Amputee loses Motability car

[eybic]

alfie2244 said:

ps... do car salesman get commission etc for selling Motability?

Yes most will but they don't normally count towards their target as they are considered a done deal.

[catso]

woowahwoo said:

However, in most cases, isn't motability gained by sacrificing a large portion of disability benefit?

Motability lease costs are paid by the disability benefit, therefore Motability cannot be abused. You can only get the car if you get the benefit - fact.

If a more expensive car is leased then the lease costs the same but the extra cost of having the flashier car is paid as a non-refundable advance payment. Also the disabled person doesn't need to be the driver (they may not even drive) in which case the car is supplied to the appropriate relative/carer on their behalf.

Whether the person who receives the benefit should do so is another issue and has nothing to do with Motability.

[oldnbold]

alfie2244 said:

I am not sure whether the (car salesman's) inference that 40% of Motability were not "merited" related only to those that chose to take the car in lieu of the money or pertained to "all" disabled people that qualify for the HR mobility component (or whatever it is called now).

Given it has been posted. IIRC, that 200k cars are Motability then by my rough calculation that is 80k cars and a hell of a lot of disabled people if he means all claimants whether they take the money or the car ( unable to find actual figures).

ps... do car salesman get commission etc for selling Motability?

You've miss read the figures chap. The motability fleet is about 600k cars, on a 3 year lease therefore about 200k a year a taken out.

I worked in car sales for about 3 years and as a war pensioner I get the war pensioners motability suppliment added to my pension so can have a motability car if I wish by forfieting some or all of that suppliment.

As an ex car salesman I can tell you that there are certainly people who "appear" to be abusing the system. But as a others have said unless you are fully aware of all the facts you can't make a proper decision.

Yes car salesmen do get paid for selling motability cars, why would they do it otherwise? It does vary from dealer to dealer, in most it's not very popular as there's no opportunity to upsell GAP/paint protection/finance/alloy cover etc.

In addition to 600k people getting the higher rate motability allowance or equivalent and taking a motability car, god knows how many others are paid the allowance but choose to buy their own car or take taxi's or just spend it on drugs and hookers.

However, it should be noted that many who get it may not be able to claim any other kind of allowance or state benefit as I think it is still the only non means tested allowance available.

[Charlie1986]

oldnbold said:

I'm ex forces also Charlie, I get a war pension and the war pensioners motability suppliment added to my pension. My point was that a few years ago you used to be able to get 5 series BMW, A4, A6, Jag and Lexus if I remember correctly. But after a big fuss in the press the larger, higher end cars were removed from the scheme. I realise that Volvo still offer fairly large cars.

I've just read the thread you linked to earlier, I have never had to deal with the DWP as I was invalided out 12 years ago so my dealings were only with the veterans agency. My injuries are not battle injuries like yours but were caused by my service. I was RAF and as you know we prefer to "check in" rather "dig in" like you guys.

I know what you mean about feeling a fraud, I get a blue badge also but use it with restraint, for instance I park in the furthest away disabled bay that I can at the supermarket so that others who use a chair or sticks can use the nearer ones. I still feel at times that people are stairing when they see me get out of the car, even though I'm mid 50's and walk with a limp. I even got challenged once, but after I asked what their medical qualifications were and then explained that I am service veteran they shut up pretty quick and were fairly embarassed.

Yep always checked in rather than dug in

My point was the pricing has changed a lot with the AP's and if your prepared to spend some money you can get a nicely spec car. Im picking up a Xc60 next week which im really looking forward and lucky the spec is really good for the AP

[oldnbold]

woowahwoo said:

catso said:

Motability lease costs are paid by the disability benefit, therefore Motability cannot be abused.

I would disagree with this and so would Motability, I presume, since their website includes a mechanism to report misuse.

Two different things there. Motability don't decide who is given the benefit, that's goverment agencies. The mechanism on the motability website is for people who are missusing the vehicle, for example using it for a business or an example I came across as a car salesman when a grandson had "bullied" his grandmother into getting a car for him to use on her allowance.

[oldnbold]

Charlie1986 said:

Yep always checked in rather than dug in

My point was the pricing has changed a lot with the AP's and if your prepared to spend some money you can get a nicely spec car. Im picking up a Xc60 next week which im really looking forward and lucky the spec is really good for the AP

Agree still a fairly good choice, but my point is that that it used to be much bigger.

[stuartmmcfc]

RYH64E said:

mph1977 said:

If I were you i'd go and look at the criteria for HR mobility and especially the behavioural one ...

Why would I want to do that? Might I also qualify for a free car?

On the evidence of this thread I'd say more than likely

[BlackLabel]

Butter Face said:

It's not just a 20m rule.

I know it's not just a 20m rule however the majority of people on higher rate DLA were receiving it due to a physical disability and not a mental disability or something like blindness.

Here is DLA broken down by condition.

http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2012/jan/...

When it comes to PIP, the replacement for DLA, you need 12 points to be eligible for higher rate mobility and therefore eligible to use the motability scheme. Sure some people will score points in both the 'planning and following journeys' section and the 'moving around' section and can get to 12 that way but most won't.



I'm not anti motability however my initial point was that they've tightened up the conditions significantly so a lot of people who were entitled to higher rate DLA won't be entitled to higher rate PIP because 20m isn't a lot.

Edited by BlackLabel on Monday 30th November 16:04

[alfie2244]

I don't doubt there is some abuse, where isn't there? However "my dealer who im dealing with told me everybody he has dealt with 60% do not have a need of it" sounds a bit OTT to put it mildly especially if it relates to "all" claimants and not just those that happen to take a car in lieu of cash.

From BL's posting, I think the 20m distance will probably have a big impact on future eligibility.

[Janluke]

Triumph Man said:

Looking at the photograph, it looks like her right leg is the false one, so presumably a car would be adapted to have the throttle flipped over to the left side of the brake? I'm not an amputee so can't comment if it's easy enough to operate the throttle with an artificial leg?

Below knee right leg here and I drive unadapted cars. There are a few cars with close pedal boxes that I'm unable to cope with as my control comes from the knee ie lifting the pros off the throttle and onto the brake. Most of the above knee amputees I've met drive autos, unadapted and use their remaining leg for stop/go HTH

[mph1977]

RYH64E said:

Why would I want to do that? Might I also qualify for a free car?

to correct your misapprehensions as to why some people with learning disabilities qualify for HR mobility ...

[Legmaster]

Triumph Man said:

Looking at the photograph, it looks like her right leg is the false one, so presumably a car would be adapted to have the throttle flipped over to the left side of the brake? I'm not an amputee so can't comment if it's easy enough to operate the throttle with an artificial leg?

As a right leg (below knee) amputee, thought I could usefully comment. Lost my leg in 'Nam' (Chelte-nam...) at age 20 in 1987 when a SMIDSY trucker pulled out in front of me.

I failed my driving test twice with two legs, passed with one in the same manual car, same examiner. Maybe the test is easier for raspberries...

I now drive an auto, always drove a manual, but had few weeks when my stump was buggerred (said the actress to the bishop) and couldn't get out, bought an auto with the sole intention of learning left foot driving. I keep tying, but amazingly, my RH plastic leg has far more feeling and control than the real LH version I was born with (could never kick a ball with the fker either...).

I keep trying with the left (real leg) but always swap to default when conditions require the pedals may need a more rapid and in particular sub conscious input. It's bonkers I know.

No real comment on the whole thread apart from for each person that truly deserves any benefit given, there be a similar chancing git that gets the same and gives the whole scheme a bad name and I'm all for clamping down on those that don't truly deserve it (for those wondering I don't receive any DLA or even have a blue badge, I'm content with both in my current medical condition).

[kowalski655]

oldnbold said:

Agree still a fairly good choice, but my point is that that it used to be much bigger.

Motability also usedto do an HP scheme where you just took the 3 years allowance as a sum towards the cost of a car(had to be under so many miles/so many years old) & you aid the rest,so I imagine if you wanted a 911 you just paid a VERY big deposit. That has stopped too.
DLA has a very low fraud rate compared to other benefits.

[Dixy]

I find this far more unpalatable about motability.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/11157096/...

[TVR1]

Dixy said:

I find this far more unpalatable about motability.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/11157096/...

I refer you to my previous comments regarding their spending.

[gtidriver]

I know someone that has a mobility car and blue badge, as soon as she leaves the house she's in a wheel chair or on crutches, amazingly around the house she's quite spritely, this is also a woman that has a lot of illnesses, but only the bad ones that involve a benefit claim.

On the other hand my wife nearly died last year whilst having treatment for breast cancer, at times she could barely walk, it was a struggle even from the front door to the car parked on our drive, I enquired about getting a blue badge for her, the answer was a blunt no. I wasn't looking to have it forever but 6months to a year would have been a great help. There's no maybe or we will see what we can do,it was a flat no. We went to see what benefits we could claim as well and that was nothing as well.

[eccles]

gtidriver said:

I know someone that has a mobility car and blue badge, as soon as she leaves the house she's in a wheel chair or on crutches, amazingly around the house she's quite spritely, this is also a woman that has a lot of illnesses, but only the bad ones that involve a benefit claim.

On the other hand my wife nearly died last year whilst having treatment for breast cancer, at times she could barely walk, it was a struggle even from the front door to the car parked on our drive, I enquired about getting a blue badge for her, the answer was a blunt no. I wasn't looking to have it forever but 6months to a year would have been a great help. There's no maybe or we will see what we can do,it was a flat no. We went to see what benefits we could claim as well and that was nothing as well.

I've known several people in similar situations to yourself. It's a shame there's not some sort of (relatively)short term blue badge scheme to cover occasions like this.

[0000]

TVR1 said:

10% of new cars registered in th UK.

Has no one been able to challenge this? Seems a staggering amount.

[stuartmmcfc]

0000 said:

TVR1 said:

10% of new cars registered in th UK.

Has no one been able to challenge this? Seems a staggering amount.

If this is true, then is it such a bad thing?
I imagine the number of people earning a living from this is huge.

[Butter Face]

stuartmmcfc said:

0000 said:

TVR1 said:

10% of new cars registered in th UK.

Has no one been able to challenge this? Seems a staggering amount.

If this is true, then is it such a bad thing?
I imagine the number of people earning a living from this is huge.

Of course, from the salesmen selling the cars, service departments doing routine maintanence, Kwik Fit employees fitting tyres, Windscreen fitters, bodyshops etc etc etc.

It's a lot of cars, and a lot of knock-on money.