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HELP! how do we get a car without any money :(

TillywithWheels

I am a mum to 3, 2 cats and a dog.

I have ehlers danlos syndrome, ptsd, social anxiety, mild agoraphobia, low spectrum autism, borderline personality disorder, chronic fatigue, chronic migraines, sticky blood and ibs but I am not a victim, I'm a true born survivor.

I currently get dla high rate care and mobility indefinitely, I would love to be able to drive so I can get out more. I can't cope with crowds and using public transport is exhausting and petrifying for me so I hardly go out unless I have no choice. My partner is my full time carer and has his provisional, I don't. Would we be able to get any funding to get one of us driving? We can't afford lessons or the test on our own and having a car would improve my life so much. Motability won't help me till I am a customer and we can't get a motability car without a licence it's a catch 22 and making me so ill worrying.

Any advice would be so appreciated! I'm in West Yorkshire, UK. Ty so much xx

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Comments

wilko

Hello and welcome, the only thing I can recommend is use part of you mobility allowance to pay for driving lessons maybe one or two a week depending on cost. Plus you will or may have to move over to PIP which has different criteria for awarding mobility.

Antonia_Alumni

Welcome to the community @TillywithWheels thank you for sharing this with us;

You can contact you local CAB and they may be able to offer you some advice. Please keep us posted.

Threesticks

Welcome, seems it's down to your partner. Your partner needs to get a full licence and then think about a car when you have it. You could ask if there are any local help fo this, I don't know of any myself. Best, fastest way would to take the Auto car driving test. You won't be able to drive a manual gearbox car. Many cars are Auto these days. Best of luck with this

thespiceman

Hello @TillywithWheels. Pleased to meet you welcome.

Thank you for joining and sharing.

I am one of the community champions who guide, advise and help new members who join the forum.

Understand you need to get out more. The big problem is the cost. As you stated in your post.

I think what is important might be useful for your own wellbeing is to find ways to be mobile .

I know this is difficult and it is trying to find what is right for you. You have a number of conditions and illness.

There are organisations related to many of them something to look at. Many of these have support workers or out reach workers.

Might be useful to consider that an alternative to getting out.

I have contact details of

https://www.ehlers-danlos.org.

Helpline 0800 9078 518

You mention mental health conditions as well. Many mental health charities have similar, floating support and outreach workers. Help and support with your wellbeing.

Help and advice on benefits and additional signposting.

Many take clientele with disabilities and a range of conditions.

I used this one last time.

https://www.richmondfellowship.org.uk.

My big concern is you at the moment regarding your benefit situation. You mentioned you are on DLA.

Which is changing to PIP. This might create more problems and issues.

Regarding Motability because of certain criteria for the Motability part.

One point I will stress if you did contact some of the organisations. I have listed they will be supportive. Looking at your benefit situation when it comes.

Help and assist you in coping with that.

As we will as a community. Advise the way forward. Only too glad to be helpful and supportive.

Please keep in touch.

Please ask if we can help with anything further.

Happy to listen anytime.

Pleasure to meet you.

Take care.

@thespiceman

KG100

My parents had a motability car without their own driving licence.
You just need someone with a licence as a named driver.
My parents used family members to drive them around.

KG100

Neither of my parents learnt to drive.

Zebra88

We had the same problem... if you work out how much your motability vehicle will cost, presumably all of your mobility allowance, plus extra for petrol... you would be in the same position financially if you had the car. Lessons are usually now £50 a week for 2 hours which is actually less than the cost of a car...

So the options are take out a motability agreement and have a car sat on your drive and apply to the motability charity for lessons (very long waiting list).

Or pay for the lessons upfront using the PIP/DLA you would lose from paying for a car if you had to get one today.

Unfortunately that's the only options I found. There are free driving lessons in my area for teenage mums but nothing else. Every scheme I asked said I could get "free" lessons from motability except they're not free as we would be paying for a car we couldn't use and waiting for months for the "free" lessons.

Best bet is to find a cheap instructor as you will have the same costs if not more once you pass and get the car.