she doesn't have too far to walk she can do that.Maybe your neighbour is in a similar situation? You have no idea what her situation is so you shouldn't speculate .My daughter is not lazy (she has worked since she was 13) often had 2 or 3 jobs ,went self employed 7 years ago and now cant lift her head off a pillow more days than she can.I'd hate to think her neighbours were talking about her like you are about the girl you SAY is "milking it"

If the Tories took all the benifits away [which they will do in due course if they get the chance] none of us would be any better off. The very rich would just pay a lot less tax. A local disabled man who has worked all his life has just has his mobility car taken off him because he was told his work place and his home are on a bus route. They are but it means he has to use two buses and it takes him one and half hours each way using the buses, 35 minutes in his car. He is now off work suffering from stress. Thanks to the Tories cut cut cuts.

Some people are judgemental perhaps they would prefer disabled people to be pushed around in wheelbarrows a bit extreme I know!

Looks as though the OP has gone back under the bridge - good riddance

It is returned when the person no longer has need of it like death I think.

I used to be very sad meeting families in real need who wouldn't dream of applying for benefits. I'd try hard to explain their entitlement to them but would politely be told that others were in greater need than them. The OPs and some of the other ill informed comments are extremely disappointing to read and perhaps explain the reluctance some people feel about asking for help. Shame.

Rigby46, Why does it matter to all of us to the Duke of Westminster's death (his estate of £9bn had no, zero, nada, zilch tax paid on it)? He used the laws as written. Of course he didn't work hard for his fortune, he inherited. GNetters are bemoaning inheritance or lack to pass inheritance.

Lots of people who used to get motability allowance are not eligible. It is really difficult to qualify now. You clearly haven't been told the whole story.

I don't believe a word of it and I think it is someone just trying to build up animosity towards disabled people and anyone else who receives benefits - as someone reminded us, we recently had a post about unmarried mums living the life of Riley. I tend to agree with Rigby46 that this is an attempt to distract people away from the elderly care issue which hasn't gone down quite as well as expected. If not, it is from a thoroughly mean-minded person who claims to possess two cars worth £100,000 because she and her husband have "worked all their lives so can afford it". Perhaps they should thank their lucky stars that they were able to work all their lives.

The sort of attitude demonstrated - that "it's not worked for, it's a benefit" is one of the reasons there is not a full take-up of certain benefits - because people are embarrassed and ashamed that they have to claim them.