Sources of Funding for Obtaining a Vehicle, Adaptations or Help with the Cost of Driving Lessons.
Contact List Number 8
Introduction
There is limited statutory help available to assist people with disabilities with the purchase of a vehicle or to help towards the cost of adaptations. Generally, people should approach statutory agencies first if they meet the eligibility criteria, then consider grant giving organisations. Charities will consider applications for financial help after a person has exhausted all other statutory routes. Some charities will only accept applications from a social worker or health professional and most charities will means test applicants. To our knowledge the following are the only sources of funding available to assist a person with the purchase of a vehicle or to help them with the costs of adaptations or driving lessons.
STATUTORY AGENCIES
Benefits
It is important to make sure that you are receiving all the state benefits that you are entitled to; some benefits, for example Disability Living Allowance (higher rate mobility component) , opens doors to other entitlements like the Motability Scheme . Your local Citizen's Advice Bureau or Welfare Rights Office will be able to give you advice and assistance in applying for benefits. You can also contact the Benefit Enquiry Line for information, telephone 0800 882200 or Text phone 0800 243355.
The Social Fund is managed through the Benefits Agency and can make discretionary lump sum payments for needs that are difficult to meet from weekly benefits payments or are difficult to budget for. Savings of £500 or more (£1000 for those over 60yrs) may affect the amount received. Help from the Social Fund comes in the form of a Budgeting loan and is available to people in receipt of Income Support, Income based Job Seekers Allowance or Pension Credit for 26 weeks, to meet intermittent expenses for specified items for which it may be difficult to budget, enabling the cost to be spread over time. The category under which you will be applying for a budgeting loan will fall under either 'travelling expenses' or 'expenses associated with either seeking or re-entering work'. For an application form contact your local Job Centre Plus Office (listed in local telephone directories.) or download from http://www.dwp.gov.uk
Access to Work
The Access to Work Scheme is run through the local Job Centre with the aim of helping people overcome obstacles to employment caused by their disability. This applies to any job, part-time, full time, permanent or temporary. They may be able to provide funds towards adaptations to a car, or taxi fares, or other transport costs for a person to get to work. Contact the Disability Employment Adviser at your local job centre (listed in local telephone directories.)
Local Authorities/NHS
If already involved with a Health professional or Social Worker it is worth asking if they can apply for funding through the NHS or Social Services.
NON STATUTORY AGENCIES
Motability Scheme
If a person is in receipt of the higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance (or the War Pensioners' Mobility Supplement ) then they are eligible to join the Motability Scheme . When a person joins the Motability Scheme the higher rate mobility component of DLA (or the War Pensioners' Mobility Supplement) is paid directly to the Motability Scheme and in return, the person leases or purchases a vehicle through the scheme. For further information contact the Motability Scheme, Goodman House, Station Approach, Harlow, Essex CM20 2ET, Tel: 0800 093 1000 or email via website http:// www.motability.co.uk
Motability also have a financial grant aid department that clients of the scheme can apply to for help towards the cost of a deposit for a vehicle, costs of adaptations or help with the cost of driving lessons.
People who require adaptations to a private vehicle can apply to the Motability grant aid department for help with the cost regardless of whether they are members of the scheme or ever intend to be members of the scheme, but they must be in receipt of the higher rate Mobility Component of Disability Living Allowance or the War Pensioners' Mobility Supplement.
Motability will only consider applications for help with the cost of driving lessons from people who are either currently a customer or intend to be a customer when they have passed their driving test. Customers can also apply for help towards the cost of driving lessons for a nominated driver or carer if the customer is unable to drive; only one person per Motability customer can normally be helped with the cost of driving lessons. To our knowledge this is the only scheme available to help with the cost of driving lessons.
Charities and Grant Giving Trusts
If you have not been able to obtain any funding through the above routes then you may have to consider approaching charities to help you with costs. Remember that Charities will means test each applicant, so be prepared to answer personal questions about income etc.
Contact your local Citizen Advice Bureau and ask for a list of local charities e.g. The Round Table, Rotary, Lions Club, Church Groups . Many charities expect a professional such as social worker or healthcare worker to apply on a person's behalf.
You can also approach the appropriate Disability Group, such as ASBAH Tel: 01733 555988, Scope Tel: 0800 800 3333, The Multiple Sclerosis Society Tel: 0808 800 8000, The Muscular Dystrophy Campaign Tel: 0207 720 8055 , The British Polio Fellowship Tel:0800 0180586, etc to see if they will consider contributing towards costs.
Assistance to find charities which may grant financial aid is available free to people over 65 from Charity Search, Tel 0117 982 4060 , between 9.30 am and 2.30 pm (Monday - Thursday). Web: www.charitysearch.org.uk .Consideration may be given to requests for help from disabled people of 40 or over.
You could also try some of the following charities:
The Sainsbury's Family Charitable Fund, Allington House, 1 st Floor, 150 Victoria Street , London , SW1E 5AE Tel: 0207 4100 330 .
The Family Fund, PO Box 50 , York YO1 9ZX , Tel: 01904 621115 Web: www.familyfund.org.uk (for families with severely disabled children under 16 years of age. Will provide grants for parents to learn to drive.)
British Limbless Ex-Service Men's Association, Frankland Moore House, 185/187 High Road, Chadwell Heath, Romford, Essex RM6 6NA, Tel: 020 8590 1124 (for ex service men or women.).
The Royal British Legion, 48 Pall Mall , London SW1Y 5JY; Tel: 0845 772 5725 (for ex service men or women.)
SSAFA Forces Help, 19 Queen Elizabeth Street, London SE1 2LP, Tel: 020 74038783 (for ex service men or woman.)
The Percy Bilton Charity Ltd, Bilton House, 7 Culmington Road, Ealing, London (have to be referred by a Social Worker)
The DGAA (Distressed Gentlefolk's Aid Association) Freepost, London W8 5BR;
Bikers
Bikers can approach the National Association for Bikers with a Disability for help with adapting a bike or trike. Contact NABD, Unit 20, The Bridgewater Centre, Robson Avenue , Urmston, Manchester , M41 7TE . Tel/Fax: 0870 759 0603, email: nabd@nabd.org.uk web: www.nabd.org.uk
Miscellaneous
Some motor manufacturers have introduced finance schemes for people with disabilities to purchase a new car and it is worth talking to your local dealer.
You can also approach your insurance company if the cause of disability is the subject of a claim for compensation.
Whilst The Forum of Mobility Centres has taken every care to ensure the information provided in this document is accurate, the Forum does not endorse or make any representations as to the quality, cost or availability of the products, services, and suppliers listed here. The Forum of Mobility Centres cannot in any circumstances accept liability of any kind arising out of or in connection with the use of this information or any reliance placed on it by any person.
JUNE 2008