Stirlingshire woman allowed to keep accessible car after last-minute U-turn
A disabled Killin resident preparing to be left stranded without transportation this week has welcomed an apparent change of heart at the eleventh hour.
Helen Lear was given use of a car by Motability after her own was written off in an accident involving black ice in late January.
The Motability scheme aims to enable disabled people in the UK to lease cars, scooters or powered wheelchairs.
But, last week, Ms Lear was told her leased vehicle would soon be collected, as her three-month loan period had come to an end.
Now, just hours before the car was due to be taken away, Motability has reversed its decision.
The 38-year-old told The Courier: 'I've ordered my new [permanent] vehicle but it could be July, August, September by the time I get it.
'And there is no update. There's not even a chassis number for it yet, so it's nowhere near being ready.'
When Ms Lear explained that she lives rurally and alone, unable to use public transport due to her wheelchair, she says she was told her situation did not meet Motability's 'exceptional circumstances' for a lease extension.
According to Ms Lear, the scheme said it could only allow her to keep her temporary car if she had a condition that meant she may need to get to hospital in a 'life or death' scenario.
'The condition I have is a rare neurological condition and it has relapses,' she explained.
'If I start getting early symptoms of a relapse, I need to get to hospital and get treatment very quickly.
'Otherwise, I can end up with permanent paralysis or blindness.
'But it's not 'life or death', so it doesn't count.'
On Wednesday May 14, Motability confirmed by phone that it would collect Ms Lear's leased car on Friday May 16.
But on Thursday afternoon, following a request for comment from The Courier, it appears Motability had a significant change of heart.
The scheme contacted the Killin local to let her know her lease will now be extended until her new permanent vehicle is ready.
She says Motability claimed the decision was reversed due to Ms Lear living rurally, even though she had previously been told this was not a valid reason for her to keep the courtesy car on more than one occasion.
Ms Lear, who is self-employed, says being left without a car would have affected her career, as she would have been unable to take on any location work.
When it originally denied her request to extend the lease, Motability said it would arrange to reinstate the mobility component of her Adult Disability Payment benefit, allowing her to pay for taxis or other forms of transport.
However, it would have taken up to 14 days for this money to be paid, and it amounts to £77 per week, according to Ms Lear.
She says a one-way taxi from Killin to Stirling costs around £80, and a trip to Forth Valley Royal Hospital adds up to around £100.
Ms Lear is thrilled that she will be able to keep using the leased car for the foreseeable future.
However, she is concerned that her case is an example of Motability making a last-minute exception to the rule, rather than reviewing and changing its policies.
She is worried others could find themselves facing the same problem – and that she may even be affected by it again in the future.
She added: 'I can't be the only one who has come across this issue.
'I think there needs to be a change to their [Motability's] extenuating circumstances that takes into consideration people's personal circumstances, particularly if they live in a rural area.
'As a disabled person, there's a lot of what we call 'disability admin', which is all the extra bureaucracy and red tape and all the extra fighting you have to do just for the basics.
'This is just another element of that.'
A spokesperson for the Motability scheme said: 'The Motability Scheme enables disabled people to lease a vehicle using their mobility allowance.
'If a customer's car becomes unavailable due to an incident, we provide a temporary replacement for up to three months to help them stay mobile.
'We're in touch with the customer and have extended their hire while we arrange a new Scheme vehicle – and we'll continue to support and update them throughout the process.'
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A disabled Killin resident preparing to be left stranded without transportation this week has welcomed an apparent change of heart at the eleventh hour. Helen Lear was given use of a car by Motability after her own was written off in an accident involving black ice in late January. The Motability scheme aims to enable disabled people in the UK to lease cars, scooters or powered wheelchairs. But, last week, Ms Lear was told her leased vehicle would soon be collected, as her three-month loan period had come to an end. Now, just hours before the car was due to be taken away, Motability has reversed its decision. The 38-year-old told The Courier: 'I've ordered my new [permanent] vehicle but it could be July, August, September by the time I get it. 'And there is no update. There's not even a chassis number for it yet, so it's nowhere near being ready.' When Ms Lear explained that she lives rurally and alone, unable to use public transport due to her wheelchair, she says she was told her situation did not meet Motability's 'exceptional circumstances' for a lease extension. According to Ms Lear, the scheme said it could only allow her to keep her temporary car if she had a condition that meant she may need to get to hospital in a 'life or death' scenario. 'The condition I have is a rare neurological condition and it has relapses,' she explained. 'If I start getting early symptoms of a relapse, I need to get to hospital and get treatment very quickly. 'Otherwise, I can end up with permanent paralysis or blindness. 'But it's not 'life or death', so it doesn't count.' On Wednesday May 14, Motability confirmed by phone that it would collect Ms Lear's leased car on Friday May 16. But on Thursday afternoon, following a request for comment from The Courier, it appears Motability had a significant change of heart. The scheme contacted the Killin local to let her know her lease will now be extended until her new permanent vehicle is ready. She says Motability claimed the decision was reversed due to Ms Lear living rurally, even though she had previously been told this was not a valid reason for her to keep the courtesy car on more than one occasion. Ms Lear, who is self-employed, says being left without a car would have affected her career, as she would have been unable to take on any location work. When it originally denied her request to extend the lease, Motability said it would arrange to reinstate the mobility component of her Adult Disability Payment benefit, allowing her to pay for taxis or other forms of transport. However, it would have taken up to 14 days for this money to be paid, and it amounts to £77 per week, according to Ms Lear. She says a one-way taxi from Killin to Stirling costs around £80, and a trip to Forth Valley Royal Hospital adds up to around £100. Ms Lear is thrilled that she will be able to keep using the leased car for the foreseeable future. However, she is concerned that her case is an example of Motability making a last-minute exception to the rule, rather than reviewing and changing its policies. She is worried others could find themselves facing the same problem – and that she may even be affected by it again in the future. She added: 'I can't be the only one who has come across this issue. 'I think there needs to be a change to their [Motability's] extenuating circumstances that takes into consideration people's personal circumstances, particularly if they live in a rural area. 'As a disabled person, there's a lot of what we call 'disability admin', which is all the extra bureaucracy and red tape and all the extra fighting you have to do just for the basics. 'This is just another element of that.' A spokesperson for the Motability scheme said: 'The Motability Scheme enables disabled people to lease a vehicle using their mobility allowance. 'If a customer's car becomes unavailable due to an incident, we provide a temporary replacement for up to three months to help them stay mobile. 'We're in touch with the customer and have extended their hire while we arrange a new Scheme vehicle – and we'll continue to support and update them throughout the process.'
