Negative changes to the Motability scheme as of 1st January 2017.

[Deleted User] · 19 February 2018 at 2:18AM

Well, what a huge number of responses there have been to this thread (ok, a fair few flying down tangential paths but that's to be expected...)

I thought that some folk may be interested in my experience since leaving the scheme just over a year ago.

Having had my rant on here I returned my Toyota IQ (and paid £450 have the bodywork patched up before returning the car). I then went and bought a 10-year-old Land Rover Freelander 2 for £6000.

- My insurance is £450 a year
- Year 1 service (minor)/MOT £280
- Year 2 service (major & replace some parts)/MOT/repairs £1100.
- Depreciation, probably 10% a year, so it has lost £1140 in value.
- No tyres have been replaced
- The fuel efficiency is comparable to my previous Toyota IQ (seriously!).

The above mean that the annual cost, excluding fuel, is around £1740 a year.

My War Pensioners' Mobility Supplement is around £3400 a year. So I am saving around £1700 a year by not being on the scheme.

Ok, I'm driving a 10-year-old Land Rover so the likelihood of breaking down is much, much higher than a modern car! The range of extras aren't as good but I still have heated seats (as do 80% of Motability customers), leather seats, electric mirrors that fold in, sunroof and front & rear parking sensors. The car is SUPERB and we absolutely LOVE IT! I also love not caring about a small dent or branches slightly scratching the sides as that's all part of the character.

Will I go back to the Motability scheme? I very much doubt it. But I am still very pleased to know that the scheme is available to so many in need.

easy · 19 February 2018 at 6:13PM

Deleted_User,
that's great, it's terrific that it suits you to run a 10 year-old vehicle, an older land-rover obviously suits your lifestyle, and clearly you don't do all that many miles over a year.

But it wouldn't suit every-one. As my very elderly mum lives 130 miles away from me, I put plenty of miles on my car every year just going to-and-fro just to make sure she's OK (and no, she doesn't want to move nearer to us, we have tried that). So I wouldn't want to be running an older or high mileage vehicle. I really dread the thought of breaking down on the motorway - having to get out of the car (my balance is appalling) and wait on the bank next to the hard-shoulder in the cold would cause me real concern. I also appreciate the fact that tyres and servicing are all taken care of

I simply feel that the facility that Motability provide is a good deal, for those of us who want/need to take advantage of it. Some people suggested that it didn't represent good value, and I agree, if I was covering less than 5k miles a year in a little city car it might be the case.
But for those of us who need to travel, and need space for a family (and a mobility scooter) and comfort on long motorway journeys I would struggle to beat the price motability take from me.

Horses for courses ... as the saying goes.

poppy12345 · 20 February 2018 at 8:06AM

Deleted_User wrote: »

Well, what a huge number of responses there have been to this thread (ok, a fair few flying down tangential paths but that's to be expected...)

I thought that some folk may be interested in my experience since leaving the scheme just over a year ago.

Having had my rant on here I returned my Toyota IQ (and paid £450 have the bodywork patched up before returning the car). I then went and bought a 10-year-old Land Rover Freelander 2 for £6000.

- My insurance is £450 a year
- Year 1 service (minor)/MOT £280
- Year 2 service (major & replace some parts)/MOT/repairs £1100.
- Depreciation, probably 10% a year, so it has lost £1140 in value.
- No tyres have been replaced
- The fuel efficiency is comparable to my previous Toyota IQ (seriously!).

The above mean that the annual cost, excluding fuel, is around £1740 a year.

My War Pensioners' Mobility Supplement is around £3400 a year. So I am saving around £1700 a year by not being on the scheme.

Ok, I'm driving a 10-year-old Land Rover so the likelihood of breaking down is much, much higher than a modern car! The range of extras aren't as good but I still have heated seats (as do 80% of Motability customers), leather seats, electric mirrors that fold in, sunroof and front & rear parking sensors. The car is SUPERB and we absolutely LOVE IT! I also love not caring about a small dent or branches slightly scratching the sides as that's all part of the character.

Will I go back to the Motability scheme? I very much doubt it. But I am still very pleased to know that the scheme is available to so many in need.

It's great that you could afford the £6000 in the first place but not everyone can do that. Before i had my mobility car i used to drive cars that were just a few hundred pounds. Not everyone is in the position to take out a loan for a car, especially if they're relying on benefits. If you're happy driving a 10 year old car then great, but it's not for everyone.

Mobility scheme for me is great, happy and stress free motoring and all i have to worry about is the fuel. They get a huge tick from me.

Danday · 20 February 2018 at 5:52PM

Each to their own I say. I'm so glad that I didn't go down the Motability route. My high mobility from DLA which I had for many years ceased in 2013 when I moved over to PIP and stayed that way for two years. Then I had a PIP review in 2015 which after some argument saw it eventually go to enhanced mobility. Now I am going for a third review on Friday and fully expect it to be refused as per usual. Either I appeal and fight it or just leave well alone as I did in 2013. No idea how long I will be able to cope with permanent rejections, I'm 70 in May
My best friend would have been the local dealership back and forth getting a car then having it repossessed two years later.

poppy12345 · 21 February 2018 at 6:59AM

Danday wrote: »

Each to their own I say. I'm so glad that I didn't go down the Motability route. My high mobility from DLA which I had for many years ceased in 2013 when I moved over to PIP and stayed that way for two years. Then I had a PIP review in 2015 which after some argument saw it eventually go to enhanced mobility. Now I am going for a third review on Friday and fully expect it to be refused as per usual. Either I appeal and fight it or just leave well alone as I did in 2013. No idea how long I will be able to cope with permanent rejections, I'm 70 in May
My best friend would have been the local dealership back and forth getting a car then having it repossessed two years later.

It could well up up that way,if you don't send all your evidence in. Why anyone wouldn't send all their evidence, i'll never know.

Danday · 22 February 2018 at 8:39PM

Thanks poppy, I don't want to have an argument with you, but you know why. The DWP state, and it is qualified by the CAB, that you should not submit evidence that is more than two years old. If that means having issues but not able to prove it because the diagnosis/consultant report is more than 2 years ago so be it. No point claiming that the issues exist if you can't prove it with recent evidence. I know it's not lying, as you have said, but it is going against the rules laid down by the state. If everyone ignored state rules and did their own thing where would we be.

easy · 23 February 2018 at 9:52PM

Danday wrote: »

Thanks poppy, I don't want to have an argument with you, but you know why. The DWP state, and it is qualified by the CAB, that you should not submit evidence that is more than two years old. If that means having issues but not able to prove it because the diagnosis/consultant report is more than 2 years ago so be it. No point claiming that the issues exist if you can't prove it with recent evidence. I know it's not lying, as you have said, but it is going against the rules laid down by the state. If everyone ignored state rules and did their own thing where would we be.

Oh for goodness sake... Send in whatever evidence you have and let them decide what they do and don't want to take into consideration

Alternatively, contact your consultant's secretary by telephoning the hospital or clinic where you last saw the consultant, and ask for a letter to confirm that you have a long-term condition, or an appointment to see the consultant to get an update.

Honestly, it isn't rocket science. We are asking to be given public money to support us. It's not unreasonable that the authorities who hand out the money want some proof that wed still need that support.

Not that it's relevant to this thread of course

poppy12345 · 25 February 2018 at 12:37AM

easy wrote: »

Oh for goodness sake... Send in whatever evidence you have and let them decide what they do and don't want to take into consideration

Alternatively, contact your consultant's secretary by telephoning the hospital or clinic where you last saw the consultant, and ask for a letter to confirm that you have a long-term condition, or an appointment to see the consultant to get an update.

Honestly, it isn't rocket science. We are asking to be given public money to support us. It's not unreasonable that the authorities who hand out the money want some proof that wed still need that support.

Not that it's relevant to this thread of course

Exactly what i've been saying to the OP multiple times.

With the posts from the OP being very similar to a past member, it's not surprising we are all going round in circles here.

Danday · 25 February 2018 at 12:52PM

Thanks Easy, as I keep on saying I try to play by the rules. There must have been a good reason for putting that rule in place, surely it's not for me to decide to ignore it? Maybe I should ignore the rule about smoking in a public place or a pub and let the state or landlord decide they want to do about it?As for my mental health, the letter I mentioned was a copy of the consultats findings and that he has put me back into the care of my GP. The GP still prescribes on the consultants instructions but to go back to the consultant for an updated report after all these years is ridiculous. Whilst my GP prescribes he has no idea how I am other than what I tell him which could be a fabrication or the truth.

Danday · 25 February 2018 at 12:54PM

Thanks poppy, I have no idea if my problems are similar to others.

Negative changes to the Motability scheme as of 1st January 2017.

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