Motability cars - should they be UK made?

Look, we don't want you cluttering up the thread with reasonableness and facts. This is a place for the ill-informed to spew their bile and have a pop at those less fortunate than themselves.

They mean the amount of fraud that is discovered removed is very small. There absolutely is fraud for PIP and disability cars that goes unchallenged and I don’t know why people won’t admit it.

My child's WAV is a VW Crafter (and a damned sight bigger than an SUV that a previous poster claimed). Without it we wouldn't be going anywhere that was off a public transport route and he wouldn't be able to get to appointments at the regional hospital, it was the only vehicle that was deemed to meet his needs on the scheme.

Motability cars are leased, not bought, so they are not 'given' to blue badge holders. Secondly, the car needs to reflect the needs of the user. For some this means wheelchair access. For others, it's room to cater for other medical needs, and for others it's different driving controls. Would a British manufacturer even want to cater for such diverse needs? The motability scheme exploitation has been blown completely out of proportion and is just a storm in a teacup.

Well not quite. I live in London, where public transport is readily available. But some people get PIP for things like epilepsy, severe social anxiety, where no amount of public transport will help (and before anyone asks, no, the person with epilepsy won't be driving but instead will have someone drive for them).

No, I love my Volvo and I loved the previous BMW. I always pay a bit to get something nice.

Why is everyone dragging the disabled lately?

Yes, more could be done. I was just pointing out WAVs are available via Motability.

Well my engagement has stopped now. I just know after visiting "The Big Show" last year that even WAV adaptations aren't as flexible as they could be.

The real scandal, which doesn't cross anyones mind (especially the OPs) is that Motability exists because public transport in the UK is so pisspoor as to be non existent.

The UK could save a Kings ransom if it seriously eliminated obstacles to the disabled and tap the vast wasted resource of people excluded from society - who would then bump up the tax take.

@Thaimonstera All the WAVs we've had are just standard cars (or mostly vans) which are then converted by a specialist conversion company to suit the needs of the disabled occupant. The hoops they have to jump through to get the conversion passed for safety and crash testing means there's already a limited choice of vehicles available. Restricting that to British made vehicles would be bonkers - and not many "British" cars are actually made in the UK anyway.
We've had 2 Fords (probably made in Germany), a Fiat, a Kia and a Peugeot.

You are allowed to work and get PIP. The people you are talking about might have other qualifying conditions.

The Motability scheme does offer WAV leases. The process is different to normal cars, but it is still Motability.

All I know is when I click on a companies accessibility policy, I learn all about how accessible the website is. Which admittedly is more than the staff know.

It's important to distinguish between a "Motability" car, and a car source under the mobility component of higher rate PIP.

Motability can supply a standard car with limited adaptations. Generally things that can be removed when the car goes back for resale. Here you exchange your entire allowance as a lease on the car - insurance and maintenance are covered.

If you need a real WAV - doors moved, ramps welded into place etc, then Motability run a mile and you are on your own. You have to find a dealer, a car and arrange for the adaptations (at your cost) or source an already adapted car.

Last time I visited a dealer to look at WAVs the very first question was not "What are your needs", but "You are taking finance aren't you ?".

Which to the non dim reader (or dare I hope readers ?) immediately tells you all you need to know about whose needs are being considered here. And it ain't the claimants.

If you limit the vehicles available to only those manufactured in the UK, for some, there wouldn’t be a suitable vehicle. Even if there is a suitable UK alternative, for some, that will increase the cost significantly.

We have had several motability vehicles over the years. DS1’s new vehicle earlier this year had a 5 figure AP and had adaptations. Certainly not a ‘perk’ or ‘free’.

@SerendipityJaneWell that's a whole other thread. "Wheelchair accessible" doesn't actually mean that at all. It means it might be accessible to a small standard manual wheelchair. No way does it cover large electric wheelchairs or specially moulded seat and footbox wheelchairs. And that's without taking into account a whole host of other, non wheelchair related needs.

I know one has claimed it for over 10 years for physical problems ( fibro etc ) yet works as a cleaner for 40 hours a week, rides a huge motorbike etc. Know a few who claim not to be able to walk more than 20m yet can look after very young grandkids for days on end etc. They really need to be assessing people more thoroughly for this benefit.
I don't think changes should be made to the motorbility scheme though it's a lifeline for many. They just need to make sure the people who genuinely need it are getting it.accessing it.

And most WAV vehicles require quite a significant down payment. We’ve been nearly £6k each time

I’m not sure any of the WAV cars are uk made, so what would you propose then? Most people chose a motability car based on their need.

It's quite astounding to discover the UK has suddenly developed a wellspring of experts on the needs of the disabled. Where were these cunts when buildings were being designed ?

Nobody has a motability car as a perk. To get DLA or PIP at all, you need to be severely disabled. To be eligible for a motability car you have to be more disabled than that as you have to qualify for the high rate of mobility. Which means you have to be unable to walk, virtually unable to walk or qualify under the SMI rules (which stands for severe mental impairment i think).

Some people seem to think you can take your slightly quirky or lively child to a private dr and quickly get a diagnosis of autism or adhd. Then you can pick up your free car and and free tickets to Disney land on your way out, with queue jumping pass included of course.

It really doesn't work like that.

A post by someone who clearly has no idea how difficult it is to find a vehicle which suits the needs of those with a disabled family member.
We had 5 different vehicles on the Motability scheme during our DDs lifetime. The type of vehicle we chose changed each time in accordance with DDs needs. We even had to end one leasing agreement early as the vehicle was no longer fit for purpose - we switched from a people carrier we could lift DD into and get her wheelchair in the back, to a Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle (WAV).
Knowing many other families who had DCs with disabilities, I can categorically tell you that the vehicles that suited their needs were as widely varied as the disabilities.
Anyone who thinks the choice should be restricted to a few British made vehicles is sadly misguided.
FYI my DD would not have fitted into one of those little blue cars they used to give disabled people in the 1970's, which i think some people feel the disabled should still be given. My DD could never drive!
And in case anyone spouts the 'free vehicle ' misinformation that usually comes out in these discussions, we paid huge upfront payments for the vehicles we had out of our family savings in addition to the monthly payment of DDs mobility component of her DLA.

Quite aside from the fact the UK has no carmakers where the profit goes abroad (unless the OP is planning on insisting everyone drives a Morgan), the key criteria in a Motability vehicle is it's suitability for the person it is intended for

Heights, seats and doors have to allow for transfers. Boots have to be able to stow a wheelchair and maybe a scooter.

And that is just for a person as passenger. If the claimant is driving you may need to be able to fit adaptations for pedals and hand controls.

I can't see the country that gave the world the Austin Allegro is ever going to manage to face those challenges.

Here's an idea - why doesn't everyone leave it to the disabled themselves to know what they need ? I know it's radical, but if we don't do that, the next step will be more busybodies telling the non disabled what they need. I mean maternity leave ? Really ? Surely vouchers are a better way to help mothers to be ?

Motability is a charity. No money comes directly from the tax payer, other than it uses the mobility component of your benefit.

People should definitely have choice. But parents who receive a car because their child has a disability - there should be some safeguards that it meets their childs needs
Currently I have 3 children on my caseload who all need specialist supportive wheelchairs, and a wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV) so they can be transported in their wheelchair as this is the safest and most comfortable way for them to travel. These 3 sets of parents have refused the supportive wheelchair and asked for a basic wheelchair instead which folds to go in the boot of their SUV provided by motability, which risks causing them pain and long term deformity. Asked why, answers included 'WAVS look ugly' 'they are too bulky to drive' (despite being no bigger than an SUV) and 'the deposit was unaffordable for a WAV (social worker checked, it was lower deposit than their SUV).

The payment towards a disability car is the mobility payment which would otherwise be paid to the pip or DLA claimant if they didn't get a car, so it doesn't matter what sort of car it is