Great 'What discounts can I get when I'm disabled' Hunt

consultant31

I haven't read all 12 pages of this thread so apologies if I'm repeating someone else's tip.

The Eden Project allows a carer in free which makes for a considerable saving. Also for anyone who thinks they won't be able to cope with a wheelchair (as it's built in a quarry) there is a land train to take you to the bottom and bring you back again, which runs every 10 minutes.

It's a wonderful day out, highly recommended

Paxo456

Forgot to add Legoland to my list at #461

Best thing to do IMO is ask the venue - we would still go but if there is a carers free admission....bonus.

Kasser

Anyone disabled person thinking of going to Sylverstone, they are really helpfull on the booking line. They went out of their way to help my daughter booking a treat for my son who has MS. She booked about six months prior to a championship, not sure if she got a discount but they had the best seats possible for him, and where offered a wheelchair to be on stand by if needed when they got there. They just asked for a scan of his blue badge.

Kasser

Kasser wrote: »

Anyone disabled person thinking of going to Sylverstone, they are really helpfull on the booking line. They went out of their way to help my daughter booking a treat for my son who has MS. She booked about six months prior to a championship, not sure if she got a discount but they had the best seats possible for him, and where offered a wheelchair to be on stand by if needed when they got there. They just asked for a scan of his blue badge.

He also gets free road tax.

HappySad

portlandboy wrote: »

I've mentioned it before, but it may be worth saying again. If you are considering using your mobility component of the DLA to get a car on the Motability scheme, do some maths first.
I worked out that most Motability cars will cost about £200 a month, which is about £7200 (plus any initial down payment, depending on the make/model) for the 3 year term. At the end of the term the car goes back to Motability and you start again.
Yet I bought a nearly new (demonstrator) from a dealer, got a discount because it was "used" and then got the VAT back as I needed to carry my wheelchair in the car. Total VAT back and discount was nearly £4000 off the new price of just over £13,000. Three years on, the car is mine and is worth about £6000, so if I sell it now, it has only cost about £3000 over the 3 years.
VAT can be taken off/reclaimed from the price of a vehicle that is used for a the purpose of transporting a disabled person.

This is great advice. Getting an x-demo car and vat back because car is used mainly 4 a disabled person. ;0)

ssnjimb

Hi

I will shortly be ordering my first mobility car.

As cars are exempt for disabled people (vat)

Will Options/extras also be vat free ?

James

andrea_louise

ssnjimb wrote: »

Hi

I will shortly be ordering my first mobility car.

As cars are exempt for disabled people (vat)

Will Options/extras also be vat free ?

James

It may be worth looking at portlandboy's post. #448. Cars are vat exempt but only if the disabled person is a wheelchair user. For other disabled, cars are not vat exempt.

When I was looking for a new vehicle last summer, motability had increased the deposits by quite a high figure (up to £3,000) in addition to that, a lot of the vehicles with higher seats had been withdrawn from the scheme. It was a car with a higher seat that i needed, as i was unable to get into and out of my previous vehicle. So I ended up purchasing my new vehicle outright.

Consider what you need, with motability, if it's not quite right, your stuck with it.

ssnjimb

I currently drive a 12 plate Ford Focus Zetec 1.6 tdci.

Because I like My current car I'am going to choose a Ford Focus Titanium X 1.6 Tdci.

I wanted to add the larger alloy wheels plus the Driver assistance pack (speed sign recodnition/lane safety/blindspot info etc) Which are £400 and £900 respectively

I Suffer with Cystic Fibrosis/Asthma/Diabetes/Arthritis

James

andrea_louise

Hi James,

If I was in your position, I would be reluctant to go down the motability route. Your vehicle is still relatively new, you will be selling it (I presume) you will have already lost approx 30% say in depreciation, with the motability payments over 3 years and assuming an advance payment of say £400. The motability vehicle will cost you approx £2500 per annum. And you hand it back in 3 years. Not including the extras.

However your current car may still have a resale value of say £7,000 three years from now? At which point you could probably add the vast proportion of what you would have paid to motability to upgrade your current vehicle.

ssnjimb

Hi Andrea

thanks for Your comments.

My current car costs £209 per month on ford options
My Insurance is £33 a month
Tyres are approx £100-200 each
Servicing is costing me £15 per month (dealer service agreement)
breakdown cover was £150

For me i think i will be in a better financial position by leasing a car through mobility.

James