Motorbility terms

[malagabob]

What are the terms I suppose you could call them.
Does the disabled person whom the car is registered too have to be driving the car.
Can someone else drive the car if its on an errand for the registered person if the registered person is not in the car.
Can that person use the blue badge on that errand, if the registered person is not in the car.
Can another person (family member) use the car for their own use, ie using it for getting to and from work on a regular basis, if the disabled person is not in the car.
Any other terms I may have missed please.

[woofgang]

no the disabled person does not have to drive the car
Yes the car can be used without the disabled person being there if the use is for the benefit of the disabled person
No the blue badge cannot be used unless the disabled person is present.
No another person cannot use the car for their own purposes

The disabled person nominates two named drivers who can drive the car in addtion to the disabled person. The disabled person does not have to be able to drive at all.
http://www.motability...heme/use-of-your-car/

[Toureman]

https://www.gov.uk/apply-blue-badge

[chas2008]

someones trying to screw the system...

[EDDIE51]

Just a minor correction to woofgangs excellent answer.
There can up to 2 designated drivers for the car , one can be the disabled person but it does not have to be. A 3rd designated driver can be added at extra cost. The disabled person does not have to drive at all , but the car has to be used for the disabled persons benefit so another person CAN NOT use the car for their own purposes.
One other point, the designated drivers have to live within 5 miles of the address of the disabled person . This is meant to stop abuse where a disabled person 'rents out' the car for a profit .

[ummmm]

"someones trying to screw the system..."

Or someone making sure that they don't screw the system and break any rules.

[sunny-dave]

You could (I suppose) argue that a designated person driving to/from work is bringing an extra income into the house that will improve the quality of the disabled person's life ... but that seems extremely tenuous and against the spirit of the scheme - hopefully you wouldn't get away with it.

[ummmm]

They are very strict.

[EDDIE51]

Sunny Dave I agree 100% but in reality there is virtually no chance of getting caught unless some one 'shops' you. If the car was stopped by the police for any reason they are only interested in checking that the insurance and tax are in order which they will be. MOT does not come into it as motability cars are changed after 3 years before they need an MOT.

[sunny-dave]

Perhaps all Motability cars should have a clearly visible, external, badge/sticker indicating that the vehicle is part of the scheme and with a contact number for enquiries ... might concentrate the minds of a few people who are 'bending' the rules quite close to snapping point?

[sigma]

"No the blue badge cannot be used unless the disabled person is present"

That doesn't mean you can use a disabled parking space and leave the disabled person sitting in the car whilst you do your shopping. The badge is for their benefit not yours.

[EDDIE51]

There was a long and heated discussion on AB a while back about 'blue badges' use while the badge holder was not in the car.
The upshot was that it is fully legal for the disabled person to leave a non disabled person in the car with the badge showing if the disabled person was for example shopping or attending an appointment. The badge van also be legally used if a non disabled person parks at a hospital or other place while going to collect the badge holder.
For example the disabled person could be staying at a hotel on holiday, the badge could be used by the driver who is coming to collect them , as long as they are just waiting for the badge holder .

[EDDIE51]

sigma in the case you describe it would be impossible to prove one way or the other, they could just say some items of shopping were for the disabled person. The disabled person could well be in such a condition that they could not be left alone in the house while the carer went shopping so they bring them with them and use the badge to park near the shops so that they can check on them, that would be a legal use of the badge.

[Swiper]

Nearly every person I know who has a motability car are screwing the system. For example my next door neighbour has one on behalf of his grandad who, catches the bus in to town everyday to do his shopping and is more than capable, i've never seen him actually sit in the car. The lad who has it, is 21. He's had the car since he was old enough to drive, hes never had a job and uses the car to race round the streets all day with his other jobless mates. It makes me sick to think that there are plenty more abusing the system like this. I know about 10 people with a motability car and only one of them deserves it but I would have said they don't really need it and can afford to buy a decent car anyway. Just because you are entitled doesn't mean you should neccessarily take.

[EDDIE51]

The motability web site I gave has a link to report abuse. Swiper I suggest you get as much information as you can , reg no, names address etc and report them. Report them to the benefits agency DWP as well.