Thousands of disabled people have their mobility cars taken away

According to recent reports in the news, nearly 14,000 disabled people who rely on a specialist motoring allowance to keep them independent, have had their cars taken away from them under a new benefits scheme.

Following government welfare changes, almost half of those who receive the motoring allowance are having to be reassessed for this support.

Disabled people use their government-funded mobility allowance to lease a new car, scooter or powered wheelchair. The benefits received also help towards the cost of adaptations, such as a hoist for a wheelchair or hand controls, that disabled people may require. More than 650,000 people currently use the Motability Scheme.

Until recently, anyone receiving the highest rate of the “mobility component” of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) was eligible for the scheme. However, from April 2013 the DLA began being replaced by the Personal Independence Payment (PIP), as part of the Department for Work and Pensions welfare changes.

In the past, under DLA, most people completed their own application form and did not have to reapply once they had entered into the scheme. However, with PIPs, everyone, including new applicants and those already in receipt of DLA, have to attend a face-to-face assessment buy government-hired private companies. Only those interviewed who score 12 points or more will quality for the support – currently £57.45 per week.

About 360,000 will eventually have PIP reassessments, including people who currently receive an “indefinite” or “lifetime” award.

Currently, Motability has seen just over 51,000 people join the scheme using PIP. It is said that of those previously on higher rate DLA, 31,200 people have so far been reassessed for PIP, and of those, 55% have kept their car. The remaining 45% have lost the higher rate, and therefore their car.

Some people who have been assessed, have said they have found the process of being interviewed very frustrating, because those conducting the interviews do not have enough knowledge of specific disabling conditions.

Liz Sayce, chief executive of Disability Rights UK, said that being disabled costs money. She says, “The Personal Independence Payment is supposed to help with those costs, but many people are being denied the benefit because they are not assessed properly.

“Sometimes that means people lose their cards; a massive blow which impacts on their ability to remain independent, take part in their communities and get and keep a job.”

Disabled children will continue to receive DLA until they are 16 years old and those who were 65 or over on 8 April 2013 are also unaffected by the changes.

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