Friend not able to drive for medical reasons - eligible for any financial help?

[itsabongthing]

Just wondering if anyone knows -
A friend of mine had a seizure this year and is not able to drive for at least 6 months. She isn’t in walking distance of the town centre and public transport is not great where we live. She is using taxis but they are expensive. Does anyone know if there’s any help available? Am guessing PIP probably wouldn’t apply but maybe I’m wrong, I don’t know. If anyone has any info it would be appreciated! Vaguely remember about a scheme for reduced taxi fates from when I worked in London but that was a long time ago and might have been London specific.

Bus pass for the disabled? My son’s is England wide.

Nope. Friend broke her spine four months ago and is paralysed from the waist down. Coming out of hospital in the next few weeks (fingers crossed). She's eligible for zero help with anything- adapting her house/bathroom, getting a motability car. She's not well off either.

Access to Work will get her to/from work.

You are right in that PIP is not appropriate, it's for people with significant and long term difficulties.

Disabled bus pass is an option. Some councils offer low cost transport schemes for disabled people, she could look into it (council website is a good place to start) although I believe many schemes require you to be getting PIP or similar.

You said it's not walking distance but what about cycling?

WombatStew your friend doesn't qualify for PIP or home adaptations? Has she appealed this? That's awful

Wombat
That can't possibly be right surely?!
She should have had an OT assessment with recommendations for adaptations, even if the financial assessment was that she has to pay for them herself.
She should be entitled to PIP (if her condition is long term which it sounds like?) including the mobility component. I don't know about the rules for motability cars.
She should get a Blue Badge too.

OP I don't know where you live, but maybe if you check with your local council. We have Ring and Ride, which is a free bus service, she may have to wait a bit, but it does save money, and I'm sure one of the big charities offer like a free taxi service, so it's run by volunteers. I can't remember the name of it, but that's because I'm knackered. I'll try and have a think about it tomorrow, and I'll get back to you

What's the reason for her not being able to drive?
Has she been left disabled after the seizure, or have DVLA just said no driving for 6 months whilst they wait to see if her condition is stable?

One seizure without leaving someone unable to physically do what they did before it occurred doesn't seem like grounds for claiming any disability benefits.

Temporarily not being allowed to drive does not make anyone disabled.

Wombat your friend needs some advice, I'm sure she'd be eligible for both PIP and a BB. First two links are for the Mobility part of PIP.

PIP Moving around www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guides/Personal-Independence-Payment-Test/Move-around#guide-content

PIP Plan and Follow a Journey www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guides/Personal-Independence-Payment-Test/Plan-and-follow-a-journey#guide-content

All the PIP criteria www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guides/Personal-Independence-Payment-Test/What-is-the-PIP-test

A PIP claim can take months, ours was 2 years from filling in the forms to Tribunal decision

Blue Badge criteria
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/197719/can-i-get-a-blue-badge.pdf