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.

VED relief is irrelevant to this discussion - anyone who gets PIP HRM will qualify for zero rated VED, regardless of whether they get their car through Motability or privately.

VAT relief is more complicated. Some people who get a Motability car would qualify for that if they bought privately, but not everyone. For a private buyer, you have to be a full time wheelchair user AND require significant (and permanent) modifications to the car. When Motability started, I suspect that a large proportion, probably a significant majority, of users qualified for this. However, as the criteria for claiming PIP has widened, the proportion who would qualify for VAT relief outwith Motability, has reduced.

I agree that there is a case for ending the blanket VAT relief for Motability cars, so long as it can be maintained for those people who qualify for it, in their own right.

Yes and yes.

motability buy in bulk and then lease for three to five years. The cars are then sold.
so it does support the second hand market and also supports demand for cars when retail sales (individual customers) are low.

It's the legitimate claimants I feel for here! My adult daughter has lifelong disabilities and is aware of how negatively some view people legitimately claiming help. The scammers are leading to disabled people facing abuse. This has happened to my daughter when using the free bus pass, she is entitled to.

Me neither... Though apparently anything without a luxury badge is now classed as cruel and unusual punishment.

The UK is financially on its knees, but it’s apparently radical to suggest the government might prioritise funding essential mobility and jobs for UK workers (haven't really gone far enough on this though) before worrying about the feelings of people moaning they can't top up for designer brands.

Outrageous, punitive and selfish, yes I know!🙄

Then it absolutely should be! No brainer. Ifyou can’t see that - who do you think is ‘funding’ you?
The ‘government’??
They only have the money they take in tax from people who in most cases have less than you, or by borrowing which impacts (through rampant inflation) on lower income workers more than it does on you.
The ‘entitement’ culture is indefensible and unsustainable.

The welfare bill is unsustainable as it is and everyone is worried about the cost of living and how they are going to pay bills etc.
Given taxation pays for a lot of things the government does individuals are looking for where money can be saved rather than just taxing those that work (yes, I know disabled people work). This is why there is also concern regarding removal of the 2 child cap, this is just going to cost more money.
With the ageing population and the drop in people expected to be working in the next 30-40 years, and therefore contributing to the pot in taxes, if the overall costs for the country are not reduced then we'll be in trouble.
Rather than pitting individuals against each other the government need to look at this and fuck the backbenchers who moan, everyone is going to feel some level of pain but we need to make sure we look after the most vulnerable in society, making sure people make the right choices and not expect money to be 'handed' to them. That isn't aimed at any one group but as a collective.

I think you’re missing the point again.

Yes all “government” money comes from taxpayers. As a society we have decided that certain things - such as the additional costs associated with disability - should be funded collectively and not means tested. Other examples are the state pension, JSA and attendance allowance. Child benefit also used to fall into this category.

What specifically is it about payments benefitting the disabled that you find more exasperating than all of the other examples of non-means tested benefits?

Yes -can’t you????

Not sure what deal your mum did on her Yaris but i have a more expensive car than that and paying considerably less with mimimal deposit!

In that case no one would be able to use their PIP/DLA towards a WAV on motability as the minimum advanced payment is £4,000. Seems a bit strange to ban motability for people who need a WAV.

What is the point of a tiny/useless car that can only transport 1 person if the disabled person is in a family of 6. Shouldn't they be able to top up the car to get one that is useful for the entire family to use? Disabled people aren't always in a solitary bubble.

That's one of the reasons why the Invacars (aka "Noddy cars") were scrapped in the first place. The other reason was that they weren't very safe.

ODFOD

Or at least admit that you are the type of scum that thinks disabled people are not worthy of anything beyond the bare basics for survival.

Yes, it is disgusting to try to stop people using their own money for something they can afford, just because your jealous.

Well it ought to be -easy to see how people are gaming the current system. Should only be for the disabled person transport, not for use for other purposes.

The subsidy was the same whatever car you had. The balance for a better car was paid (and non-refundable) by the person/family. The government didn't pay more for the BMW than it did for the Ford.

I haven’t RTFT
I got 4 pages in and I can’t see for the tears of anger and frustration.
How many of you would swap £7k for a BMW?? All of you ableist bastards would I expect.
Now, do you want the disability to go with it too? How many of you like walking?
How many of you bashers want to use a wheelchair? And let’s throw in loosing control of your bowels too?
Is it worth it now??
‘Standard cars’? What the fuck is a ‘standard car’ and who gets to decide?
Many ‘standard cars’ won’t take a hefty wheelchair plus the adaptation needed to,lift it in.
Heaven forbid a disabled person should have some CHOICE in their lives.

You posters who agree with the disgusting OP - you make me sick . Nasty, jealous of what you perceive to be a ‘free car’
ITS NOT FREE.
Are you that stupid you can’t read upon how the system works??
Christ - you must all have the vote too. No wonder the country is fucked.

I'm not surprised but think it's ridiculous.

PIP/DLA isn't means tested and those who wanted luxury cars had to pay huge advanced payments and the scheme would then also help those who buy second hand luxury cars. Some people have probably shot themselves in the foot, making a fuss about luxury cars on PIP/DLA, not realising it's the only way they afforded their second hand BMW!

What actually annoys me? The fact that WAVs, which are necessary, not a luxury, also tend to come with huge advanced payments. Now that's something to get worked up about but no one will.

And many posters on here have been open that they want WAVs scrapped due to recipients being able to afford the advanced payment, arseholes.

So those of us with disabled children should have a 2nd car? How on earth do you expect people to afford that?

Removing BMWs from motability has FA to do with the welfare bill. It costs the same no matter which car you choose. The excess is paid by the user.

I haven't read all of the thread but why am I not surprised?

Has anyone yet mentioned the fact that being able to lease a motability car means there is no insurance to pay on top, no maintenance either and breakdown assistance all thrown into the package.

So those who are crying 'jealousy' which is the standard response are completely wrong. If someone can afford to pay for the uplift for a merc or a beemer it's because they're not having to shell out what the rest of us have to just to own the car. It's been a giant con and it needs reforming far more than just stopping people having Mercs and Beemers.

So under this system you have just driven your disabled child to their special school, how do you then get to work, or get home?

To all the "but tax breaks, wah" moaners: a cycle commuter can get a tax-free bicycle worth up to £3000 through Cycle To Work, but I don't see you all griping about that. How come MAMILs§ are more worthy of a tax break than literal disabled people are?

§: Let's be honest, someone cycling to work isn't a mum squeezing the school run into her commute, it's an able-bodied bloke leaving the childcare to his wife.