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Hi All, just wonder what your thoughts are as regards a conversation i have just had with a friend.
Their son is in supported living has been for many years, they get the mobility at the higher rate for him, they visit him every other day but are struggling with their own car. i suggested that they should be able to get a car as they are using it for his benefit by visiting him and taking him out. didn’t expect any problem . BUT mobility have told them that they cant have a car. I think my friend was very honest with them and said he would have to use it to go to work in and normally visits their son on the way home in the week and of course over the weekend.
i was surprised that they are not more flexible as the car would be used for his benefit, they do shopping for him and take him out each weekend as well as the 2-3 visits during the week on the way home . i understand that the rules say for the benefit of the disabled person but i think they are being a little mean as they cant keep two cars at home
any advice??
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I would appeal/challenge that decision
I mean he has stated about using it to go to his work (not benefiting the son) but by proxy bringing in a wage etc it is long and colluded but it is
This is the thing that annoys me with their wording as the benefit of the disabled person is basically at the behest heck I could say to my other nominated driver I need the car 1 day a week (you have it the rest) that’s at the benefit I need and use my car in this example but motab would no doubt have an issue
Their wording is very grey area ish and their not stupid they know nominated drivers use it to go to work etc but still do stuff for the disabled user a kind of 50/50 or 65/35 in favour of the disabled person
I think they’ve had a jobsworth there would appeal and ask for s written explanation as to why they don’t meet the criteria other than awarding benefit
To be blunt, this is ringing warning bells for misuse of the scheme. The car is only for the use/benefit of the claimant. Because the claimant is living away from home, there’s no claiming going to/from work or shops would be in the claimant’s benefit.
This would be a breach of the lease conditions, invalidate the disabled vehicle registration with the DVLA and cost Motability extra for road fund licence.
I would fully expect that sort of use would be declined and should be. It’s the sort of ‘getting a new car cheap’ that gets the scheme the bad press it does.
I'm Autistic, if I say something you find offensive, please let me know, I can guarantee it was unintentional.
I'll try to give my honest opinion but am always open to learning.Mark
When a child goes into supported living, they are no longer living within the same household, therefore the designated driver using the vehicle to drive to a place of work will not be of a direct benefit to the lease holder. Hence Motability will say no.
Whether we agree with it or not, I think a line does have to be drawn otherwise it would open the floodgates to misuse of the scheme. Unfortunately I can’t totally disagree with motabilitys decision.
This may offer some help, as it does gointo some detail re Motability car.
I understand the view point of mobility but i know others in the same position that have said they could not visit their child without the car and have got it and use it for to/from work as well. just not been so honest with mobility Im sure, sometime it doesn’t pay to be so honest it seems.
I understand the view point of mobility but i know others in the same position that have said they could not visit their child without the car and have got it and use it for to/from work as well. just not been so honest with mobility Im sure, sometime it doesn’t pay to be so honest it seems.
Until you crash and investigations discover how the car is being used!
@swwchris Thankfully, in all the years we have had Motability cars we’ve only had one claim. I am the named driver, as my wife is the benefit recipient but she is now unable to drive. I was the driver at the time. There was no ‘investigation’ whatsoever. The claim was settled with no questioning whatsoever as to why I was using the car or for what purpose. I’m certainly not advocating abuse of the system, but once a car has been authorised, as long as the person driving is authorised to do so, there does not appear to be any difficulties.
Until you crash and investigations discover how the car is being used!
Motability allow a named driver to travel to and from a permanent place of work, as the income generated is deemed to be of the benifit of the disabled person. DLM and previously RSM provide, as a minimum Social, domestic and pleasure and commuting to and from a permanent place of work. Some scheme users are also able to add business cover.
In respect of @Paul_1964 friend, using a Motability car to and from work, would be seen as generating income and therefore be to the benifit his disabled son. It becomes more complicated because they live in assisted living away from home. However, the income from work, will still benifit as it will allow parents to visit on a regular basis and also take him out 2-3 times a week.
Motability suggest you to have or to continue your lease and have named drivers, as long as you’re still getting your higher rate or component mobility allowance. The information is more clear in the previos link, I provided. What, I don’t know is how they differentiate between residential and supported living.
I would agree with Motability viewpoint. The son is not living at home. Whilst you can argue that having the car so the parents can take him out or visit him / take him supplies is for his benefit, there is a greater argument that it is for the benefit of the parents as it makes it easier and cheaper for them. As understandable as this is, it’s arguably not what Motability is for.
We come under a lot of unfair attacks on social media and people could argue this is no different to anybody who has a granny in a nursing home and has to use their own resources to visit them.I lived around the corner to a family who had a disabled daughter and watched her grow up from the age of 8 till she was in her twenties. Her father always had the most expensive motability car that was on the scheme, be it a Merc or whatever. His daughter never ever went in the car. She was taken to and from hospital, school, and college by taxi.
Her dad used the car for work, pleasure and to go over to Europe with his wife once a month in the motability car whilst the disabled daughter stayed at home.
He would wind up the neighbours no end until three of the residents in the same road (two of them also disabled and on the scheme) put a complaint into motability. Motability said that by going to work every day, his wage was benefiting his daughter (despite her having a job and getting a taxi to work). His holidays were allowed has motability viewed them as rest bite.
I was dragged into the debate despite saying it’s nothing to do with me. In the end I moved as the atmosphere was toxic.
I have an uncle in a nursing home and he has a Motability vehicle. He can’t drive, so my Aunt uses the car to visit him, take him out, etc. She is no longer employed, so I guess this is why she’s allowed to use the vehicle.
I use to be a named driver on my dad’s Motabiity car for 8 years, I lived 10 minutes away, and I never used the car for my own benefit, and when I tell people this they are shocked! It annoyed me as I wanted my own car, so I could do things for myself, especially as my own mobility was declining and I could no longer use public transport.
When my dad ordered his last car back in 2023, I got a call from Motability, a call which upset me as the line of questioning felt like someone had reported us, questions were asked about what the disabled person used the car for etc, what I did for them. I explained, I was a 7-day a week carer, who struggled massively with her own health, but still put others first, if I recall I broke down in tears on the phone as mentally I was struggling.
I found the call so distressing, I told my dad, I was going to buy my own car, and it was his choice what to do with the Motability order, he no longer drove, so he had no choice but to cancel the order, as I didn’t want to take responsibility for two cars.
It was the best decision made, but I just get stung on car insurance due to disabilities I need to declare to the DVLA, although now having earned 3 years NCB, it’s coming down…
I would have gone on the scheme myself back in 2023, but my PIP then had less than 12 months to left.
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