[Laura]

Has anyone ever applied for a grant?my son is in a wheelchair but do not need a wav just a car that suits him and has enough storage. So far granland and troc has been best although i know they do not give for specific cars. How do i go about saying what car is suitable and isnt etc?

Topic

[WardyGTC]

Call the grants team, once they process your application they will suggest cars they consider suitable based on the information you give them.

Then go and try what they suggested. Hopefully there’ll be something that meets your son’s needs.

If I seem a little strange, that's because I am.

Skoda Karoq SEL.

[Richums]

I applied for a grant in July and I should be heaing from them within a week or so as they say 8 – 10 weeks to process the application and 10 weeks to the day is tomorrow.

I don’t need any adaptations but I still requested a specific car. Before applying I went and looked at and sat in almost every car in the small SUV segment, and took a shortlist of 4 for test drives. I then explained during the application that only one car was suitable with things like getting in and out, seat comfort and driving position, so we shall see that they say.

[Laura]

Thanks guys. My current car has been constantly in for repair and has left us car-less. I have wasted so much time going back and forward to the garage for repairs that are not being completed.

It has been in more than 5 times and the stress its caused leaving us car-less and feeling unsafe i logged a complaint with motability they said it would be best changing car so they allowed me to cancel mid lease meaning i’ve to car hunt.

Richums i am the same with the small suvs. The best so far has been the troc for us. Please let me know how you get on

[SR]

Hi.

 

How does this grant work? I was looking to buy a car that has an upfront of around 5K as I’ve test drove 4 different SUVs.

 

Any advise would help immensely.

Thanks

[wmcforum]

Grants: https://www.motability.org.uk/charitable-grants/

 

[Laura]

@richums have you heard anything regarding your grant?

[Dante]

I applied last year and was awarded a grant, I had gone into great detail of my needs / access etc… that I’d test driven several and had a short list of 3 cars all of whuch I’d test driven a few times to be clear & confident they were suitable – I should know I’m the expert in my disability & needs.

the gravy offer letter came and the three cars they suggested not one was in my shortlist & indeed the cars they suggested had been in my king list but I’d discounted after test driving

si my shortlist ideal for my needs were discounted -you are given 6 months to use the grant, if not used in that time you loose it

[Sirog]

My wife has also been looking and it looks like we are going to reluctantly to go up in car size but this also means a greater Ap.  It says all claims are means tested, what does that mean? And also what if only find a specific car suitable but they suggest different cars which are not. Does that mean you can only have a grant on what they suggest.

[Richums]

Laura wrote:

@richums have you heard anything regarding your grant?

No not yet, I’ll be ringing them if I haven’t heard anything by the end of the week.

[Russ]

I sent in a letter from my GP and it really did help me get a more suitable car.

[Richums]

So I finally got a call from my grant case manager today (12 weeks 4 days from my initial call). He basically went through everything I said when I rang them, things like health condition, vehicle requirements etc. He asked what type of car I was looking for and had I looked at any yet. When I told him I had been looking at cars since January and had looked at and sat in almost every car in the “small SUV” section (then I named most of them) and told him that of the 4 that I test drove, the Puma was the most suitable. He looked up the price for the base spec auto (Titanium trim, currently £1845, up from £1645 in Q3 when I originally rang them) and said “yeah that’s fine, I have no problem authorising that for you”.

I asked if I could add £400 myself so I can move up to a better trim level and he said that was fine, I can add up to 50% of £1895 for a different trim or accessories.

2 hours later I got an email through with the grant award letter and a letter for the dealer for when I go to order the car.

So although it took a long time, I’m very pleased with how it was handled and the chap couldn’t have been nicer.

Good luck with your application Laura.

 

[Author]

Replies