I have been receiving high rate mobility component DLA for a few years. I currently drive an automatic car which I share with my husband. The car is now badly in need of repair or replacing. As both my husband and I are unemployed and have no savings I was thinking about getting a car through the motability scheme. I understand that my husband will be able to drive the car when carrying out tasks for my benefit. Does anyone know if he would be able to use the car for his own use as well. I was really wondering if we would be able to share the car. I will need to have adjustments, probably for left foot acceleration or maybe hand controls. Being able to drive gives independence and keeps me in touch with the wider world because I can now only walk very short distance - just a few yards.
my wife uses my car ,a lot of the time for her self,if she did ever get stopped,she is getting something for me,it aint motability that is the problem,it is the use of the disabled tax disc,
You do not have to drive the car yourself,you can nominate upto two other drivers who are then legaly entitled to drive the car with or without you in it.A car under the mobility scheme is used to take you to lets say physiotherapy,you get dropped off then your husband goes shopping for the weeks shop,that is allowed.
The issue will or could be your blue badge.It should only be used when you are in the car wether you are driving or a passanger…It is not to be used if your husband intends to drive the car to play golf as an example…
I was going to ask the same as I was reading up on it. It is in the new rules for 2012 that the use has to benefit the disabled person. I’m sure there is ways around it though.
Babylove I would think if a disabled person was poorley and unable to drive or get into the car and there carer took the car to get them a prescription as that was the only mode of transport to aide the disabled person then that is allowed.As long as they are one of the two named drivers other than the person the car is registered to.
It is some times is a thin line to walk when it comes to the rules and if they get broken in some way…
on another forum,somone took the car tto work with them andd it sat in works car park,but there answer was it is benefitting the disabled person,because he was earning money,macdonalds is open 24 hours ,always say ur going for a burgeer forr them
Hi, I have to say that my understanding was that the car had to be used either by the disabled person or for their benefit so I would say that a partner sharing the car would not be allowed if they were using it to go to work, to meet friends, go to the golf course, but would be allowed if they were getting shopping for a disabled person or taking a disabled person somewhere. It seems to me that there are a lot of grey areas, perhaps you ought to seek advise from motability about exactly what you can or can’t do. Cheryl:)
Thank you everyone for your replies. It does at least seem as if it will be ok for OH to occasionaly use the car for his own needs, but probably not as general family car - we have 2 teenage children who still want quite a bit of ferrying around, but it is me who uses the car the most. I shall read up on it a bit before I apply.
I am the same with the kids. I used to take the kids to their sport etc but if hubby does in a mobility car that seems to break the rules. It is a bit annoying as are you supposed to have two cars?
Hi, I’ve just got a car through Motability and had to sign forms that said the car would only be used for my benefit. My huband can use the car (as my nominated other driver) but could not use it for business/work purposes - in other words it has to be always available for the main user. Hth Lilbill x
Given your circumstances, it makes complete sense to apply for a car, after all, having this stupid disease usually means having to give stuff up! I think that if your husband used the car for himself, that is against the rules, but I’m not sure how these rules are checked/enforced.
Hi “babylove”, I think that must be one of the grey areas with children tbh. I have a notability car which only I use and my husband has a car but when my husband takes the children somewhere is that classed as helping me, because it means I don’t have to go out and struggle into a scout hut or church hall to pick up children. I actually consider it a big help to me when husband does this kind of job, I know it’s not an issue for my notability car but do you get what I mean, Cheryl:-)
Thank you Babylove, Luisa, Lilbill and Cheryl for your replies. I think I am getting an idea of how the car may be used. There do seem to be quite a lot of grey areas. Maybe I will give them a call. I think it may be best for us to just borrow some money to buy another car that we both can use and keep the DLA money. Hopefully we would be able to get a local garage to carry out any adaptions we require.
