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Bit of history here so bare with me query on behalf of my wife. She was awarded DLA / PIP years ago and had mobatabilty car from early 2ooo’s with no problems although because of medical and DVLA could not drive the last car (2019) – last DWP review max length (10 year PIP award) with higher rate mobility and higher rate care in 2017/2018.
Fast forward to 2021 – admitted to March 2021 hospital after major surgery – sent to NHS funded recovery – but still there in June 2021 so Motability instructed me to have to return the car June 2021 – so had to buy a replacement at short notice to do visiting etc. so somewhat wary about going back into the scheme.
Need to think about a replacement vehicle – unfortunately most days she cannot leave the house and barely mobilise – even essential hospital visits are hugely problematic.
So any suggestions from other forum members?
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Whether becoming a nominee, will allow you to sign for a lease on your wifes behalf or whether you would need to be your wifes appointee, making you responsible for her disability benifits from the DWP and ultimately have the responsibility of the lease would be required by Motability.
It use to be the case, Motability would allow a dealer to attend your home (if they offered this service), so your wife could sign for the lease and again to enter the PIN. However I’m not sure if this is still allowed and highly recommend you speak to Motability and see what options are available on a case by case basis.
Alternatively you could lease or buy privately, even if its a Dacia and use part of your wifes PIP allowance to fund it, that you your are able to retain full control.
You need to be an appointee with regard to your wife’s PIP, this will mean you can carry out the full application, finding a car, ordering and collecting.
Note that an appointee is different to nominee, in the case of nominee this gives Motability permission to speak with you about the lease and for you make a limited number of changes on your wife’s behalf
My advice is get yourself appointed as an ‘Appointee’ with DWP
You need to be an appointee with regard to your wife’s PIP, this will mean you can carry out the full application, finding a car, ordering and collecting. Note that an appointee is different to nominee, in the case of nominee this gives Motability permission to speak with you about the lease and for you make a limited number of changes on your wife’s behalf My advice is get yourself appointed as an ‘Appointee’ with DWP
Spot on Chris.
I can’t get to dealerships. I had to give my mother power of attorney so she could enter the pin, at the dealership,when we finally chose a car.
Most dealers have been quite happy to bring a car out to our home for me to look at and have a very short test drive. My condition means I can’t be upright and travel in a car long enough to go to a dealers.
A personal contract purchase (PCP) may be an option but best in your situation is, I think, as it is for mine, that in the event of me needing to go into care, or die, my wife isn’t left stranded, so we’ll always own a car in her name. This is the case also because as the spouse you can only use the Motability car if it’s for the benefit of the Motability customer (so no personal use). I think that that is crazy as it can mean, as it has for us, that we need to have two cars.
Regarding getting your wife to hospital I use a stretcher with hospital transport (non emergency ambulance), I’m mainly bedbound.
Recent cars: Hyundai Kona Ultimate EV; Volkswagen Caddy Maxi wheelchair accessible; Skoda Enyaq iV SportLine; Vauxhall Mokka-E; Kia Soul EV, Hyundai Kona (again)
There are so many posts about using the car for personal use vs the person the car is for I cannot list them all. But especially in the case of spouses/partners its very much not a problem
@JohnP did you get this resolved and if so, how?
Skoda Enyaq Race Blue
as the spouse you can only use the Motability car if it’s for the benefit of the Motability customer (so no personal use). I think that that is crazy as it can mean, as it has for us, that we need to have two cars.
As @swwchris correctly states, you do not need to worry about this. Many disabled people are unable to drive but live with a spouse who can, therefore clearly only one car is required. In this instance, you can use a Motability car in exactly the same way as you would a sole private car. We are in this situation (my wife is the recipient but cannot drive any more, so we only need one car) and I clarified this situation with Motability when that time came. I use the car for personal use regularly and it is not a problem at all. We are now retired, but even if the able bodied spouse still works, it is even permitted for the able bodied spouse to use the car for commuting to and from work. So, in summary, you do not need to be running two cars unless you want to. It’s a shame that so many people misunderstand this as there must be an awful lot of people incurring substantial and completely unnecessary additional costs. A Motability car on its own is costly enough!
So, in summary, you do not need to be running two cars unless you want to. It’s a shame that so many people misunderstand this as there must be an awful lot of people incurring substantial and completely unnecessary additional costs. A Motability car on its own is costly enough!
TBH, its the abuse some give when they know you are driving the car too, as they clearly dont know whats allowed, I spent ages making sure that I would be able to drive myself, as the wife is mostly house bound / bed bound.
I would add, on this, some dealers will visit, some will allow you to collect on behalf of partner if they are unable to due to health reasons at pickup time. Its not strictly within the rules I dont think, so its definitely an ask and see kind of situation.
Its a shame really, as covid showed what was possible but seems motability removed the option for a video call etc which would have made many peoples new car experience a lot less stressful.
So, in summary, you do not need to be running two cars unless you want to. It’s a shame that so many people misunderstand this as there must be an awful lot of people incurring substantial and completely unnecessary additional costs. A Motability car on its own is costly enough!
TBH, its the abuse some give when they know you are driving the car too, as they clearly dont know whats allowed, I spent ages making sure that I would be able to drive myself, as the wife is mostly house bound / bed bound. I would add, on this, some dealers will visit, some will allow you to collect on behalf of partner if they are unable to due to health reasons at pickup time. It’s not strictly within the rules I dont think, so it’s definitely an ask and see kind of situation. Its a shame really, as covid showed what was possible but seems motability removed the option for a video call etc which would have made many peoples new car experience a lot less stressful.
I’m well past caring about what others may or may not think, and I certainly wouldn’t run an unnecessary second car because of it! I tend not to volunteer that it’s a Motability car but, if it comes in to the conversation then I always make sure that people understand that running a Motability car is far from ‘free’. When I tell people that it costs £12,000 in sacrificed benefits plus (to get anything decent) an AP of several thousands more, with absolutely nothing to show for it at the end of the lease, any initial envy has usually subsided 😂
I don’t know about the situation you describe when it comes to selecting a car or picking it up as, thankfully, whilst my wife can no longer drive and is a full time wheelchair user, I am able to take her out to look at cars when we change. It must be difficult if people can’t do that. However, I do have some sympathy with Motability though. They seem to suffer a high return rate when people order cars that they haven’t properly established whether or not they suit their needs, and the huge depreciation hit of these early returns drives up scheme costs for everyone. I struggle to see how anyone can genuinely establish if a car is suitable unless all users have physically tried it out and the main driver has had a decent test drive of at least a few hours. Obviously none of that can be done remotely.
The various replies were helpful and sort of put things into perspective. We had a motability car since the early 2000s which my wife drove until 2019 (licensed revoked because of her conditions). The experience in 2021 brought it home to us as to how precarious the arrangement if the person concerned is hospitalised for an extended period.
In the short I have raided the pension pot so don’t need a PCP / contract hire type deal but thanks for the suggestions. If the planned surgery works (early January) – she may well get back to the point where she can think about applying to the DVLA for a medical review – gives her something positive to think about i.e choosing a car that might actually be able to drive even if she doesn’t feel up to it on any given day.
All the best to you both @JohnP
Skoda Enyaq Race Blue
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