To get a motability car ( and also what’s allowed ?! )

[Justnavigating]

Hi

My 18 year old is in receipt of enhanced mobility PIP. We can get a motability car with it.

I never considered it before as I already have a car. My husband did too , until recently . Now he needs my car ( he earns more and works longer hours , not possible with public transport ) . I take my child everywhere - social groups , days out , meeting friends etc . This has been impacted slightly but not massively with me not having the car all the time .

However , my husband has a new job . 6 days per week and longer hours. This means that the things I take my child to that they rely on are not going to be possible . Nor will the days out ( related to a specific hobby that means a lot to them ) . She also hates being in the house and when I had the car was always with me everywhere - shopping , drives out etc . Now that we can’t do that it is really having an affect and will be worse with the new job . Adding up what I spend on taxis for work, alongside the taxis now for social groups and any days out , I feel that getting a car through motability might be a good option.

However - I will be using it for work too . Is this allowed ? Obviously my work benefits my child and I only work when they are at college ( I do work less in the holidays and I guess would be happy to still get a taxi there if I wasn’t allowed to use the car as it’s not when she is in college ) but realistically me working and using it would be benefitting her due to income and it’s not like she would be getting the bus to places because I have the car and she can’t use it - she can’t drive !!

Am I allowed to use it for work ? It’s not a job that I need my car for ( as in I’m not using the car for a business like deliveries etc ) it’s just going to and from work .

What about if I have a day off for example - am I allowed to use it to take my other children to school ( I don’t do school runs as I work but just if I did happen to have a day off / I may be moving jobs to one where I work from home sometimes so if I was able to do school runs could I ? ) or if I was off and I wanted to get the shopping done or go to see someone could I if my child wasn’t with me ? ) - this really is hypothetical as at the moment I work every day my child is in college .

aside from work there is no other time I would really use it Without her - she’s with me all the time and if , for eg , me and my husband went away or went out for a date night we would have the other car so use that .

I just don’t want to get it and then be worrying and assessing every time I get in it as to whether this particular journey benefits them. Do they expect it to be used as the main car, so in that sense not every single journey is for the disabled child but on the whole it is ?

I know of someone in the same situation who uses it as their general car - but they don’t work so day to day they use it when their 19 year old disabled child is at work but they take them to work and collect them .

if your husband has permission from motability that he can do that then you can.
i take it is written on the insurance document.

Thank you for all your comments , those that have helped me .

It’s sad that some have chose to do the opposite and I do believe that those who have done the opposite or leave nasty comments probably don’t have experience of having a child with a disability .

I appreciate all the lovely and helpful comments. I believe I am able to use the car for work as that does benefit my daughter and it is not taking away the use of the car for her .

A few have mentioned a blue badge - she isn’t automatically entitled , we can apply , but in all honesty we don’t need it . She does get distressed if we can’t find a parking space so I guess in that way it would benefit her - but she can manage that so I feel that getting a badge would be unfair when there are limited spaces available at places and we could take one from someone who needs it for physical reasons .

I have read some comments about it not being right / it’s different due to my daughter being an ‘adult’. I don’t think anyone who has commented anything like that could possibly be a parent of a disabled child . It needs to be understood that for a lot the term “adult” means nothing other than a date of birth 18 years ago. My child cannot do anything that other adults can do , she needs care just like a child , she is my child and the way I provide and take care of her has not changed just because she has hit 18 . It’s all well and good saying it’s her choice but would you let a 10/12 year old make the same type of choices ? All these uninformed comments do - for me , anyway - is just remind me of what my child should be able to do , but can’t .

Finally, I would like to remind people that the motability car is not free. It’s around £300 per month . People seem to assume you just get a free car ( you won’t believe the amount of people that have said to me - whilst I’ve been getting taxis to work - “ I thought you could get a free car because of xxx - my daughter 🙁) just goes to show doesn’t it. I have been made to feel ( by the minority admittedly ) on this thread that I’m just desperate to grab a car , on the pretence of my daughter needing it yet the reality is I wish she didn’t need it, I would walk 30 miles each way to work in bare feet on glass covered pavements if it meant she didn’t need / wasn’t entitled to it because she then would be able to live a normal life .

Anyway - I’m browsing cars! 🚗

Just read read the rules properly and stop making your own rules up 🙄

I hope you enjoy choosing and using the car, OP. The Motability scheme is such a god send.

Some people on this thread would probably like to see the old three wheel "invalid carriages" brought back.

It is like covid all over again, when people made up rules just to beat down on other posters.

I know ,I think we are banging our heads against the wall with this one .

You do not get the car, your 18 year old does.

Rules can and do change, so consider that eg my dad lives 200 miles from me but one of the places that fitted adaptions was nearer to my dad so when I got a car he drove it to the place adaptions are done.

We could not do that now as you have to live within a certain distance to be a named driver. Obviously that will not impact you as your DD lives with you but they do change rules.

I would look at leasing or buying not from Motability, as then you can benefit from things like a no claims discount, you can use the car as you wish, lend it out, keep it as long as you want.

You can also then choose whether you want RAC or AA cover.

You can put who you want on the insurance.

I've had several Motability cars, it is a great scheme but it is not always ideal.

While I agree in principle that you using the car for work if The motability people ever challenged it you might have a fight on your hands.
Its a bit of a grey area but its unlikley that you would ever have an issue

That’s true but you can also get an amount towards your deposit as well. I got about £750 last year.

The motability people won't challenge it as it is allowable. They don't check use of the car if the named driver is in the same household as the disabled person.

At least read the Op,s post she is her daughters appointee.

i’m not making anything up . An insurance policy needs to have communing to work if you want use a car to and from your place of work.

Motability insurance "Social, domestic, and pleasure" cover includes commuting to work. Same as any other car insurance.

My DH used to use his Motability car for commuting. He didn't need to have this specified on his insurance.

www.motability.co.uk/get-support/faqs/using-my-vehicle-for-business/

I’m thinking ( hoping ) that this comment saying “ you do not get the car , your daughter does “ isn’t a dig at me - or telling me that it isn’t my car - but is instead is in defence of me saying that people assume “ I “ get a car because my child is disabled x

This. You can for example get a Peugeot 2008 for about a £750 upfront cost. You get that deducted from the government lump sum. So basically you pay nothing. All tax, insurance, breakdown, tyres and any repairs are free. Your DD can choose the colour of car she wants.

OP you can use the car to get to work.

I would assume that not being able to use the car to work applies to people that don’t live with the claimant ( hence a tracker being put on ) as if someone doesn’t live with claimant then it’s unlikely that them going to work benefits the claimant. Or maybe if a claimant lives with someone but is completely financially independent it may be different. Eg , if my child is 30 and lives with me but works or has full benefits - enough to live on etc - then in that case I wouldn’t be providing for her so me working wouldn’t benefit her . But as it stands and for as long as I can see right now , she will be in education or on limited benefits - meaning that I am providing for her and if I didn’t work she would suffer . She doesn’t manage her own money etc so I need to work to provide .

it would be ideal for me to just get a car on finance - but our other car is and I don’t have great credit so that’s not an option at the moment and with paying for the other car on finance I can’t afford another plus insurance . I don’t want a motability car forever - you never own the car. I can’t see me having another after 3 years but for now - this is the only way I will be able to continue to take her to the places she needs to go . She has a social group that is a massive part of her life and she would be distraught without it . As it stands I have our car to take her but with my husbands new job I will not and it will mean that I can’t . I know we may have a wait and I’ll have to use taxis in the mean time which is expensive and is going to mean I simply won’t be able to afford her days out for her hobby . She can’t do anything else like others her age can and this is really sad for her .

I can manage getting taxis to work - it’s not a massive ordeal for me but I can’t afford that on top of all the other taxis for her group and needs - I can’t give up work just to save on taxis as that leaves me even worse off so it honestly does mean that this is the only option right now .

Obviously iit changed since direct line took over.

A few questions :

I am looking at a Peugeot 208 - there are specific prices on the Peugeot website with advance payments . Does this mean this is the price for this specific car everywhere , no matter what dealer ?

Also - I’m looking at a GT - my husband said that I wouldn’t get it on my insurance ( been driving 5 years - 2 of those as a main driver , 3 as named ) but I said that it would make no difference as the insurance is covered ? Am I right , or him ?

As my daughter is an “ under 21” will this affect the cars we can have if she doesn’t drive so won’t be a driver on the policy and there is no way that in the near future ( maybe even ever ) that she will be learning v to drive ?

Finally - does it involve any form of credit check ?

OP - why do you say your daughter isn’t entitled to a blue badge automatically?
she is if she gets higher rate of mobility on pip.

I'm ready that using the car for your own personal errands or commuting to work - unless it's in direct support of the disabled person - is typically not allowed.
The exact rules can vary depending on the specific terms of the scheme or agreement under which the mobility car is provided, so it's always a good idea to check the specific terms and conditions.

I am thinking of a way to get her to look at colours , car types etc without telling her we might be getting it . She will be really happy but she won’t deal well with waiting if there is a wait. Honestly , every single day will be “ when is the car coming “ and if there’s a delay it will be “ is it because they don’t like me , is it because I am not doing well with independence , is it because I hit myself “ - she’s very negative about her condition and anything she can’t do she blames on her condition so it would be distressing for her to wait . I don’t want to say anything until it’s 100% and ideally that is the day I drive it home !

Answers to questions

The price on the motability website is for that spec of car, whatever the dealership. You can pay for upgrades, but I never have.

Insurance - you are covered for the car you choose. Your daughter isn't going to be driving it so her age isn't relevant. You are right.

I'm excited for your daughter!

Nine pages in this has been discussed endlessly
The Op is using the car to go work how does this not directly benefits her disabled daughter when it keeps a roof over her head ?
It specifically states that a named driver er can use the car for their own purposes as long as it directly benefits the disabled person.