help with mobility car and multiple disabled children

[Goslingsforlife]

how do others use it esp with multiple disabled children. I am thinking of getting one as my eldest has complex needs and is in receipt of enhanced Pip. I am aware I can use it to commute to work and shopping as this will benefit my eldest. My younger one is on DLA but not on high rate mobility (only middle rate care and low rate mob). I was told that I wouldn't be able to use the car for hospital appointments for them for example. Which makes sense on a certain level.

I cannot be the only parent with more than one disabled child. How do you work around such things. Do you still take the car? or do you take the bus on those occasions? What about if I have e.g. a hospital appointment for myself? Do I need to take the bus or the bike?

My old car is dying and I cannot afford to replace it at the moment but we really need one. A mobility car would have been the perfect solution but I now question if it's worth it I cannot use it for high numbers of journeys and if I am better saving up for a replacement vehicle. help

Have you tried to apply? Enhanced rate mobility on your pip would suggest you might be eligible.

Why don't you have a BB ? Just being curious feel free to ignore me.

Please don't get a cheap car instead. It will be less reliable and could ultimately put your children at risk. Don't overthink it, and do what the vast majority of people do and use it as your family car. Just don't start delivering pizza in your spare time or anything.

Yes all of this.

@Goslingsforlife Dobt make a decision before actually asking Motability themselves!

I use my sons for Motability car as a family car. Surely it benefits your son if his siblings are kept healthy by attending hospital appointments?

They have never ever checked what I use the car for. I use it transport his siblings to their activities, university etc. Even when I bumped another car while giving a friends child a lift they never said anything when I contacted insurance.

I would definitely recommend getting one, honestly. It has made my life so much easier. Plus you don't have to worry about breakdowns, servicing, insurance etc as it's all paid for. Petrol costs a bloody fortune though!

I have a Motability car, it's a statement disclaimer you sign saying that it will be used for the disabled persons benefit.
However they allow me to give driving lessons (including insuring the learner) in mine so I think OP has been given the wrong info

we get mobility for severe learning disabilities and autism. It's not an automatic BB on that route and my LA doesn't give out BBs for invisible disabilities. Tried twice even with appeal I got nowhere.

@Goslingsforlife Usually getting enhanced pip means an automatic eligibility for a BB. It was for me anyway

I guess you teach and it's s source of income? I was told commuting to work is ok too. I guess yours falls into this sort of bracket if that makes sense?

@Goslingsforlife No it isn't a source of income! I was teaching a friend

it definitely benefits the child the car is meant for if, as a result of using it for the other children, you are able to spend more time with the child the car is for. I expect it benefits the child knowing their siblings are well looked after :)

Surely the money they'd take from the benefits you DS. Just use to lease a car elsewhere and you'd be able to use it for whatever you want?

I guess yours is for physical reasons. It's not automatic on the other route.

If you are at an appointment with another family member and your disabled child at school needs you, they need you as quickly as you can safely get there. Not 3 busses later.

Using the motability car for another child still benefits your disabled child. It means you can be responsive to their needs.

@Goslingsforlife
Take no notice. We have two disabled children with complex needs and we have one motability car and one WAV we bought ourselves. We use either car for either child even though the car on motability is in our oldest child's name. It would be madness to use different cars for different kids. No one will check and we were told by motability that the car is for general family use anyway !

notability has other advantages. Tax, insurance etc all paid. I just put petrol into the tank. money is very tied as I can only very reduced hours but it sounds really like notability isn't for us.

Op, while I agree that you should be able to use the car to the benefit of the whole family, please check out what the insurance cover states.

Motability might not be hot on actually checking, but it’s important that the scenario you outlined does not invalidate your insurance for that journey.

Hope you get a sensible resolution to this. It must be very hard, working around the needs of multiple disabled children.

But doesn't it work out at costing you over £300 a month.

You have a car already so must be paying maintainable, tax and insurance anyway.

You could probably easily get a lease deal, pay for the tax, service, maintainence and insurance for not much more than you will lose in PIP.

There’s lots of people on here saying they just use it as a family car, “who will know”, but the reality (and legally where you stand) is that doing that is NOT allowed. Yes, you might be absolutely fine and never get caught doing that, but if you are to be caught then you are in trouble and I know of 2 people personally who have been caught out with this. I wouldn’t risk it myself.

It is fine to use the car for hospital appointments for 2nd dc.
Motability would not deny a claim under the insurance in these circumstances.
The website specifically states:
Your vehicle needs to be used by the disabled customer or for their benefit.
This does not mean they need to be in the vehicle for every journey.

It means other drivers in the same home can use the vehicle for:

• Shopping
• Visiting family
• Other routine activities

I worked in the claims department for many years and a claim would never be refuted on this basis!

It wasn't for my friends autistic daughter. I know a few people who don't qualify even though they have enhanced mobility on PIP

Did your son not get 10 or more points for Planning and following a journey? (Usually given if one is unable to do this unaided / would leave them in severe distress)

If so, that is automatic entitlement to a blue badge under govt rules.

That is specifically for descriptor E (psychological distress). We got 12 point under descriptor F (which gets you more points but it doesn't come with an automatic BB entitlement).

You use the car. What benefits you, benefits your children. There are people driving motability cars that don’t even live at the same address as the disabled person. As long as the car is used for the benefit of the disabled person it doesn’t matter what else you’re using it for (with the exception of using it as a taxi or other business).