Does DLA/PIP mobility help?

Do you use Motability or receive the mobility component of PIP or DLA? We’d love to hear your thoughts.
The Social Security Advisory Committee - a statutory body made up of benefits specialists who provide impartial advice to Government on social security - is consulting on how public funds can be used to support the mobility needs of disabled people.
In particular, they are looking at how well the Motability scheme and the Disabled Living Allowance (DLA)/Personal Independence Payment (PIP) mobility component supports disabled people to achieve greater independence through providing affordable mobility.
The research aims to get a better understanding of any barriers disabled people may face in accessing the Motability scheme, including the reasons why disabled people may choose not to use it.
The consultation closes on 3rd December 2019, and the SSAC are keen to hear responses from disabled people as well as carers and/or families of disabled people – including people who aren’t eligible for the scheme but would like to use it. If you would be interested in giving evidence on your or your family’s personal experiences with the Motability scheme, you can find a list of questions for you to respond to, as well as some more information on the consultation and instructions on how to submit your response on the SSAC’s consultation page.
We’d love to hear your thoughts too!
- Are you eligible for the Motability scheme?
- If you are eligible for the scheme but you don’t use it, why is this?
- Does not using the scheme have an impact on your life?
- Do you receive the DLA/PIP enhanced mobility component? If so, have you faced any issues to leasing a vehicle through the Motability scheme?
Scope
If you have a few minutes to spare, we'd appreciate your feedback on our online community.
Replies
eg you can only have 2 drivers, wheras I use a pool of 5 to drive me around.
The main driver can not live more than 5 miles from me...mine does
I used it to get a powerchair and it cost too much...almost 4k.
Scope
If you have a few minutes to spare, we'd appreciate your feedback on our online community.
Best wishes.
DLTBGYD
Scope
If you have a few minutes to spare, we'd appreciate your feedback on our online community.
Scope
If you have a few minutes to spare, we'd appreciate your feedback on our online community.
Scope
If you have a few minutes to spare, we'd appreciate your feedback on our online community.
I think the Motability scheme is very good, for those on enhanced for mobility.
Over the years, I had a number of cars and have nothing but praise.
It keeps me mobile and independent, without the stress of running your own car.
You might be interested that a third on enhanced mobility, choose not to join the scheme. About 460,000 have a car on the scheme, which makes it the largest lease car scheme in Europe.
I have recently been awarded a ten year award, so no worries about the future.
I have to say there is a lot of ignorance about the scheme rules.
You can have groups of drivers on the insurance, recently the good condition bonus has gone up to £600 (from £250). There are no restriction on the distance, between the car and claimant.
The staff at Motability are very helpful and go out of their way, to assist you.
You also get a monthly magazine from the scheme, with useful updates.
Hope this helps.
Very much so, and I did until it was snatched from me two+ years ago, which in turn prevented me from leaving home unaided since. I was able to use my mobility award to get the car that I needed to enable me to be independent and un-reliant on others. I was stuck in a care home without any possibility of visiting my son who has his own special needs etc., and it was my 3rd vehicle. The decision of a 'nurse' took away my freedom and I have not been the same person since. It's disgraceful, and I'm certainly not the only one either. I'm now in debt up to my eyeballs and struggling to cope. Really struggling. A distance more than 20-30 meters away may as now be 20-30 miles without the car they took back from me and of course the extra money for essentials... I mean, look at how many of our community, and new members almost every week have their own living hell to deal with due to all of this. It's never been as bad, as is evident.... your personal help the other week for example, could have been totally avoided and unnecessary, as so too would have been the help required by the others involved, who I'm sure have their own lives to deal with too. Nothing but disruption has been caused to many, due to the current ways our benefits are being dealt with, and to many it's to the extremities of feeling suicidal and worthless.
The Mobility award isn't a luxury. It is a necessity for many that have now been refused it.
Hi.....been using the scheme for at least 10 years. Have had Vauxhall, Kia ,Skoda, and now Citroen, all hatchback/estate automatics. When I weigh up the cost even allowing for tax, insurance, maintenance and breakdown cover I sometimes feel that spending in the region of £3500 per year before fuel for less than 6000 miles [600 litres bringing the total to over £4000] is hardly cost effective. It's a lot of money to spend with nothing to show for it at the end of each lease. No doubt I'll go through the same ritual in the next 14-15 months.
Best wishes.
DLTBGYD
A - I cannot drive
B - The deposit cost for wheelchair accessible vehicles would cripple me financially
C - I live in London so the transport links while not perfect are OK for both my manual and electric wheelchair use
D - My carer drives and can fit my manual wheelchair in her boot or backseat.
I have a disabled persons freedom pass (bus pass) and a taxi card for transport my PIP money all goes towards my general household finances, paying for the maintenance, insurance and any repairs my electric wheelchair needs and buying or replacing any equipment as and when I need it if it's not supplied by the NHS or Social services or of the waiting time is too long.
My son’s therapist told me about them. I have attended their annual information event and also read their useful magazine too. I was overwhelmed by their website however so I found it easier to talk to someone at their One Big Day event face to face instead. It is interesting to read other people’s stories and their opinions on this. I’m happy to fill out your survey.
I ride in my wheelchair, in the back of my wav...which I bought.ie not motability.
I have looked into getting a drive from on motability. My word! The price of the adaptation is horrendous...about 15k I think.
But you can get good used ones from around 10k.
Does anyone have one,,,either on motability or otherwise?
And I find the customer magazine very useful. I have many spare copies in my bedroom. Lots of good ideas on wheelchair friendly days out etc. My son loves to do the wordsearch puzzle too! I always make a photocopy of the articles about other disabled people which I keep in a folder and use to start a discussion.
I use a mobility car I have had one converted to take my wheelchair its got a ramp that allows my to drive straight up into the car. we didn't have a choice. we needed to get one so I was able to travel. I was lucky I got enhance rate mobility on my PIP so as soon as we were awarded it we used it for a car I paid out for an electric wheelchair myself
It became a pain having to dismantle it everytime we needed to go on longer journeys. my husband never moaned but he is was 65 at the time and the pure weight of it was taking it's toll on him.
I know we had to pay over a one and half grand up front, but to me its worth it, and as it stands now we were told you could add another person, a third person to drive free but you have to pay the insurance for any more. I thinks it a very good deal.
I understand that people have had there cars taken away from them, this is not fair
i sometimes do think what if that happens to me. we rely on that car, but I don't think it will or I hope it won't as my condition is worse now than it was when I was awarded the enhanced rate.
for me it has been a godsend.
My gripe is that people on Standard should be allowed! Most ( me included) use my PIP to get a car on PCP and pay for the extras like the RAC cover which they give with Mobility - but a Mobility car would be better. Mobility say they would love to help but the Government stop them - I don't disbelieve that for a second.
@Jean Eveleigh, it does sound like the deposits put a lot of people off using the scheme. Thanks for explaining how the mobility component helps you in other ways.
@Msbettyboop, thanks for telling us your experience. Needing to run two cars if you had one through Motability is a really valid point, thank you.
@debbiedo49, do you think if you were on enhanced rate mobility you would use Motability? If not, do you mind me asking why?
@pcoventry, I'm really sorry you were informed incorrectly regarding high rate mobility for your son. The information regarding this isn't the clearest either unless you know where to look. If either you or your son had high rate mobility would you lease from Motability rather than on PCP?
Scope
If you have a few minutes to spare, we'd appreciate your feedback on our online community.