Motability & attendance allowance

mrs_T

My mum has been turned down for attendance allowance which she was hoping to use for a motability car. She is 68 so can't apply for dla. She has arthritis of the spine and diabetes and her current car is 10 years old and she has been told it won't pass another mot. Without the car she will be housebound because she doesn't live on a bus route and she isn't within her walking distance of a shop.

She was turned down for AA because she manages in the house with aids from occupational therapy. Today I took her to welfare rights to get help with an appeal but they said she won't succeed because she doesn't require help in the house. She has arthritis after a lifetime of nursing and she has never claimed benefits before but she doesn't have any savings. Any advice please?

concerned43

Appeal - Welfare Officer has no right to tell you not to, they don't work for the disability team :mad: Suggest you go to your local CAB and ask them to appeal on your mum's behalf.

Indie_Kid

You can't get the mobility allowance with AA.

mrs_T

sh1305 wrote: »

You can't get the mobility allowance with AA.

I thought AA was the ONLY way to get motability if you were over 65? What else is there?

Indie_Kid

mrs_T wrote: »

I thought AA was the ONLY way to get motability if you were over 65? What else is there?

You can only get motability with DLA - you can't get this once over 65. However, there is nothing to stop your mum putting in a claim for a blue badge.

There is nothing to stop her using AA to buy a car though.

mrs_T

Thanks, she has a disabled parking badge already but needs financial help to replace her car. I found on the motability website http://www.motabilitycarscheme.co.uk/main.cfm?Type=CFIS she can apply for a grant so that may be worth a try.

I don't understand why dla stops at 65, it's exactly what she needs, not a home carer or attendance allowance.

Indie_Kid

I think they only give grants to motability customers - not people with disabilities who don't get the relevant benefit.

dmg24

sh1305 wrote: »

I think they only give grants to motability customers - not people with disabilities who don't get the relevant benefit.

That was my understanding also.

The reason that Motability/ DLA Mobility is not available to those over 65 is because there is an assumption of age related mobility problems. If everyone that had age related problems was granted a mobility award the system would be overloaded.