Mobility Benefit

[dave50]

How does this benefit work? I know some are entitled to a car to get around but to what extent? Why are some of these people driving around in big expensive cars? Do they have to contribute over and above a certain level and if they can afford to do that, doesn't it beg the question whether they should be entitled to this benefit in the first place?

[slinky.kate]

you can get a car if you are on the highest rate.the car is not free,you have to pay towards it.

[Retrochic]

Mobility cars are not owned by the drivers they are leased and part of their PIP goes towards the cost of the lease. Depending on what kind of vehicle you want you may have to give a deposit,but the monthly lease payments are paid out of your PIP benefit. You have to be on the higher Benefit to qualify for mobility allowance.

[bednobs]

yes, the car is in lieu of the benefit (so you don't get the money, rather you get the car instead)

[hc4361]

People who are severely disabled and have limited mobility get an allowance from the government - it used to be DLA, now it is PIP.

If they get the higher rate of the mobility component - £50 ish a week - they may choose to spend this on a motobility car. All cars use the whole allowance, other cars use the whole allowance plus a lump sum up front which can be £1k or more.
They could choose to spend this allowance on taxis or gambling or anything they like.

Even disabled people in full time jobs who are entitled to this allowance get it, tax free.

It is not means tested and millionaires can claim it.

[bednobs]

http://www.motability.co.uk/
read all about it :)

[hc4361]

And many blue badge holders own their own cars outright and choose not to use the Motobility scheme.
Many blue badge holders don't own a car at all and use it when they are being driven.
Many blue badge holders don't qualify for motobility.

Some disabled people have great difficulty lowering themselves in to car seats and find it far more comfortable to climb in to the vehicle so opt for a large, high vehicle.

[Kathyan]

Disability payments are not means tested.

[mikey4444]

AS I understand it, you can have pretty any car you want, under the Mobility scheme, but you will have to pay the difference between your allowance and the full cost.

[douglas9401]

" ...doesn't it beg the question whether they should be entitled to this benefit in the first place?"

No, it doesn't beg that question.

Don't get disabled, dave.

Hope this helps dim those green eyes.

[Svejk]

There is a lot of fraud attached to this scheme. I'm not sure what can be done about it. Here in Wales, there's either nothing wrong with the motability drivers (they'll use their cars for work in England, free Severn Bridge) or more likely they are driving around in a car which was supplied to their aged parents.
I do get a skewed picture because I only come into contact with 'the fiddlers' and not with genuinely disabled people who need/use the cars as they're meant to.

[hc4361]

Disabled people do work, Sjevk, and that is not a bar to them getting the higher rate mobility component of DLA/PIP. Disabled does not mean 'must be a wheelchair user'.

Anyone can drive a mobility car belonging to someone else (provided they are a named driver) if it is for the benefit of the disabled person. This is where it can be very difficult to prove fraudulent use - would the driver be allowed to do his own shopping whilst doing his mother's, as an example.

This is different to the blue badge scheme that requires the person named on the badge to be using the car as a passenger or driver for the badge to be legally used.

[Retrochic]

They don't own the car they rent it. It their PIP is stopped or they go onto a lower rate they have to give the car back.

[hc4361]

That's right - it is a three year lease.

[RATTER15]

We are due to change our car in a few weeks and yes, because we choose a larger car for our hounds, we pay a small premium to choose this car. and yes Carakeels mobility allowance is used to finance the car lease. A great scheme but it clearly gets abused.

[hc4361]

You pay nearly £3k a year on that car that you could spend in the pub, gambling, on holidays - whatever you like, Ratter. You don't need to explain yourself to anyone.

[Retrochic]

I've recently helped someone through this process to fill in forms etc and I got the impression it was very very difficult to get the higher PIP payment. Its on a points system and to achieve the 12 points needed to qualify for higher mobility allowance you have to prove you are virtually reliant on someone else for your day to day care. Hard to abuse I would imagine.

[mikey4444]

I agree with HC here Ratter...you don't need to explain or justify anything.

[bookend]

As someone else haas said, the larger/more powerful/more expensive car you want, the more you have to contribute yourself. Even on the cheapest vehicles on the mobility scheme, all your higher rate mobility allowance is taken away and goes towards the cost of the vehicle. The exceptions are mobility scooters (yes, they come under the scheme!!)

As for PIP, I'm sorry to say that it has NOT been rolled out across the country as you would think from reading the posts above. DLA remains in place for millions of people and will continue until this government gets the programme properly underway.

The other point that seems to have been missed here for those who are envious of the mobility allowance is accidents. If a mobility vehicle is damaged in an accident, the registered DLA claimant of that vehicle has to make a contribution to the repair cost even in a no-fault situation. For the purposes of assessing this cost, the vehicle is divided up into its individual panels and you pay per panel. Any overlap from a damaged panel onto a secon or third panel incurs a charge of twice or three times the cost of the first panel charge. Think about it - it's hardly cheap is it?

Finally at the end of the lease you have to return the car almost as pristine as when you leased it or you get charged. The mileage must also not exceeed the stipulated annual mileage allowed or you pay an additional charge for every mile over the figure.

Please don't get the idea that it's a perk. These restrictions can cause serious anxiety!

[bookend]

Incidentally, for those that are accustomed to not paying for damage to their vehicles when they are not at fault, I have to say that this doesn't apply with mobility scheme vehicles. The insurance is arranged by Motability and joining the scheme means that you pay if you are at fault and you pay if you are not at fault. The motability driver conveys the other vehicles details to Motability and they pursue the claim after you've paid your cut.

The Motability driver is forbidden from contacting the other parties insurance directly, which means there's no room for negotiation.

[hc4361]

There are perks though, bookend. No service charges, insurance, breakdown costs to pay. Free replacement tyres and the mileage limit is 60,000 miles over 3 years, not measly as you imply.

I have never heard of the contribution for accident damage, the insurance excess on any claim is a minimum £75, far less than most insurance policies. I would be interested to read any information if you can provide a link.