Moneysaving For Carers

System

hi i am a carer for my son and mother/ does anyone know out there if there is help with driving lessons for the carer to learn to drive . many thanks

Ted_Hutchinson

hi i am a carer for my son and mother/ does anyone know out there if there is help with driving lessons for the carer to learn to drive .   many thanks

From
http://www.motability.co.uk/templates/internal.asp?nodeid=89732
Driving Lessons: Help may also be provided towards the cost of driving lessons. Anybody wishing to apply for assistance towards driving lessons must be participating in a Motability Scheme.

You may apply for assistance towards driving lessons for a personal carer, if you are too young to drive, unable to drive due to the severity of your disability or if you simply do not wish to drive. Motability will normally only cover half the cost of driving tuition, if a carer is learning to drive on your behalf.

To apply for Motability either the Son or Mother that you are caring for have to be getting the Higher Rate of Disability Living Allowance Mobility Component.

If neither of them are currently getting this then this scheme wouldn't apply. If you think they may qualify (the son would have to be over 3) details are here
http://www.benefitsnow.co.uk/default.asp
http://!!!!!!.com/dlaguide

If you have not made a DLA claim before I would suggest you get Welfare Rights advice. Sources of advice can be found here http://!!!!!!.com/wrhelp
however post back here if you need further information.

Trix

hi i am a carer for my son and mother/ does anyone know out there if there is help with driving lessons for the carer to learn to drive .   many thanks

You don't say if you care for your son because of a disability. If you do (or anyone else is interested) check out the fifth post on this thread. The Family Fund can provide assistance with driving lesson fees if you have a child who is seriously ill or severely disabled.

http://www.familyfundtrust.org.uk/

filigree_2

my son gets middle rate DLA.  what proof do you have to offer?  is it only for wheelchair users?

I've booked theatre and exhibition tickets over the phone for my son and myself - he gets middle rate DLA. I explain to them that he doesn't need a wheelchair and doesn't have a "visible" disability. Usually they just ask me to show a letter from the DLA unit when I collect the tickets. In reality, I've never been asked to prove that he's disabled and it's relatively easy to get free/reduced price tickets.

Wish I'd known about this years ago!

BTW, the Polka Theatre in Wimbledon South London were extremely accommodating - my son got a half price ticket, I got in for free! Highly recommended for parents of disabled children (not sure about wheelchair access, wasn't looking).

Trix

Another one to add from a new member giffin0 from another thread.

Hi everyone
This is my first post. I have 2 children both with Asperger Syndrome (high-functioning autism). They each receive DLA, and I only recently realised I could get cheap entry into places.

Last week we visited Wilton House, Nr Salisbury, & when I said both my kids are classed as disabled they let one in free (usual cost £3.50). No proof of disability was asked for.

I have made sure I always have the DLA letters in my handbag, just in case, & we plan to visit Legoland soon.

Hope this is helpful
Giffin0

kabie

My eldest gets DLA too but on occasion when I've asked about reduced price entry I've had hostile reactions: "he looks ok to me, what's supposed to be wrong with him?" It's really embarrassing, whenever possible now I try to check beforehand either by phone or email but haven't found many places that will give discount, they sometimes say it's only for those that use wheelchairs, ???.

System

Hi.

Just wondered, with the car buying discount, do you have to get the mobility element of DLA, or would the care element still get it?

Also, what proof do you need of disability/carer-ness for all these discounts on entry fees? I get DLA and my boyfriend is my carer (but unofficially). Would they assume he's my carer if I can prove I'm disabled?

Thanks to anyone who can help,
xxx

Ted_Hutchinson

Hi.

Just wondered, with the car buying discount, do you have to get the mobility element of DLA, or would the care element still get it?

It really depends on what Discount you are thinking about. If it is the 10% VAUXHALL DISCOUNT it looks from the site as if you're registered disabled and don't qualify for Motability assistance then you will be able to take advantage of their favourable discounts and purchase outright almost any new Vauxhall.

However if you want to take advantage of the Motability scheme then you need to meet one of these criteria.
 Higher Rate Mobility Component of the Disability Living Allowance    (DLA)
War Pension Mobility Supplement (WPMS)

Vauxhall Motability Schemes

If the Discount you were thinking of was the VAT exemption on new, adapted car purchase and subsequent maintenance,  which I have mentioned on another forum here recently then you have to be a wheelchair (or stretcher) user.

VAT EXEMPTION WHEELCHAIR USERS ADAPTED VEHICLES

Also, what proof do you need of disability/carer-ness for all these discounts on entry fees?  I get DLA and my boyfriend is my carer (but unofficially).  Would they assume he's my carer if I can prove I'm disabled?

I carry my benefit payment book around with me, however as payments books are being ended next year I suppose I am going to have to carry some other kind of proof if required. I have to say that I haven't yet been asked for proof so I don't think you need to worry unduly. If you were buying a car and getting it adapted for a wheelchair user there is a form you have to sign declaring you are a wheelchair user and why, a copy is available on the Customs and Excise website. I'm aware of someone who negotiated a good price from his local Vauxhall dealer, then told them he wanted it adapted for his wheelchair (hoist) to get the VAT off and then got the Vauxhall 10% disability discount as well. So it made a great saving, but not as much as the chap who bought a Jaguar XJ8 auto who managed to save £10.000 vat. by fitting a powered handbrake as his permanent adaption as he was a wheelchair user.

If you are not registered disabled you just need to ring up your local social services and tell them you need to be on the registered disabled list. They may issue you with a card after asking some questions about why you qualify. Some Local authorities give bus passes or discounts to leisure centres to their registered disabled. However a lot don't bother about registration and give the discounts to all who ask or don't have any concessions for the disabled. So this is definitely a postcode lottery, but if registering yourself as disabled can save you 10% off the price of a new car it's worth the phone call. It would also give you something to flash at the ticket office when asking for a discounted entry fee.

System

Thanks for that!

I'll start carrying around my letter stating I get DLA (I suppose the equivalent of the benefits book!) and I'll look into registering as disabled, because I didn't know it was a different thing. I just thought if you got the benefit, it was official. God, I've got lots find out! (My DLA is a fairly new thing).

Thanks again. xxx

Ted_Hutchinson

Don't get too excited about the prospect of being registered disabled more than likely it will be of no financial benefit at all.
It's really just to check that your local authority are aware of your disability and to ensure you are aware of what concessions they may, or may not, be able to offer you. It would be shame if they offered concessions to the registered disabled that they don't to others and you weren't taking advantage of them simply because you hadn't asked.