Luxury cars removed from the motability scheme

[AutumnLeavesandKnittedJumpers]

https://news.sky.com/story/luxury-cars-removed-from-motability-scheme-ahead-of-budget-13475029

too little too late. As a full time worker I can’t afford to run a car, let alone a luxury car. Motability should be a standard car - available in automatic and manual, an option for wheelchair users, and that’s it.

More appropriate in what way?

Fuck me. Just fuck me. 🤦🏻‍♀️

Have you ever had a holiday, or bought yourself a lipstick? Why are you not putting your money to better use?

But they can spend it on their care -should not be expecting taxpayer ‘funding’ if the can fund themselves.

Good for you but some people have different preferences to you. As already stated, it’s of no increase cost to anyone aside from the individual so it’s moot as to what you would or wouldn’t want

Are we really going back to 1834 Poor Law and the doctrine of less eligibility? I can't believe the petty minded jealousy on here. I really thought the world had moved on, well it did for a while but now we go backwards.

@NorthXNorthWest I don't think you understand how the scheme works. The huge advance being paid for luxury cars is paid by the disabled person from their own salary (and it will be a salary because no disability benefit pays enough for a BMW, no matter what you've read in the Fail).

In effect, what is happening is that the driver is paying for the car, and the scheme is paying for/facilitating the adaptations needed.

I did and do, its called living within your means. Just like the millions of people driving smaller cars or mid market brands because they have to put functionality over brand desirability.

Supermarket clothing isn't the problem. It's people with snobbery based value judgements...

My husband doesn't have a motability car but he could due to his disability. He could afford it as I do his care for free, he chooses to buy a car but he still gets the same amount for his mobility as someone who chooses a luxury motability car

Does a “luxury” mobility car cost the tax payer more than a basic one? After all they have to pay more from their own pocket, not PIP / DLA.

If not, then what’s the problem?

£77 a week is £333 a month or ££4003 a year.

Where is your mum leasing her Yaris from? What model?

I lease a basic motability Yaris (which is an amazing car!). A lease on my model would cost £348 per month. Is she buying instead of leasing?

https://www.arnoldclarkleasing.com/toyota-car-lease-deals/personal/yaris/hatchback-1-5-hybrid-icon-5dr-cvt/

I've just googled Mercedes on the motabiliy website and the only model is the Vito which has a £38995 upfront payment, which is around £1000 amonth on a 3 year lease!

No government or taxpayer is funding free BMWs/Mercedes or anything like that. Many disabled people have free care provided by loved ones because there is no money for care. Many loved ones of disabled people have been forced to give up work to care for them because of the shit-show that is the care system (not even a cost issue - an availability issue).

How does that translate to disabled people not being allowed to use their own money to lease a car of their choice (from the limited options - can't be just any car of your choosing).

Exactly this. As a mum of a disabled young adult who will never work I don’t think I’ve ever been more afraid for his future than I am reading the attitudes on this thread. So many people who. Probably consider themselves reasonable people, voters, who are so happy to spout such bile. I buy him Nike trainers- is he being judged? Should he wear supermarket or Primark? Do people think it’s ok to have such opinions on how disabled people live?

ftr, i'm disabled, like, physically disabled, i am entitled to a Motability car should i choose to, i currently don't, my own car suffices for now... but you know something? I just had to SELL my 'basic Ford Focus' and replace it with this one because i can no longer drive my Focus because of my disability... the steering on them is too heavy and the driving position aggravates my spine and hip, its also too hard to get in/out of now.

So your suggestion is fucking stupid. You cannot have one car for all, it doesn't work, everyones disability needs and requirements are different, and different vehicles are needed to suit need.

It was pointed out on a discussion on this I was listening to earlier that top end cars cost more in servicing, tax, repairs, insurance etc. All this is included under the Motability scheme

Insurance and tax are free - insurance on a high-end vehicle will be ££££, depending on driver’s age and location.

It’s not “petty-minded jealousy” it’s about fairness. And using public money well.

Many conditions should not qualify. I do have a relative with a motability car for - yes - anxiety. It’s ludicrous because I honestly can’t fathom why they need it seeing as they go on public transport, planes etc.

Not subsidised. Mobility is a charity.
Mobility higher rate is given to physically disabled people only. It can be used for a wheelchair or car.

More appropriate in a “know your place” kind of way?

But they can afford it. They can afford the massive down-payment. And then they can afford the weekly lease payments. It is no skin off the tax-payers' nose which car they choose to lease.

What is there to suggest someone who has £7k available for an upfront payment isn't living within their means?

Disabled people can earn money you know. It might shock you, but disabled people are allowed jobs! Revolutionary, I know. 🙄

The weekly lease payments that are paid by the government?

if you have enough money to be making huge down payments for a car you probably have enough money to support yourself?

Absolutely. And all over £77 a week, plus however much someone wants to spend their own money. Imagine limiting those on Universal Credit to shopping in Lidl, Aldi, Asda or Tesco only. And no branded goods . The new Digital ID will let them do that😂

It's easy enough to limit the number of Motability cars by tightening up the eligibility criteria for higher rate PIP / DLA. You could further save money by removing the VAT exemption from any unmodified vehicle. But, that would be (a) to understand how the scheme works and (b) be willing to do something about it.

Easier to whip up a storm and make up policy on the fly, driven by public opinion. This Government is worse than Farage for populist polices in some ways!!

I just googled the number who used the motility scheme and that’s the figure I was given with an explanation🤷

if it’s 840,000 then the figure is just under

£3.4billion

PIP is not means tested. The government pays the PIP. What the recipient does with it is up to them :)

Why do you care so much ,everyone who receives HRM gets the same payment of £ 77/ week ,/they can either choose to use the mobility, scheme to either fund or part fund a car ,the more expensive a model it is the more advance payment theu are putting c down themselves. ,
Or they can use the £77 to buy their own car
Or use it for taxi,s etc

They arexstill only getting £77 / week whatever their preference.

I know! Who knew a WAV was aspirational!