Motability

Frustration is striking.  Our car is showing its age. Minor creaks are definitely appearing – not surprising when you consider it’s 16 years old. We recently received some correspondence encouraging us to use Motability to get a car.

We’ve never previously used Motability as it necessitates surrendering the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) in exchange for a brand new car of your choice. Depending upon the model an extra premium may be needed on top of that. You also get insurance, servicing, repairs etc included in this price.

We’ve always been happy with second-hand cars, usually buying them just a few years old. So far we’ve picked reasonably good ones though we have maybe held onto them a bit too long so they hit the expensive repair stage.

We did consider Motability once before. It seemed expensive to me unless you wanted a brand new car. In those days every penny counted.

Besides, my DLA has usually been given on a 3 year basis. Often I’ve had to go through the appeal system to retain my DLA. Sometimes with a spell without the income, until the benefit has been restored.  If the DLA were to be withdrawn, then the Motability car would have to be surrendered & we would be carless, without so much as an old car to trade in on something newer. Finally I’ve been granted DLA for an unlimited time. Admittedly I don’t expect it will last long as recipients of DLA are to be transferred to the new benefit Personal Income Plan (PIP) by 2018, so forms could come any time & I would once more risk losing my benefits. Although I am quite convinced I would get it back on appeal if necessary, it doesn’t alter the fact there may be a period without the benefit & so no car.

So this morning I rang Motability to try to clarify a couple things. Does PIP continue to be paid once I’m over 64 to continue to pay for a car? DLA does continue. You just need to be 64 or under when you are first granted it. All the info about PIP I can find on the Government website concerns what happens up to the age of 64 but not what happens when you become 65.  I’m already 60. And what happens to my existing No Claims Discount in the event of me wanting to go back to privately owning a car? At present it is at the maximum so represents a considerable discount on the insurance premium.

The Motability information line was singularly unhelpful. I would have to ring the Department of Works & Pensions (DWP) for a definitive answer about the PIP. As far as he knew it stopped at 65.

I rang the Benefit Enquiry Line (BEL) to find that no longer existed. After a couple or rings I finally managed to take down the correct number I should ring instead. Yes, PIP would continue in the same way as DLA.

As for the insurance the man at Motability had no real idea. As far as he knew the No Claims Discount was lost. Certainly any no claims from the period we took a Motability car could not be used when applying for insurance for a private car.

Part of the reason why Motability has once more raised its head is that Eric, our cruising friend at the golf club is full of the new Motability car he’s planning to get. But then he’s the sort of person who loves the idea of the latest model. My stepbrother’s wife also enthused to us about her Motability car, but then she is the sort of person who aspires to the cachet of a new car.  Undoubtedly if you want a brand new car Motability is good value, & takes away all the worries about the costs of services & repairs, not to mention the annual ring round to find a good price on insurance. But we’re neither of those sort of people. We just want a reliable comfortable automatic car of whatever age & that has enough space for 2 people, my wheelchair & the weekly shop/ holiday luggage, second-hand in good condition or new.

We’re thinking of mooching around a few garages & seeing what is available locally that’s second-hand. A new car isn’t urgent so we have time to find an appropriate automatic vehicle. We may yet opt for a Motability car.  Automatics are in a minority as far as the second-hand market is concerned. There would be no difficulty if we were looking for a brand new automatic.

Meanwhile the squeaky wheels keep turning outside as a ton or so of topsoil is wheeled round to fill the raised beds in the back garden. I’m tempted to oil their wheelbarrow to bring some peace.