Higher Rate Mobility Withdraw & left with possible huge debt.

[stevetheboy]

Hi everyone,

 

Just received notification from motability that my car for my disabled son is being collected in a month as he no longer qualifies for the higher rate of mobility component for DLA.

 

Curiously this arrived BEFORE any notification from DWP. We only had any warning as we had telephoned them on the previous day.

 

As we are only 1 year into the contact that means we get 2/3 of the advanced payment back however:

 

The paper work says that we are still liable for the 24(ish) outstanding payments as it is a 3 year contract, and this is confirmed by the small print of the original contract. (that s about £4000)

 

I cannot see how, if the car is collected, that we can be forced to pay for a product or service that we are not receiving. I cannot see anyone having exactly this problem, but we have been through the contract, letters and it seems to be exactly what they are suggesting. In addiction the letter came with several debt management help contact centres.

 

We intend to apeal this decision as far from there being any improvement in his condition, he qualifies more clearly for higher rate than he did when it was first awarded.

 

Any advice gratefully recieved.

[abc123def]

My xh used to have a motability car and he lost his on the loss of HRM too, and they just collected the car and he didn't need to keep paying. He lost his deposit though, didn't get that back. But that must have been over ten years ago so things might have changed by the sounds of your small print, they have.

[assisted blonde]

Hi I was under the impression that if you have a contract car then if motobility withdraw your HRM then the contract ends, however if you have opted for the HP version you are still liable for the payments, logic says that they cant take a car off you but still expect you to pay for somthing you dont have. I do know that if the car is to be returned and there is a gap between returning and the end of DLA then you are responsible to pay for that period. if your DLA is stopped then I believe that you can keep the car for up to 3 months in some circumstances but you have to pay the monthly lease fee yourself

Edited June 4, 2012 by assisted blonde

[michphil]

Hi my husband had his mobility car taken off him after having it for 10 years he suffers from asthma, osteoarthritis he was just about to order his new car. We had to hand the car back straight away they would not let us pay the lease fees so we are left high and dry. Stuck in the house and not able to go out any more. We are housebound you may say as I also suffer from depression and fibromyalgia so from day to day we do not know what either of us are going to be like . He is now 65 and can not claim DLA any more so those nice people at the DLA have ruined our life and made us even more miserable stuck within these 4 walls .Hope you win your appeal good luck

[Guest PickledCrab]

He is now 65 and can not claim DLA any more so those nice people at the DLA have ruined our life and made us even more miserable stuck within these 4 walls .Hope you win your appeal good luck

 

I'm sorry to hear off your predicament. I'm sure someone who has more knowledge than I can help you.

 

But please do correct me if I am wrong, but I was led to believe by the DWP website itself that if you have a current live claim for DLA & you get to retirement age that you still keep your DLA. Your just not allowed to make a new claim for DLA at retirement age!

 

So cannot understand how this has happened to you.

[michphil]

Yes the DWP decided he no longer needed DLA and took his claim off him even though our GP had written to them telling them that he was not going to get better but worse as time goes on. They are not interested they took the allowance off him and his car. When the guy came to pick the car up he was very nice and said they are doing it to a lot of people of this age group because they know that they can not claim again because of their age.It is a way of saving money I suppose but as I say it has left us high and dry and we have not been out of the house for months we have to have our shopping delivered and we can not go to places as we used to We are unable to go to Blackpool to see our granddaughter and our daughter we have not seen them since April.

Do they care NO as long as they can sleep at night and have a life it doesn't matter about us . There will be plenty more people in this situation I am sure but there is nothing we can do about it.

[Nystagmite]

That is disgusting. I also wonder how it's legal?

[hensteeth]

Hi my husband had his mobility car taken off him after having it for 10 years he suffers from asthma, osteoarthritis he was just about to order his new car. We had to hand the car back straight away they would not let us pay the lease fees so we are left high and dry. Stuck in the house and not able to go out any more. We are housebound you may say as I also suffer from depression and fibromyalgia so from day to day we do not know what either of us are going to be like . He is now 65 and can not claim DLA any more so those nice people at the DLA have ruined our life and made us even more miserable stuck within these 4 walls .Hope you win your appeal good luck

 

When was the HRM removed? What age was he then? Did he appeal?

 

However, he like everybody in this country normally has to find the funds to buy their own car.

 

Have you tried buses and/or trains? We use them quite a lot especially for long journeys instead of using the motability car. Buses for shopping and popping into town and trains for anything over 30 miles away.

 

I am likely to have my HRM removed when PIP comes in - there is no question about that. So I am now actively looking to buy a car and if need be store it for when I need it.

[RaeUK]

This might be me thinking a bit too strictly, but I would have thought that if you could use buses and trains 'quite a lot' then you wouldn't need HRM. Obviously I can only speak for myself but trains are a virtual no-go area due to all the walking involved and buses aren't much better. I can clamber on and off a bus ok but when I get to a destination I'm pretty much snookered...

[Nystagmite]

I guess that depends where you live and your disability.

 

Have you tried buses and/or trains? We use them quite a lot especially for long journeys instead of using the motability car. Buses for shopping and popping into town and trains for anything over 30 miles away.

 

You're lucky. Not everyone can use buses. I can't always use them.

[michphil]

Hi,

My husband and I are unable to use buses and trains he had his HRM took off him the week before his 65th birthday and he has had his disability for over 10 years. So he was 64 when this was done . Pain is so severe in his legs and back that he can not sit on a bus. And he also gets out of breath quite quickly it takes us 15 mins to walk around the corner to the bus stop. If we could have afforded a car of our own we would have bought one.

 

And you say you have HRM (HENSTEETH) you obviously do not need this if you can get to the bus stop and catch the bus or get to the railway station for the train you are one lucky person if you get the HRM and can still walk around like this .

 

Do not assume everyone has money to get a car or travel on these sorts of transport because he can't life to us is like being in a prison can't get out to see people we haven't seen our granddaughter for months because we can not get to her and she lives with her mum 60 miles away.

 

I also agree with NYSTAGNITE you are lucky and I also agree that it does depend on your disability and area you live in.

[RaeUK]

I can get to my bus stop but it's a bit of fun doing so. It's only around the corner and up the road. But the roads a bit of an uphill slope. I swear someone in the village goes out there every week and cranks that slope higher by a degree or two! I can only really use the bus to get to the shop in the next village, but the driver's used to me and always stops right outside the shop door. Good old rural services.

michphil, I'm going to be talking out of my derriere here as I don't know much about it, but as DLA stops at 65 aren't you now entitled to Attendance Allowance? I know it's a little less but would be a help if you don't already get it.

It might enable you to hire a small car once a month. Not as daft as it sounds as you can get one for about £25-£30 for the day plus fuel. And you have none of the running and maintenance costs of owning an old banger.

[johnvernon74]

Hi everyone,

 

Just received notification from motability that my car for my disabled son is being collected in a month as he no longer qualifies for the higher rate of mobility component for DLA.

 

Curiously this arrived BEFORE any notification from DWP. We only had any warning as we had telephoned them on the previous day.

 

As we are only 1 year into the contact that means we get 2/3 of the advanced payment back however:

 

The paper work says that we are still liable for the 24(ish) outstanding payments as it is a 3 year contract, and this is confirmed by the small print of the original contract. (that s about £4000)

 

I cannot see how, if the car is collected, that we can be forced to pay for a product or service that we are not receiving. I cannot see anyone having exactly this problem, but we have been through the contract, letters and it seems to be exactly what they are suggesting. In addiction the letter came with several debt management help contact centres.

 

We intend to apeal this decision as far from there being any improvement in his condition, he qualifies more clearly for higher rate than he did when it was first awarded.

 

Any advice gratefully recieved.

 

Once car is collected contract iscancelled. Any deposit you paid is pro rata down and will be returned to you.

[Nystagmite]

michphil, I'm going to be talking out of my derriere here as I don't know much about it, but as DLA stops at 65 aren't you now entitled to Attendance Allowance? I know it's a little less but would be a help if you don't already get it.

 

Yes. AA only has 2 rates of care - the same as mid and high rate care DLA.

[assisted blonde]

Cant get my head round someone who has a motorbility car being able to go shopping by Bus !! Unless of course the bus stops outside your front door and outside the shop you want to go to, and you dont have much to carry!! As for getting on a Train I just cant see how anyone who has a disability that gives them HRM could even consider it, up and down stairs etc and unless you go 1st class no guarantee of a seat, it just dosnt make sense.

[Nystagmite]

Even if you do get a seat on a train, you normally have to walk half way up the train for!

[Learnerlitigator]

Did you appeal the decision to withdraw The HRM? A lot of recent decisions are appealed and subsequently won. Recent changes to the DLA system to PIP are resulting in too many withdrawals in the opinion of most of us disabled people but if you don't appeal the result stands. In any event the car was leased by Motability Operations and not by your son, you have the option to convert the remaining balance to HP not an obligation.

Edited August 25, 2012 by Learnerlitigator

[michphil]

TO HENSTEETH

 

If you can uses buses and trains which I can not as I can not hold my head up for long and I can not sit still for long either due to the severe pain down my back and hips. Then you do not nor deserve to have HRM it make s me so angry when people can walk to the bus stop or walk round the shops get HRM and then there are people like us but disabled do not get any help with mobility at all. I have just applied for DLA for myself and I got just the LRC and nothing towards mobility even though I cannot walk with a stick or holding onto walls etc and in severe pain all day any every day some days I can not get out of bed because the pain is so bad. I t really makes me mad that people like you have this and others are confined to their home and see no one from one day to the next. Good for you getting a mobility car when you don't need it .

[Nystagmite]

But HRM isn't just about walking. I have friends who use buses and receive HRM. Some can't walk and use aids and some are blind.

[Learnerlitigator]

Not convinced that flaming other posters is relevant to the OP's issue.

[michphil]

apparently the HRM is about walking I was told from the DLA that if you can use a bus and walk with a stick you do not need or entitled to HRM .Everyone one has views on this and it may not help the first OP'S issue but when someone comes on and says they have HRM but use buses and trains it get us who can not walk nor use the public transport system very angry because we are prisoners in our homes because we suffer with walking issues. IF you can use a bus or a train then you do not need HRM. The gentleman who put on the first post should never had the HRM taken away for his son.How are they suppose to get him out and about without this. Certain people in this country and I know a few that live near me should not be getting HRM or HRC because they are capable of getting on and off the bus.

 

I can not carry a cup of tea let a lone a bag full of shopping I can not get to the toilet on my own because I fall. The last time I went out I was brought home by kind lady who found me in the middle of the road not knowing where I was or where I was going. I was nearly run over twice but according to the ATOS doctor and DLA I am not a danger to myself or anyone else.

 

 

THIS GOVERNMENT HAS GONE MAD FORGET THE ONES WHO NEED HELP LIKE THE GENTLEMAN WITH THE LITTLE BOY AND GIVE IT TO THOSE WHO REALLY DO NOT NEED IT.

 

GOOD LUCK TO THE GENTLEMAN WITH THE LITTLE BOY I HOPE YOU WIN DO NOT GIVE UP SOME ONE SOMEWHERE IN THIS SYSTEM HAS GOT TO HAVE A HEART.

[Nystagmite]

HRM isn't just about walking and has nothing to do with using public transport.