Changes to the Motability scheme

As of the 1st July the government backed Motability scheme is changing. Previously administered by the profit making route2mobility, who had run the scheme for the last 5 years, the new guardians are old hands when it comes to dealing with recipients of Disability Living Allowance. Motability Operations have looked after the Motability car scheme for 35 years and are now taking over the Powered Wheelchair and Scooter scheme.

They have already made a few changes to the scheme removing the Hire Purchase option in favour of a worry free Contract Hire option which will see most customers receiving a new scooter or powered wheelchair customer every three years (a five year option is available for some custom built powered wheelchairs). The package includes standard pricing nationwide from a selection of over 200 products, fully comprehensive insurance, recovery assistance, servicing, maintenance and repairs, replacement tyres and batteries and all supported by a UK based customer service team.

What isn't included though are any additional extras that are not fitted as standard, any fines incurred by the driver of the scooter or powered wheelchair and insurance cover does not extend to the theft of personal belongings such as coats bags, mobile phones and money. If you lose more than three sets of keys, you will have to pay for subsequent replacements.

You still need to contact a Motability accredited scooter and powered wheelchair dealer to apply and the payments are still deducted at source from your allowance. The biggest change though is that Motability Operations are a not for profit organisation so if you are thinking of getting a new scooter or powered wheelchair using your Disability Living Allowance, there's never been better value for money.

Insurance - is it worth it?

Recently there was a story in the Daily Mail reporting on the case of a lady who had had an accident in a supermarket. She contested the claim for personal damages made by the employee who was injured and lost the case, resulting in a bill for £10,000 in legal costs and a further £3000 in damages. She did not have insurance and is now faced with the possibility of having to sell her home in order to pay her debt. We know of 2 customers who have driven their machines straight into showroom windows and they have had to pay for the damage they caused. Had they taken out insurance this would have been paid for by the insurance company. In one case the cost to the mobility scooter user was £584 for replacing the window, he then contacted us and asked for insurance which was supplied at a cost of £65.

We insure our home, our car, our pet, our mobile phone so why is it that many mobility scooter users choose not to insure their mobility scooter? Perhaps they think that the cost will be prohibitive, but this is not the case. For not much more than a pound a week they would be covered against theft, vandalism and accidental damage. Lost keys, injury cover, 24/7 recovery are insured and perhaps the most important cover is for public liability. Cover for up to £2million and protection against 'no win, no fee' specialists is also provided.

Is it worth it? The answer is obvious if you want to protect your bank balance and have complete peace of mind. Should it be compulsory? That's a question for another day.

Prisoners in The Care Home

If you are one of the 450,000 recipients of the mobility component of DLA, you should be aware that you are able to use your allowance to fund either a car, mobility scooter or powered wheelchair through the government backed Motability scheme. The allowance is intended to give freedom and independence to those people who would otherwise be housebound due to their disabilities and illnesses.

All well and good if you live in your own home, but what about when you can't manage in your own home any more and you have to move into permanent residential care in either a rest or care home? It depends on whether you are paying to live in the home yourself or if the government are funding it. If it's the latter then say goodbye to your freedom and independence because you will soon find that your mobility benefit will be suspended. This means that you will no longer be eligible to join the Motability scheme. You won't be able to take your scooter or powered wheelchair to go out and unless the home offers days out you will be a prisoner in your new home. The effects of this are obvious, you have already had to leave behind your friends and neighbours and your trips to the local shops to catch up on the local gossip will be a thing of the past.

When you consider the disruption caused by moving, the loss of community and also having to pay out money that they don't have for transport, it's hardly seems fair to deprive those who have the most needs through illness or disability when, as a country we supplement the benefits of drug users and alcoholics to feed their chosen addictions.

Menace on The Pavement ? ?

Have you had to move out of the way to avoid a mobility scooter on the pavement? Suddenly turned a corner to be confronted by one of them appearing out of nowhere? Do you think that mobility scooters should be banned from pavements?

How do you feel about powered wheelchairs? They are the type of machine that Stephen Hawkins uses. Do you think that they should also be banned from the pavements? Well of course you don't! You wouldn't expect them to be used on the road yet they travel at the same speed as the "pavement shopper" or "car boot scooter." Users of manual wheelchairs aren't expected to travel in the gutter either. So why the bad press for mobility scooter users?

Is it because the disabilities of people in powered and manual wheelchairs are more obvious to the naked eye and we are more sympathetic to their plight? Unfortunately, the majority of mobility scooter users do not have immediately apparent disabilities but suffer from illnesses such as chronic arthritic conditions, heart and lung disease or neurological disease such as MS or Parkinsons. This makes it impossible for them to walk to the local shop or enjoy a day in town with their friends and using a mobility scooter is the only way for them to enjoy some freedom and independence and keep in contact with the outside world.

Now think about when you see a mobility scooter travelling down the road in traffic, waiting at the traffic lights with all the other vehicles. Be honest, didn't you think it was a menace and that it should not be allowed on the road. So which is it to be? - pavement shopper scooters on the pavement or faster road legal mobility scooters on the road. It seems that mobility scooter users can't win whichever option they choose.

The next time you're out and see someone on a mobility scooter, just think for a minute what they have to contend with - pushbikes which should never be on the pavement, mothers with prams and a gaggle of tearaway kids. Untrained owners with dogs allowed to defecate on footpaths, mobile phone users in a world of their own and people just stopping abruptly in front of them.

It's not a lifestyle choice to ride a mobility scooter to many of our customers its their lifeline!

The Great British Weather

A1 Mobility's scooter and powerchair users can't let the weather stop them getting out and about, they still need to attend hospital appointments, go to collect their groceries and visit friends and relatives. It is really important for them to look after their equipment and try to avoid getting it too wet which is not an easy task in this weather! Did you enjoy summer, we must have had at least 2 whole days of sunshine!

So how do you protect your mobility scooter or powered wheelchair from the elements?

You can have a canopy with zipped doors fitted to your scooter but before you do this make sure you will still have room for it as the width and length of your mobility scooter will be increased. If you don't have the space for this you can opt to go for a scooter or powered wheelchair cape which covers both you and your mobility scooter or powered wheelchair and you only use it when you need it. Seat covers protect the seat and tiller covers protect the main head unit.

Manual wheelchair users can use specially designed coats and macs which secure over the back of the chair and have openings for the handles which stops the rain running down the inside back of the chair. No more soggy bottoms ! !

Whatever the weather and whether it's a mobility scooter or powered wheelchair - common sense should prevail. If it is absolutely torrential don't go out on it - it's a simple as that. Call a taxi, get a friend to take to you or ask the hospital to arrange transport for you.

For more information on the wide range of all weatherwear available visit our website http://www.a1mobility.co.uk

Great news for supporters of Blackpool Football Club. We now have in stock the new Tangerine dream mobility scooters which are suitable to be carried in the boot of your car or on coaches for all those fantastic away games we have to look forward to.

Show the other teams your true colours. These models are available in 3 or 4 wheel variants and have a range of battery sizes and are available in stock now.