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Was told by motability that they are not a charity and I need to pay them £1500

Hello everyone , after contacting motability other day about getting back on scheme after disability benefits stopped, then reinstated after hospital letters to dwp, was told by motability that they are not a charity and unless I pay them £1500 will never be allowed on motability again, I thought they was helping me by letting me keep car for a few weeks after benefits stopped , absolute joke , no way I can pay that with how much debt I had to pay off after dwp wrongly stopped my benefits
Replies
Hello @jw1 Pleased to meet you welcome.
Thank you for joining and sharing.
Sorry to hear this.
I am one of the team of community champions who guide, advise and help new members who join the forum.
I do not understand the situation you are in with Motability. I know I was on the scheme myself and know there are certain rules and restrictions.
I have lost my car on the scheme decided not to keep the car. There offer of an extension. Which did offer if I can recall a extension for a year. While appeal if I chooses to go through.
Rather have the financial incentive.
I am unsure of an answer to your query and question.
I think there will be some one from our community who may be able to advise you or a member of our team.
It might be worth speaking to some one like CAB. Who may advise you further.
Please take care.
@thespiceman
SCOPE Volunteer Award Engaging Communities 2019
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Hello @jw1 Thank you for reply. Thank you for sharing.
Understand the same been on the scheme myself for twenty years.
I was the same emotionally, upset distressed how am I able to cope.
Offered my the same took the money the financial incentive. I have to share this with you.
Did some research and looked at the whole thing. Including looking at alternatives to getting about.
Found out it is not worth the hassle.
Looking at ways to cut down travel. Do a lot on line shopping deliver as well, prescriptions.
Taxis against the costs of having car. Have to add most taxi firms know what is happening and it is worth looking at.
I am afraid have and do not wish to have another Car on the scheme.
Now middle fifties.
Even if I won appeal after six months might have to be reinstated . My concern is what you are saying.
I am so sorry what you are going through now.
I would advise speaking to CAB or Disability UK. Might be useful.
All I can say is hope you can find out from either of them. Any additional support and guidance.
Please hope you try to find some answers.
Wish you well.
Pleasure to meet you.
Take care.
@thespiceman
SCOPE Volunteer Award Engaging Communities 2019
Mental Health advice, guidance and information to all members
Nutrition, Diet, Wellbeing, Addiction.
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Disability Gamechanger - 2019
Good Evening & Welcome to our Community/Family.
Yes I had a “Scooter” through the “Motability Scheme”
A few years ago now I could hear some “rumbling’s” regarding the introduction of the new “PIP Benefit”
I sent the scooter straight back to them as soon as I could.
Yes as they say “The Rest Is History”
@steve51
Hello @jw1 Thank you for reply. Understand I am the same. Been on the scheme as I have said for a long time.
When I handed back the car the garage all insistence looking at options to purchase.
There again if you think how many times you may use a car. There are always some solutions to not use a car.
When this happened did a lot of research into alternatives and looking at other ways I can benefit my self having to adapt and change how I see myself being mobile.
We all need food and anything else household. Visits to the Doctors, any appointments. Usual visits to bank or Post office.
It is how you cope.
Signed up to TESCO and Amazon worth the monthly fee. That's shopping and household anything sorted. TESCO does not retail everything.
Banking websites for statements any thing financial. Contacted the helpline any problems there no need to visit bank.
Patients Access prescriptions, ordering and making appointments. Doctors sorted.
Other appointment hospital or other sort some surgeries do have Patient pick up and drop off. Volunteer drivers all depends on area and locality.
Ask at Doctors mine does not.
Things you can do on line . County council payments for garden waste use phone to pay.
Of course all this means you have the time to do other things save yourself money as well.
Saved a lot not using the car.
Got offered from a neighbour the number of a taxi firm they used. Which was a big mistake. The taxi driver ignorant of disability and me personally. Charged me excessive fares. So got rid.
Only used him once and once was enough. Lived in my local village.
Learnt that outside the area or even nearest town if on line on the web. Have reviews that are five stars. Deal with members of our community or have done.
Something I would recommend. Also look for one that has mobile number. As well landline number good reviews.
Used landline to book then they suggested use mobile to text. Which I do. Explain what happened. Loss of PIP and car I did and are always appreciative when they respond with positivity.
Also one point try to combine trips. If going to Doctors then add in trip to the bank or Post Office does help and then the cost does not seem so big.
Also if you ask they usually say my driver says if going to the Post office or Bank. Will wait for you. Can park free. Because remember he is a taxi and can park in certain places we as drivers can not go sometimes.
Hope that gives you reassurance.
It is upsetting to lose the car and the most important thing you can still carry on.
Be independent.
Pleasure to talk to you.
Take care.
@thespiceman
SCOPE Volunteer Award Engaging Communities 2019
Mental Health advice, guidance and information to all members
Nutrition, Diet, Wellbeing, Addiction.
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For a charity people do pay quite a lot of money over the 3 years to "hire" their cars !!
But having said that it does make driving easier all round what with insurance, and breakdown and other things included in the deal.
I don't see them as a charity. I see them as a company offering a more afforable way to access a car... as the car is not free. We could desperately use a vehicle but have chosen not to get one. I know for some people it's a complete necessity and I'm thankful that we manage somehow even though it's difficult. I couldn't afford to lose the money every 4 weeks and pay for petrol. My partner eas refused PIP twice and then awarded for only a year so if I were to use my PIP for a vehicle and then him lose his award we would be destitute due to the costs we have.
I have a free national bus pass which I can use on any train and tram within Greater Manchester, and I buy a disabled persons railcard so my carer gets cheaper travel. I also use Amazon prime or Argos for anything I cant get from local shops and buy a Tesco delivery saver. If I add up these costs and the occasional wheelchair taxi home with kids when it's raining it comes to about the same as the hire but doesnt include costs like petrol, hospital parking, car seats for the kids, having the kerb dropped outside and I worked out a lot more costs that I cant immediately think of...
When I work I use access to work for travel costs if I cant get there by public transport, for example if there would be a long way through an estate that an ablebodied person could walk easily, or no dropped kerbs for my chair then it's not unreasonable to ask for an adjustment for help with getting there as without the chair I could cycle or walk.
I know for some the car makes life a lot better and is essential but what I am getting at is that even if you have to save to pay them back or can't manage it, there may be ways you can work around until you have a car again.
As i do want to go back on the scheme i am under the impression they dont ask for anything to be repayed as long as you wait 6 months before reapplying.
Not sure if this means 6months from when pip changed the decision and i received money back again, or 6 months from when it first was stopped? Anyone now?
Thank you for joining and sharing.
I am one of the team of community champions. We guide, advise and help members of our community.
Please can I suggest have you spoken to Motability about the situation, discuss that with them.
Telephone 0300 456 4566
Please can I ask my friend @poppy123456 can give any further advice.
Has a lot of expertise, knowledge on benefits might be able to advise your further.
Please take care.
@thespiceman
SCOPE Volunteer Award Engaging Communities 2019
Mental Health advice, guidance and information to all members
Nutrition, Diet, Wellbeing, Addiction.
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If I apply for PIP in the future and am successful, will I need to pay this money back?
This is a one-off support package to help with the transition from the Scheme and we do not expect that you’ll need to pay this back if you are later awarded PIP. However, if you decide to rejoin the Scheme within six months of receiving the transitional support package, you will need to speak to us to discuss your options.
https://www.motability.co.uk/about/allowances/personal-independence-payment-pip/unsuccessful-reassessment/transitional-support-package/
We have rules on here as a member of the community champions team you need to read and listen what being said to you.
Abuse against a member of the team or any member of the community. Is not allowed, have look at our guide, community house rules for clarification.
I do not see any comments relating to a thief made by one of the team.
Then please consider this. Understand you want your car back now, why. If this in the future that when reassessed again and it will continue to be doing that. Might lose the car again and so on, till you do not qualify.
I am middle fifties too much stress, anxiety and use if you please read the start of this post the original poster read carefully.
Know members on here you lost three cars in a period of time, think that is it worth it.
This happened to me, first lost high rate of PIP. As I am on standard rate.
Why would you need a Motability car if this means paying money to the scheme back or be reinstated.
If you read carefully first my posts on the subject please do think about this for a minute.
On this page. Please have a look.
I made a lot of enquiries and research, got offered a lump sum, do I appeal or leave it. Took the money inn the bank useful to have.
Looking at renting at alternative transport other volunteer drivers.
Renting might be an option need to be paying through a salary or finance . Something to look at if wish to consider that, all the of renting. Servicing repairs.
I get every thing delivered on line, medications, shopping.
As for getting around Taxis are available many are flexible know what has happened to our community.
Costs are not that expensive in relation to using a car. Have to park pay petrol any carparking fees. The anxiety might be broken in to vandalised. The cost of blue badge need I say more.
Roads traffic stress driving , happy le the taxi driver does all the stress some one to chat helpful useful. Plus an opportunity in these poverty times to put some money away.
Taxis does all that, easy book by text or Email. Arrives picks you up, no need blue badge any more. Parks outside banks, post office.
Hospital appointments another expense. Carparking to much taxi arrives drops you off just ring mobile when your ready or even text have done that before.
I reckon saved around £40 plus on extra expenses.
I forget to add your rate of PIP pays the cost of taxis.
If that helps you best decision ever made.
Please I hope that helps you.
Thank you for reading.
@thespiceman
SCOPE Volunteer Award Engaging Communities 2019
Mental Health advice, guidance and information to all members
Nutrition, Diet, Wellbeing, Addiction.
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You said "We have rules on here as a member of the community champions team you need to read and listen what being said to you"..... I would imagine this goes both ways and i feel you have both read my thread completely wrong and taken it totally out of context, and to be honest i feel you have been very rude in your answers, which dont really answer my question anyway!
I never said someone called me a thief i was simply making a point that i wasnt one so would obviously have paid money back if i was due it and had been asked.
You have also said....
"Abuse against a member of the team or any member of the community. Is not allowed, have look at our guide, community house rules for clarification" ....
I certainly am not abusing anyone, and im mortified that you have taken it this way, iv never abused anyone in my life and am certainly not doing that now.
Im upset at how this was taken so please delete my threads as its absolutely not how it was meant and i shall seek answers elsewhere.
Thanks
From looking at your question and @Jean Eveleigh's response, I would take the Motability guidance the same way you have. Are you looking to use the scheme again in the future?
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(The following is what i was trying to say to the original person who posted, hoping it was helpful information from disability themselves).
"I took the 1000 pay off after i had already had 26 weeks extra.... Although they told me on phone they would send the 1000 and even if my claim was reinstated they said if i waited 6 months i would be able to rejoin penalty free, and the 1000 wouldnt have to be paid back at all. But if i rejoined earlier i would have to repay the rental money but not the 1000 "( although it was on the phone and not in writing unfortunately).
However if i were to presume the person on the phone to me was correct (and i genuinly could rejoin penalty free after 6 months).... My question was "would that be 6 months from when my claim was stopped originally? Or 6 months from when it was reinstated"?
So basically which date should i take the 6 months from?.
Sorry for the initial confusion, and i understand that maybe noone is anymore wise about this than i am, but i do hope it makes more sense this time, and also i do realise my information could have been given to me incorrectly.... But i was just trying to help and get my answer at same time.
Think il call them again and ask.... If they say to pay the "rental" part back first i could then offer to pay it back over the 6 months i was going to wait anyway before rejoining the scheme. I wouldnt bother but i cant afford a decent car and iv already been left stranded once with the rubbish one i bought with the 1000.... Fingers crossed i can sort something and hopefully you do too
I was a loss to lose my car but got the covering letter and as I do always ring them these people up.
Clarification and confusion abound.
Some times hindsight is a wonderful thing, but speaking to the Motability team lots of reassurance, patience, tolerance.
Had also one important thing ask for email of our conversation, I did as also if I can recall. To send me a letter of our chat, instead got an email.
The rules after losing a lifetime award are confusing, complex. I just thought well had enough of this. After all a car is a car.
Got £2000 marvellous using that a rainy day.
Cold day yesterday no need for going out shopping, on line. TESCO by early morning.
Stress free.
Just too much if you think about every time I have a problem struggle as I do. As I age older, do I need to be finding my energy and time driving.
Worry, anxiety and the way people drive too much, rather use taxis.
One other major problem is the continuous assessments do I need to be losing my mind over whether might lose the car again or ask to be reinstated then lose it again, too old, too tired.
Besides an assessment next time more points scored. Here hoping, because not got a car. As I do not going out so much and do I need to, all deliveries parcels yesterday, in the warm safe and secure.
The stress, mental anguish. gets to you. Being claiming nearly all my life and it still goes on.
@thespiceman
SCOPE Volunteer Award Engaging Communities 2019
Mental Health advice, guidance and information to all members
Nutrition, Diet, Wellbeing, Addiction.
Recipes