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

jw1

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

jw1

Anybody had same problem, any advice would be greatly appreciated 

thespiceman

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

jw1

Hi thankyou for reply , the situation was when pip benefit stopped, you are offered a transitional package of £2000 which I refused or keep the car for 6 months to help you get through future mobility needs( been on motability for over 20 years) I thought they was a charity helping, eventually handed car back and lost good condition bonus has it went back early( by 3 weeks)eventually got my benefits back and went back to mobility to apply for another car , they told me I have to pay the 6 months mobility payments back to them £1500 which is ridiculous , as when they write to you saying we will help you to keep the car by giving you 6 months to return car when benefits were stopped 

thespiceman

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

jw1

Thanks again @thespiceman will look into those options, like you say though hassle with motability after you have paid into scheme for over 20 years is ridiculous again thanks for reply

Ami2301

Hi @jw1 welcome to the community! I am sorry to hear what has happened. I'm glad you've spoken to my good friend @thespiceman Keep us updated and let us know if we can help you further

steve51

Hi @jw1

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

jw1

Will do and thankyou for the support @ami2301 @steve51

CockneyRebel

Hi @jw1 and welcome

I don't want to sound harsh but motability cars are not free. You use your mobility benefit to pay for the lease on the car. When your benefit stopped so did the payments to motability but they allowed you to keep the car. When your benefit was reinstated, you would have received a backdated payment. Within the lump sum would be the ammount that you should have paid to motability for the use of the car. It stands to reason that you cannot have both the money and the use of the car so motability are correct in expecting to be reimbursed for the "free" period.

thespiceman

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

poppy123456

Hi,

Motability maybe a registered charity but they certainly don't give the cars away for free.

KG100

I tend to think of motability as a business rather then a charity.
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. 

Zebra88

From what I am reading I think that you would have got a lump sum to backdate your benefit payments? Part of that would have been for mobility needs. In hindsight that backpayment money should have been paid to motability for the use of the car. I know you probably had other expenses considering that you were without payments for a while but unfortunately that's how motability will see it. They do let you use the car for a while as a goodwill gesture while you get benefits reinstated but will expect payment once you have it. 

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.

cargeotig

Im in same boat. Finally had my pip reinstated months later and didnt even think about paying back any of the money, just paid off some debts i accrued while trying to get around.
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?

thespiceman

Hello @cargeotig    Pleased to meet you.

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

poppy123456

cargeotig said:

Im in same boat. Finally had my pip reinstated months later and didnt even think about paying back any of the money, just paid off some debts i accrued while trying to get around.
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?

Hi and welcome,

When your mobility award stopped did you keep the car for any extra time? If you did then i'm afraid your impressions are not correct. If you owe motability money then you won't be able to order another vehicle until that money is paid back, regardless of how long you wait.

As mentioned through out the thread, motability is not a charity. When you received backdated then you should have paid them what you owed them. I'm surprised they haven't been in contact with you.

cargeotig

Id be happy to pay it up if they asked, im not a thief.... But it was the motibility themselves that told me that when they called to inform me they were sending me £1000 to help get me on the road. Never once did i say it was a charity and i HAVE read the threads....i was asking a different question altogether, you could have said that i MAY have been misinformed.. And that's is really all you needed to say... Thanks

Jean Eveleigh

this is information from the Motability website - 

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/

poppy123456

cargeotig said:

Id be happy to pay it up if they asked, im not a thief.... But it was the motibility themselves that told me that when they called to inform me they were sending me £1000 to help get me on the road. Never once did i say it was a charity and i HAVE read the threads....i was asking a different question altogether, you could have said that i MAY have been misinformed.. And that's is really all you needed to say... Thanks

I never called you a thief and i'm not sure where you got that from. I'm a community champion here on scope and i advise others with the complex benefit system, i'm certainly not here to cause trouble.

The thread you posted your question on is about a person being allowed to keep their mobility vehicle for extra time after their mobility ended. This doesn't seem anything like your situation despite you originally stating you were in the same boat as the original poster of the thread. My reply was because you said you were in the same boat. 

Internet forums are great places to ask questions but you'll only receive the correct advice based on the information you give.

Your situation sounds exactly like the transitional support package that mobility have for those transferring from DLA to PIP, is that correct? If so then you'll need to speak to motability to discuss your options if it was less than 6 months that you received the transitional support package.

thespiceman

Hello @cargeotig   Please can I add a few points may be relevant thank you.

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