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My son has just been given enhanced mobility and is eligible for a vehicle. He’s 18 and in college. My wife is also on mobility and we are due to order a new car in the next 2 weeks. I’m not able to finance 2 vehicles and think my son being 18 should be exempt from my financial position. In applying for a grant for him it seems that I should be footing the bill, even though he has no income of his own. How can him being in education mean he can’t get any help with the AP towards a suitable car. I pay for our vehicle and have no issue with that at all.
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Unfortunately, means testing for any benefit applies to the whole household and not just the individual concerned.
Anything with a low or zero Ap.?
My son has just been given enhanced mobility and is eligible for a vehicle. He’s 18 and in college. My wife is also on mobility and we are due to order a new car in the next 2 weeks. I’m not able to finance 2 vehicles and think my son being 18 should be exempt from my financial position. In applying for a grant for him it seems that I should be footing the bill, even though he has no income of his own. How can him being in education mean he can’t get any help with the AP towards a suitable car. I pay for our vehicle and have no issue with that at all.
There are plenty of shiny new cars with no AP and any 18 year old I know would be delighted with any of them, given that most run around in old bangers and pay thousands for insurance for the privilege! Perhaps I misunderstood your question and, if so, I apologise, but I think it would be unreasonable to expect a grant for something above zero AP, unless he has a disability that means that none of those cars are suitable for him. BTW, my kids are now 26 and 22 and both working, yet they still cost me a fortune ?
My son is also 18 and at university.
I have gad to finance his car, a 14 plate 98bhp fiesta and the insurance as well as subsidising his university accommodation and living expenses as under means test he only gets the minimum grant.
yiu son should be very great full to get a new car fully insured abd serviced.
yes it may not be the flashiest at 0AP, but it’s better than many.
do a search of cars under 25 and 0AP, there are 186 to choose from, shurly he can find one out of those?
How about this as it’s a sporty looking model which usually goes down well with youngsters.
Like others have said if he’s 18 and he can get a brand new car with everything thrown in I dont think I’d be too fussy if I was him, especially when you can get an audi A1 for under 25s for 0ap? Or seat Ibiza which you can get fully specd again for 0ap
The point I was trying to make, not very clearly is: He’s not in employment,doesn’t receive any means tested benefits and yet isn’t entitled to any help regarding AP’s . Which if i follow op advice means he should count himself lucky to get a car? So do you think others asking for help should feel the same. Many of the cars for under 25’s aren’t suitable for a 6ft 4 teenager with size 14 feet. Not to mention his disabilities.
Not trying to be too critical joe but my eldest Son is also 6’4 with massive feet but he’s always managed to find a suitable car for him, his last car being a VW Golf. He assures me that he fits in a Ford Focus and there are some of those available on the scheme at £0 AP and with the max 120bhp for under 25’s.
The point I was trying to make, not very clearly is: He’s not in employment,doesn’t receive any means tested benefits and yet isn’t entitled to any help regarding AP’s . Which if i follow op advice means he should count himself lucky to get a car? So do you think others asking for help should feel the same. Many of the cars for under 25’s aren’t suitable for a 6ft 4 teenager with size 14 feet. Not to mention his disabilities.
Hi Joe. If your son has disabilities that render him unable to use a conventional car, then it would be advisable to discuss this with Motability who might be able to provide a grant. However, with all due respect, being 6ft 4 and having big feet doesn’t warrant assistance. He could still fit in a Ford Fiesta and the vast majority of small cars. I knew a guy who was that tall and always had a Fiesta with no problems. ‘Need’ and ‘want’ are very different things and I don’t think you will find a lot of sympathy on here if his demands relate to the latter. And yes, to answer your question, I would say the same to anyone else of any age. Everyone should cut their cloth according to their means and I don’t believe that anyone should get help with AP’s just because they want a ‘nicer’ car but can’t afford it. I think that’s morally wrong for those who have to pay their own AP’s in full. That’s why Motability provide a good range of cars at zero AP for those who cannot, or choose not to, pay an AP. I stress again, if his disabilities (not height) genuinely warrant a different type of car that’s different, and I wish you luck with a grant application, but I’m not sensing that’s the case here. It also sounds as though you could assist but don’t feel you should have to. In that case, why should Motability? Many of us support our kids financially through Uni and well beyond and it’s never too young to learn that you shouldn’t go through life expecting something for nothing. Sorry if that sounds a bit blunt, but you did ask for opinions and those are mine.
How about this as it’s a sporty looking model which usually goes down well with youngsters. https://www.motability.co.uk/products/search/ford-fiesta-st-line-edition-686559?searchPageFilters=%26amp%3bResultsView%3dgrid%26amp%3bPageNumber%3d1%26amp%3bResultsPerPage%3d45%26amp%3bSortBy%3dadvpayLow%26amp%3bweb_rangemake%3dFord%26amp%3ballowance_type%3dpip%26amp%3bsubType%3d1%26&allowance_type=PIP&StartRow=1&EndRow=45
Boy, wouldn’t I have loved one of those at 18, especially if fully expensed! I had a Hillman Avenger that cost me £370, I used a sticky black substance to patch over the rust on the sills and used to run out of petrol due to fuel leaks. Those Fiesta’s are superb and if you can get a nice sporty one too then that must surely tick every box. God call Elliot.
Thanks for your opinions we will get out there and see what cars are suitable.
Why can’t he get any suitable cars? You can get a small van type car – Ford Tourneo Connect with £0 AP – would that not suit as bigger than a standard car.
Hi, there’s a Golf 8 on the scheme that he could have and I’ve also noticed a couple of very nice Octavias
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