I personally think that for standard non adapted cars that there is a bountiful choice of vehicles up to £1000AP. There in even just under 60 which have zero AP. Remember grants are there to assist you into obtaining transport to which they deem meets your needs, not you wants. A £1500 AP is only saving just under a £1.50 a day for the duration of your lease. Electric will be the norm very shortly, 2030 is only 57 months away. I also believe that by 2028, that Motability choice will be nearer 80% Electric , as manufacturers wind down all petrol and diesel, inc standard hybrid models. All current plug in hybrids and diesels are all over £2000AP. Financial suicide to develop and bring a new model into production for a very short period of time. Driving Electric just takes a bit of journey planning.
What’s the point of Motability foundation offering to assist someone with a car which is deemed to meet the disability, only then for the applicant to state, this one suits me better and I want that one. If they are giving someone say £1000 for certain cars and you I prefer one with an additional AP of £800 and you are willing to pay that, I would question the given grant and reduce it £800, as you have found the mechanism to find more funds. We cannot be expected to get everything handed on a plate to us and also this is probably the cheapest lease scheme in Europe, by far. There is and never have a compulsion to use the scheme. If it doesn’t suit for any reason, buy a used car using your given benefit. Just because you can, does not mean we must.
You are making the assumption than I found the additional £800. Don’t make assumptions.
I also have a used car, thank you, which I drive every day. The idea of the scheme is to help the disabled person, and I wish to go on the scheme not because I want a nice shiny new car, but to hopefully not get penalised by insurance companies every year, when they whack up my premiums because I am disabled, and have a restricted licence with the DVLA. The scheme also appeals because I really need a boot hoist.
I fully know how the scheme works and how the grant system works.
There are not many cars on the scheme under £1000 AP that are automatics, and I can only drive an automatic vehicle. There are also not many on the scheme that have a decent size boot that a boot hoist can go into. I also need an electric tailgate.
If you know how the grant system works it states quite clearly they have to take into account the disabled person and anyone else who uses the car who they care for. I am a full time carer for a disabled parent who is worse off than me, and whose bariatric wheelchair is bulky to carry and we need a decent size boot.
I have test drove dozens of cars, and found just three which were suitable than come under a £1800 AP, I am not being difficult, or demanding a bigger car with better extras, I am being practical, because I know I have to keep the car for three years, and that my conditions could get worse, and I don’t want to waste a grant by having to return the car when I cannot get in, nor pay £250 to Motability to end my lease earlier because I have been forced into leasing a car unsuitable because it’s what the grant people suggested.
As for electric cars, not a chance this country will be ready for electric cars by the date you mention. How do you suggest I charge an electric car without a home charging point. I refuse to charge publicly, and triple the cost of my spending to sit in a car park and charge my car, I also feel unsafe doing this as a disabled single female on her own, especially in the town I live in.
If I could have electric I would, but I live in a flat and it’s not possible, same for the parent I care for.
Sorry, the grant system is flawed, and not fit for purpose, maybe some have had better experiences, but for me they have behaved in a discriminatory manner, and not taken into account my disabilities, nor reviewed extra evidence supplied, during complaints, each response was just generic garbage.
And even if I caved in and agreed to their suggestion of a VW ID4 last month, at £999 its now jumped in price to £1800, so how does that work.
Trust me, I have given much thought to this.
