No outgoings taken into consideration?

princessdon

Dunroamin wrote: »

Of course, giving up a Motability car doesn't necessarily mean being carless. Many people find it cheaper to run an older car with their DLA and have money left over for other expenses.

And many disabled (in my area) get help with transport. I know my MIL has refused to use her allowance because financially it wasn't worth it (the £200 per month is better for her personally).

She gets free transport to appointments and she also gets a taxi scheme (she only pays a small proportion of the taxi costs).

Plus there is always a member of the family around for the extra.

She is also possbily to ill to drive if being honest I'd worry about her in a car (and others on the road)

It's a personal choice for everyone - but there are instances where a car doesn't make financial sense.

mazza111

Special circumstances in different areas. You can get free appointment transfers here, but you can be left sitting for hours waiting for someone to take you home. Anyone with a disability will tell you this isn't idea. Last physio appointment we were at, an old woman had been waiting for 3 hours due to a mix up with her transport, thankfully, the receptionist went and made her a cuppa and shared her biscuit stash which I thought was lovely.

Does anyone know of the legalities in giving up a mobility car early? It used to be 3 years iirc, it's a while since I dealt with it. Old cars also need maintenance which you have to take into account too. I drive an old car, and in all honesty it's a great wee runner, but it's been well maintained. I've had a few lemons over the years, that have been costly mistakes. So it's all right us all sat behind our keyboards saying that would be the first to go, she may not be able to contractually.

There is no taxi scheme that I know of here Princessdon. But then my DD isn't getting DLA atm so I could be mistaken. They do get free buses and a +1 if they need it for a carer to assist them, but buses aren't always an option. Not so bad for a wheelchair +1 but for someone still on their feet it may be a different story.

I know what you're saying about her driving, my fella's mum is the same in her late 80s and thinks she's Nigel Mansell's mum. I swear i thought I seen my fella's head hit the roof when she drove him over a speed hump one day. But she's so stubborn she won't give up her car at all.

I think older cars are great if you know a good mechanic, and don't mind the wee bit extra to spend on them to keep them road worthy. In saying that, all my 12 yr old skoda has cost me is a new clutch which replaced the original after 129k miles. Discounting the tyres of course, then the insurance. The insurance may be pretty high too if the OP has been driving a mobility car for years. A lot of companies won't accept that as proof of any NCB, remember my dad getting stung with that years ago when he handed back his mobility car and bought one.

I really would be lost without my car, there's no way I could get DD on the bus, and taxis would just be way too expensive. I'm covering all the costs of this at the moment as she's only on basic rate of ESA (£56) and not getting DLA or anything. IF she gets DLA it will be a different story, and I'm afraid she'll need to put her hand in her pocket at times, because there's no way I can continue to afford having the car there mainly for her benefit. I know it's only £15-20 for fuel but all the extras are adding up. I'm robbing peter to pay paul myself at the moment due to ill health and just can't continue, but don't feel I have any option at the moment.

princessdon

The taxi scheme is great for people like my MIL. The first £3 (or half if the journey is under £6) is free.

Eg to the town centre is £2.50 - so she only pays £1.25. The hospital is £6 - she pays £3.

Makes it much more affordable - It is available to anyone with HRM problems.

For the short journey's she does it makes it so much more cost effective than a mobility car.

Plus the drivers are so fantastic - They open the door, help her into the GP surgery, carry her shopping into the home (and sometimes put it away for her).

On a good day she can get the bus somewhere - and taxi back when she is tired.

Gives a lot of indpendence to someone with mobility problems as even if she did drive, she'd struggle to get out of car without help etc.

The hospital taxi scheme here is also very good - she hasn't had to wait more than 20 mins either way ever. Her problem is she likes to get to the hospital an hour before - sighs old people. She also bizarrely gets "dressed up" and puts her lippy on - like she is going to the theatre or something.

Dunroamin

mazza111 wrote: »

Old cars also need maintenance which you have to take into account too. I drive an old car, and in all honesty it's a great wee runner, but it's been well maintained. I've had a few lemons over the years, that have been costly mistakes. So it's all right us all sat behind our keyboards saying that would be the first to go, she may not be able to contractually. .

There's a big difference between driving an old banger and the brand new cars you would get with Motability. Most people happily drive cars that are less than 10 years old at a cost of far less than £200 per month.

OldMotherTucker

Dunroamin wrote: »

But there's a big difference between just having a TV and paying for Sky, don't you think?

Anyone posting on this site (ie with internet access) doesn't need a TV, a TV license or a Sky subscription.

Cate1976

A few things to point out:

First is I'm horrified at some of the posts on here which have said that people think people on benefits shouldn't have TV, phones or internet. For people who are housebound or unable to get out much, these items are very useful.

Taking each in turn, tv can be a link to the outside world especially for things like news & sports and yes if someone with disabilities lives in an area where they can't get Freeview then Freesat from Sky or Freesat shouldn't be frowned upon.. I don't think it's fair for people to be saying that OP shouldn't have TV. Phones whether landline or mobile are essential and IMO both should be acceptable, landline for doing things like phoning doctors or benefits offices as well as keeping in touch with family & friends. Mobile should be acceptable so that you can phone someone if needs be while out or your partner or carer can ring to make sure you're ok. Internet should be acceptable as well for finding out information about things like benefits and keeping in touch with family & friends. For someone not able to get out much, being able to receive photos by email is a good thing. I wish to make it clear that despite what the Daily Wail and the ConDems are saying, there's many more genuine benefit claimants than scroungers.

I do however agree with a lot of the suggestions made to OP on how they could reduce their bills. OP, this is not having a go at you but I'd like to give you the following ideas;

Go on https://www.turn2us.org.uk and put in all the details it asks for, it'll give you an accurate breakdown of what you should be getting.

Housing Benefit: Provided you gave them all the information needed to process your claim, they should have started making interim payments 14 days after you handed everything in, guessing that interim payments aren't anywhere near what you'll be getting once claim is processed. I'm not really sure how these are worked out ot what outgoings will be taken into account.

Council Tax benefit: I'd be asking council how long this takes to process after HB is sorted out. Next question from me would be that once CTB is processed, if you've been paying more than you should have, will it be refunded or credited to your account.

Utilities: Your water doesn't seem to be high to me, I'd be looking at lowering it by finding out and getting onto the tariff for vulnerable groups, the one Anglian Water does is Aquacare or Aquacare plus. For your gas & electric, I'd be looking at whether you can get both from the same supplier and change the pre pays to credit/bill meters.

Prescriptions: I'd be finding out if you're entitled to any of your incontinence supplies on prescription or is your gp just being awkward. I'd also be finding out if any other medication you and your partner take are exempt. If there's any which you do have to pay for, then look at getting the prepay certificate.

Morses club: I'd be looking at asking if you can pay less each week until all your benefits are sorted out and once you've paid this loan off, don't get any more.

Sky TV, cancel your subscription and save the £24 month, you'll still get all the free to air channels (look at the list for Freesat from Sky).

If you're not already doing this, try to have your landline and internet as a package/bundle from the same provider. Before we move, I'm cancelling my BT internet/phone package (currently have infinity & anytime calls). Need unlimited downloads and anytime calls but am confident that I can get it cheaper than BT.

Mobile, I think that £12 month is reasonable.

Petrol: I'm guessing that you might not get out much and when you do, public transport isn't possible due to your disabilities. i can see whay some posters have suggested you give up the mobility car and use the money for a car which is more economical and cheaper to run but this would have downsides mainly, how you would be able to afford repairs.

I really do hope that your situation improves soon either by your benefits being sorted out or your partner being able to return to work.

SandraScarlett

mazza111 wrote: »

We all must cut our cloth accordingly. And if you can afford to go to the paralympics, good on ya, hope you enjoy it.

Amazingly, adult tickets are £10, seniors and children are £5, and this includes a London Transport Travel Card!! I don't need mine, as I have a Freedom Pass, but DD was very pleased, to get a day out, at the Paralympics, including travel, for a tenner!

For me, it's a great way to spend some of my much-appreciated pension.

xx

Anubis_2

princessdon wrote: »

The taxi scheme is great for people like my MIL. The first £3 (or half if the journey is under £6) is free.

Eg to the town centre is £2.50 - so she only pays £1.25. The hospital is £6 - she pays £3.

Makes it much more affordable - It is available to anyone with HRM problems.

For the short journey's she does it makes it so much more cost effective than a mobility car.

Plus the drivers are so fantastic - They open the door, help her into the GP surgery, carry her shopping into the home (and sometimes put it away for her).

On a good day she can get the bus somewhere - and taxi back when she is tired.

Gives a lot of indpendence to someone with mobility problems as even if she did drive, she'd struggle to get out of car without help etc.

The hospital taxi scheme here is also very good - she hasn't had to wait more than 20 mins either way ever. Her problem is she likes to get to the hospital an hour before - sighs old people. She also bizarrely gets "dressed up" and puts her lippy on - like she is going to the theatre or something.

The taxicard scheme only appears to be available in London - certainly not available where I live, so if you are not in a qualifying area you cannot use it.

OldMotherTucker wrote: »

Anyone posting on this site (ie with internet access) doesn't need a TV, a TV license or a Sky subscription.

Not true. Many people have capped packages that won't last two minutes when streaming media.

Chrissiew

Not even gonna respond to ^^^^ above this post idiot troll.

It's some of you who are obsessed with me having sky tv, read my posts, not once NOT ONCE have I said I'm not willing to get rid of it, what I've seen is, she expects us tax payers to pay for her sky, why not, she expects us tax payers to pay for her tv licence or gas and electricity bills, why the obsession with sky? I would also like to point out that my husband is also a tax payer, he's on medical suspension at the moment, gets basic wage but still pays tax and NI on that basic wage.

I am willing to upload and put on here the letter I received from the council which states what outgoings they will take into consideration and the reasons why, don't see why I have to though but some of you seem to know it all, know what the council do for each individual, have you ever considered the silly idea that councils look at each person differently? That there are some circumstances that they will do things differently? Nah course you haven't because you post on MSE, you are the experts.

I have been awarded a discretionary payment for 8 weeks untill my 2nd appeal is heard, very sorry if that upsets some of you, but maybe, just maybe, after looking at my claim and circumstances they feel I am entitled to it.

Now for the car, I put £15 of petrol in per week, my daughter, who is also my carer and named driver puts £10 in per week for me out of her carers allowance making £25 per week, should I have lied and said I put the whole lot in out of my money? Would that have been better? I make use of the car 4-5 times a week to get out, there are times I wake in the early hours in so much pain I need to go A&E for intravenous pain relief, I want to get there ASAP not wait around while a taxi is called and waited for then have to wait at the other end afterwards to wait for a taxi back again, my A&E is 12 miles away and would cost a lot in a taxi both ways.

Some of you have been really helpful, quite a lot have been sarcastic and labeled me a scrounger and telling me to get out to work, I can't work, my husband does work and it's down to his employer that he's on medical suspension just now because they won't accept a letter from his GP telling them he is fit and ready to work, they will not allow him back untill he has seen a OT provided by them.

FBaby

Funny how I assumed from the start that the car was used by a family member...it is often the case when there is reluctance to give it up. If you need to go til A&E urgently you can just call an ambulance. If you are so poorly you can't used public transport there's nhs patient transport.