Can I use my son's savings to buy a new second hand car from his ESA? Or get a motability car?

nikkip

Hello everyone. I am a parent to a young man who is 20 now and lives in a care home, he receives 100% continuing health care funding therefore still receives all his benefits including ESA and high rate mobility . He lives about 2 hours drive away and I visit him every 2 weeks . I am his appointee. I used to have a mobility car for him but since he moved into the care home i did not qualify for it because I sometimes use the car for work or shopping etc for myself . They advised me to get a car on finance which I did so that I can still visit him and I use the pip money for this . I feel like he needs a car for himself at the hone so that he doesn’t have to go in the minibus as he struggles with this. So can I either use his savings to buy a new second hand car for the home from his Esa ? Or can I get the motability car for the home and use the Esa money towards my car ? Is this possible ? I can’t use public transport to get there without a car . Any advise would be appreciated I’m really stressed out about this and don’t want to get into trouble . Many thanks . 

Ami2301

Hi @nikkip and welcome to the community! I'm unsure how to advise on this, however there will be members along soon that hopefully can advise you

katie0714

Hi there. 

You can get a Motability car or vehicle if you've been awarded: the higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) the enhanced rate mobility component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP)

I copied this for CAB webpage. I’d urge you to contact citizens advice and they can walk you through the process. 

PS ; my cousin suffers from paralysis of the left hand side after having a stroke during surgery to have a brain tumour removed and his step dad is in late stages of MS - my aunt who is now there sole carers was given the option to get a mobility car (I think they reduce the PIP payment slightly to cover this) but it’s now something that she is able to use to support them and get them to appointments ect. 

Hope everything works out for you xx

OverlyAnxious

I'm not sure how getting a car for the home would work as I assume your son doesn't drive?  Is there one particular carer that always drives him?  Would they accept the responsibility of looking after the car as the insured driver?  Is there enough parking space for it? 

I think the safest option would be to buy a used car from his savings and use the PIP Mobility component to pay for ongoing costs like insurance, tax and fuel.  But this is an unusual circumstance so would be best to ask both the home and Motability what they would advise.