New Blue Badge rule change starting on Monday could see disabled drivers miss out on £3.7k discount
PARK OFF New Blue Badge rule change starting on Monday could see disabled drivers miss out on £3.7k discount
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FROM Monday, a new rule regarding EVs is coming into play.
And thousands of Blue Badge holders are expected to be exempt from the payments.
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Experts say additional support is needed for disabled drivers of electric vehicles
The Government's new Electric Car Grant portal is expected to begin on August 11.
And it means motorists buying vehicles under £37,000 will be eligible for the discount in a bid to drive demand for EVs.
But, nearly 11,000 disabled Blue Badge holders may not be eligible for the big saving because of rules around affordability.
Matt Fieldhouse is the Group Managing Director and Car Expert at Mobility in Motion.
He said just 20 of the top 40 most accessible and affordable EVs on the Motability Scheme meet the criteria.
As a result, half of the most practical models for disabled drivers and Blue Badge holders could be excluded from the scheme.
It also means road users must meet the same rules and price cap as any other driver applying for the discount.
Drivers will also have to pay out for any disability adaptations or Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles conversions they may need out of their own pocket.
Blue Badges – how to get them
In England, Wales and Scotland, you can apply for a Blue Badge on the Gov.UK website.
Some people qualify for the badge automatically, whilst others are assessed on an individual basis.
Tesla's Cybertruck Graveyard: Hundreds of Unsold EVs Abandoned at Shopping Mall
Local councils are in charge of assessing eligibility for badges, with applications taking up to 12 weeks.
If the council decides you are not eligible for the badge, you can request them to reconsider your application.
Badges in England cost £10, whilst in Scotland, they are priced at £20. Badges in Wales are free.
In the UK, wheelchair-accessible vehicles are those that have been modified by increasing the interior size of the vehicle and equipping it with a means of wheelchair entry, such as a wheelchair ramp or powered lift.
The £600million-a-year Disabled Motability scheme offers essential support to individuals with severe physical or mental disabilities.
The scheme is funded by the Department for Work and Pensions, supports around 589,000 claimants in England and Wales as of 2024.
Are you missing out on benefits?
YOU can use a benefits calculator to help check that you are not missing out on money you are entitled to
Charity Turn2Us' benefits calculator works out what you could get.
Entitledto's free calculator determines whether you qualify for various benefits, tax credit and Universal Credit.
MoneySavingExpert.com and charity StepChange both have benefits tools powered by Entitledto's data.
You can use Policy in Practice's calculator to determine which benefits you could receive and how much cash you'll have left over each month after paying for housing costs.
Your exact entitlement will only be clear when you make a claim, but calculators can indicate what you might be eligible for.
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