Car tax exemption - Attendance Allowance

Jeanners49

Afternoon all,
My partner is disabled/wheelchair bound and drives a modified VW shuttle which he bought second hand last year. It was originally converted from new for another wheelchair user and has been fitted with hand controls and has had most of the passenger seats removed to accommodate a wheelchair.

My partner receives Attendance Allowance, not DLA, because he is over 65.

When I went to the post office to tax the van last year (we couldn't do it online), I was amazed that he had to pay so much tax (iro £275). He's just had a reminder to retax the van and it's even more this year.

It seems that if you're on DLA you can get a car tax exemption letter, but as soon as you reach retirement age, DLA stops and Attendance Allowance starts. This seems very unfair; is it the norm and more importantly, can I do anything about it?
Yours hopefully and slightly hard-up,
Jean

neilmcl

TBH the whole idea of DLA, or PIP as it's become, only available up to 65 is imho a bit ridiculous. It basically implies that anyone disabled and retired no longer requires help to be independently mobile and should be confined to their home. Attendance allowance isn't really a direct substitute for this as there's no independent mobility component.

Unfortunately for you there's little that can be done.

Gloomendoom

Write to your MP.

Mojisola

Jeanners49 wrote: »

It seems that if you're on DLA you can get a car tax exemption letter, but as soon as you reach retirement age, DLA stops and Attendance Allowance starts.

Unless things have changed recently, that's not right.

If you are claiming mobility DLA before the age of 65, you can carry on claiming it.

Attendance Allowance only pays out for care needs so you can't claim for help with mobility if your needs start after the age of 65.

McKneff

Mojisola wrote: »

Unless things have changed recently, that's not right.

If you are claiming mobility DLA before the age of 65, you can carry on claiming it.

Attendance Allowance only pays out for care needs so you can't claim for help with mobility if your needs start after the age of 65.

Exactly....

neilmcl

Mojisola wrote: »

Unless things have changed recently, that's not right.

If you are claiming mobility DLA before the age of 65, you can carry on claiming it.

Attendance Allowance only pays out for care needs so you can't claim for help with mobility if your needs start after the age of 65.

I wasn't aware of that, thanks for clearing that up.

Robisere

Mojisola wrote: »

Unless things have changed recently, that's not right.

If you are claiming mobility DLA before the age of 65, you can carry on claiming it.

Attendance Allowance only pays out for care needs so you can't claim for help with mobility if your needs start after the age of 65.

That is correct. I am 72 and still receiving DLA/Motability. And I remain very grateful for it. But I do remember the ordeal I had to endure to be granted it, despite severe mobility problems. 13 months of no money, before the tribunal. Younger friends tell me it's even worse now, trying to get PIP.

AndyMc.....

Robisere wrote: »

That is correct. I am 72 and still receiving DLA/Motability. And I remain very grateful for it. But I do remember the ordeal I had to endure to be granted it, despite severe mobility problems. 13 months of no money, before the tribunal. Younger friends tell me it's even worse now, trying to get PIP.

And so it should be, the country is skint.