@Glos Guy ; thanks for the reply mate.
I caught polio when I was a very young kid which left me with one leg very thin and no muscle whatsoever hardly plus it was 3-inches shorter than the other leg. My hips are twisted badly too. Never bothered me in life and I lived a pretty ‘normal’ life to be honest, just like my friends. The only thing it ever stopped me doing was joining the Royal Navy (my dad was a submariner for 29-years and I always wanted to see the world) and driving a manual car with three pedals – so I’ve driven all these past 45-years or more automatic gearbox only and with my left leg, not my right. I joined NAAFI after the Navy said no and, ironically, I spent the next 12-years at sea on HM Ships running the tiny shop selling ciggies, beer, ‘nutty’ (chocolate bars), ‘goffas’ (soft drink cans) etc. Everywhere my ship went – I went, including the South Atlantic during the Falklands War for which I was awarded a medal. Best of all, I did get to see a whole lot of the world after all & that was my main aim in life when I was young and about to leave school.
Now that I’m 65 however, I find it difficult – a minefield – to navigate my way through government red tape. Time has caught up with me somewhat & my legs, hips etc cause me no end of pain and discomfort the older I get. I had big operations when I was 13 and again at 16 to try and rectify my legs. I have a mobility scooter on bad days & use a stick on better days but like many others on this fine, helpful website, I have no idea about assessments, rules, regulations, what to do & say because governments keep moving the goalposts! It’s a huge relief knowing that I will be able to keep my Motability car past retirement age, a real lifeline my car, so thanks for the heads’ up mate. Let’s hope ‘Dim Timm’ does the right & decent thing for us all.