Question about taxing car when disabled/on DLA

Peter333

A question for a neighbour of mine please. She is disabled and on the higher rate of DLA. She gets free car tax, and has had an exemption form for about 7 years. All that time she's had the same car.

So she changed her car back in January, and put the 6 months tax on herself, as she couldn't tax it (for free) without the log book (which was not going to get to her for several weeks.) For various reasons she never got round to claiming it back.

Then a week ago, the reminder to tax her car came through, and we took her along to the Post Office. She pulled out her log book, and the reminder form, and the car tax exemption form. The woman in the post office scanned the 'reminder' form, stamped the 'tax exemption' form, and gave her a receipt for the tax that said car number 'CC 33 AAA' taxed for 12 months on 18-7-16. Or words to that effect. Car taxed. Sorted.

We just came home, and someone just told her she should have had a NEW 'car tax exemption' form because she changed cars.

We just looked it up, and it seems that is true.

http://www.disabledmotoring.org/motoring/road-tax-exemption?gclid=COvP_72w_c0CFeUV0wodC64LRg

it says :

If you are changing your car, or taxing it in the disabled class for the first time, you will need a new Certificate of Entitlement the first time you tax it.)

She used to have a form that was assigned to a particular car, but about 5 years ago, she got put on DLA indefinitely, and they sent her one that was generic for any car (ie; there wasn't a particular car on there, it was for any car she had...) She was told by the people who sent her the exemption form (when she got it) that she can use it for any car she has. And yet 5 years later, it says she should have got a new one when she changes her car.

Well basically she is now panicking that it isn't taxed properly, because she should have had a new car tax exemption form. (And she is worried that she may be in trouble.)

So does she need to be worried? Or is it OK? As I said, the receipt says her car is taxed, and the transaction went through OK, but she did use the old exemption form.

She didn't mean to do anything wrong, and she is genuinely entitled to the free tax - and she only found out just an hour ago, that she should have had a new form. But she is worried now.

She said she will ask them for a new form soon, and let them know she has a new car. But will it come to light that she taxed it for free with the old exemption form? And is it actually taxed? Surely the receipt and the (old) exemption form being stamped by the post office proves it is?

Any advice welcome. Thank you.

(P.s.) The form she has had for 5 years has the old registration number against the stamps from each time she got the free tax, and the post office lady saw it was a new registration, but still happily put the tax through anyway. In fact, she noticed the car was not labelled as 'disabled' status, and offered to fill in the form and send it off for her!

Peter333

Anyone else got any advice? Or help? Thank you.

NeilCr

Ring the DVLA and ask them.

Your neighbour needs to know that all is in order and they would be the best people to advise

Peter333

Thank you. I was just wondering if anyone had had the same thing happen... And if anyone had taxed their new car with an old exemption form, and it had all been OK.

NeilCr

Peter333 wrote: »

Thank you. I was just wondering if anyone had had the same thing happen... And if anyone had taxed their new car with an old exemption form, and it had all been OK.

I think, even if they had, you still need to be sure that the DVLA are content with your neighbour's situation. Things change - there might be a subtle difference of some kind etc etc

cloudydays

Similar situation here. My husband gets enhanced rate mobility PIP and has free car tax. He traded in the old car in December for a brand new car. The dealership taxed the new car even though my husband had told them he gets free car tax. For new vehicles the DLA/PIP certificate should have been taken to the dealership. However as that didn't happen in our case we took what was needed to the Post Office and had it changed to disabled class and free tax. We didn't get a refund as I expect that went back to the dealership.

A simple way to check if the car is taxed properly, you can check online now.

https://www.gov.uk/check-vehicle-tax

Peter333

Hi I appreciate your help, but what I am asking is ...has anyone who has got an indefinite award, and an indefinite free tax form (with no expiry date on it,) ever got a new car, and managed to tax it successfully with the old form?

My neighbour doesn't want to phone them as she is worried she will be in trouble.

So has anyone managed to tax their new car with the old exemption form, or have you been told you need to get a new one? Because as I said, the neighbour seemingly taxed her car OK, but found out later that day that she should have had a new 'tax exemption' form.

I am guessing as the tax went through OK, and she has the receipt, there is no issue, but she wonders if she has done anything 'wrong.'

GlasweJen

I had an indefinite DLA award. The certificate didn't have an expiry date but the post office marked it (with a stamp maybe?). When we were in the market for a new car we called the DWP who sent us another certificate to use.

It was only when I went onto PIP that I realised these certificates had dates on them.

cloudydays

Peter333 wrote: »

Hi I appreciate your help, but what I am asking is ...has anyone who has got an indefinite award, and an indefinite free tax form (with no expiry date on it,) ever got a new car, and managed to tax it successfully with the old form?

My neighbour doesn't want to phone them as she is worried she will be in trouble.

So has anyone managed to tax their new car with the old exemption form, or have you been told you need to get a new one? Because as I said, the neighbour seemingly taxed her car OK, but found out later that day that she should have had a new 'tax exemption' form.

I am guessing as the tax went through OK, and she has the receipt, there is no issue, but she wonders if she has done anything 'wrong.'

If the car is taxed then I don't see how she has done anything wrong.
As long as she is still in receipt of the high rate mobility component of DLA or PIP then I'd imagine the old certificate is still valid.

Use the link I gave you, you can do it for your neighbour all you need is the car registration number and make of vehicle and it brings up all the car details and when the tax is due again.

My husband's form says a replacement certificate is needed when:

the registered keeper or their vehicle has changed or the certificate has been lost, stolen or damaged.

To get a replacement certificate DLA contact 0845 712 3456
To get a replacement certificate PIP contact 0845 850 3322

Peter333

cloudydays wrote: »

If the car is taxed then I don't see how she has done anything wrong.

As long as she is still in receipt of the high rate mobility component of DLA or PIP then I'd imagine the old certificate is still valid.

Use the link I gave you, you can do it for your neighbour all you need is the car registration number and make of vehicle and it brings up all the car details and when the tax is due again.

My husband's form says a replacement certificate is needed when:

the registered keeper or their vehicle has changed or the certificate has been lost, stolen or damaged.

To get a replacement certificate DLA contact 0845 712 3456
To get a replacement certificate PIP contact 0845 850 3322

Thank you.

Thing is, my neighbour's certificate doesn't say this at all. Nowhere on it, does it say you need a new certificate if the car or keeper changes. Indeed when she got it, they told her over the phone, that she can use it for any car, as the form is indefinite.

We will help her check the tax (online) later in the week, as it takes up to 5 days to show on the website.) It's not showing yet and only shows the car taxed to the end of July this year.

As I said to her, she has done nothing wrong, as she IS still on the higher rate of DLA, and didn't know she was meant to have a new form. (That's if she WAS meant to have one!)

If the tax goes on OK, then I think it may be a good idea to ring the DWP about 3 months before the tax is due again, and say she has a new car and ask if she needs a new form. If the tax has gone through OK this time though, I don't think she needs to say anything yet.

Peter333

GlasweJen wrote: »

I had an indefinite DLA award. The certificate didn't have an expiry date but the post office marked it (with a stamp maybe?). When we were in the market for a new car we called the DWP who sent us another certificate to use.

It was only when I went onto PIP that I realised these certificates had dates on them.

Thank you.

Did they tell you that you HAD to have a new exemption certificate then?

If it's a case of you HAVE to have a new one when you get a new car, I wonder why? When the old one was indefinite with no expiry date on it?