Which Schemes offer Financial Help With Driving Lessons When I Am On Benefits?
By
HuutiMoney
This blog answers the question “ Which Schemes offer Financial Help With Driving Lessons When I Am On Benefits?”The motability scheme provides an offer to cover some of your driving lesson expenses for proof of being on certain means tested benefits. This blog notes that there is generally not much help available for paying your driving lesson fees even if you claim benefit support payments.
Which Schemes offer Financial Help With Driving Lessons When I Am On Benefits?
You can be provided certain financial help to cover costs of driving lessons when claiming certain benefits.
Some benefits such as disability grant payments can help to cover driving lesson costs. Such a scheme for paying your driving lesson expenses is the Motability Scheme. The following conditions apply to registering for getting help for driving lessons:
- Being a full time student (which means being enrolled in a full time course at the degree , postgraduate level or higher education level)This adds up to 540 hours a year of study. You may also be in full time training instead of full time education
Besides your qualification as a full time student or being in full time training, your parents/guardians need to be claiming one of the following benefits. Income Support, Income Related Jobseeker’s Allowance, Pension Credit, Housing Benefit, Income Related Employment and Support Allowance, Working Tax Credit or Universal Credit.
- You are a returning customer of the Motability Scheme or you are waiting for the delivery of a new vehicle from the scheme with a confirmed delivery date that is no more than four months after the date of your application for a driving school licence.
- You are eligible to claim one of the following means tested benefits. Income Support, Income Related Jobseeker’s Allowance, Pension Credit, Housing Benefit, Income Related Employment and Support Allowance, Working Tax Credit or Universal Credit.
In order to get help to cover the cost of your driving lessons from Motability you need to be in possession of a valid provisional driving licence. Through the Driving Lessons Grant Programme you will be able to apply for 40 hours of free driving lessons. Motability uses the BSM and AA driving schools for providing driving lessons.
What is the Disabled Persons RailCard?
You are eligible to apply for the Disabled Person’s Railcard if the following conditions apply to you:
- You are claiming the Personal Independence Payment
- You are claiming the Disability Living Allowance (mobility component at the higher or lower rate or the care component at the higher or middle rate)
- Are suffering from a visual impairment
- Are suffering from a hearing impairment
- Are suffering from epilepsy
- Are claiming the Attendance Allowance or the severe disablement allowance
- Are claiming the War Pension or Service Disablement Pension for a disability condition of 80% or higher
- Have bought or leased a vehicle using the motability scheme
- Are claiming the War Pensioner’s Mobility Supplement
You will also need to provide the following documentation evidence along with your Disabled RailCard membership application:
- A copy of your Disability Allowance award letter showing your claim of (benefit) payments within the past 12 months
- A copy of your Personal Independence Payment award letter, showing (evidence of) the payments you have obtained within the past 12 months
- To prove a visual impairment, a copy of your Visual Impairment Certificate CVI
- A copy of your leasing agreement for a car or Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle under the Motability scheme (dated within the past 12 months)
- A copy of your award letter for the War Pension or Service Disablement Pension
- A copy of your award letter for receiving the War Pensioner’s Mobility Supplement
- A copy of your award letter for the Attendance Allowance Benefit payment or the Severe Disablement allowance benefit payment.
What is RAC Breakdown Assistance Cover (under the motability scheme)?
RAC breakdown assistance cover provides vehicle insurance for repairs and also includes replacement motability cars. In case you are on the road and your vehicle cannot be repaired on the road RAC Motability Assist will help you to transport it to the nearest car repair shop. You may also choose to let motability assist attend to a breakdown of your vehicle at your residence.
To provide a substitute transport vehicle for you and other co passengers Motability Assist can provide for a replacement vehicle (the vehicle capacity can reach upto a maximum of 8 people)
Motability Assist can also make arrangements for overnight accommodation in case of your motability vehicle breaking down. It may choose to fund your journey to your destination instead with expenses of £100 per person or £300 per head being covered by RAC Breakdown Assistance.
The replacement vehicle provided by RAC Motability Assist can be used for upto 48 hours. The terms of conditions for supply of replacement vehicles include the following:
- Only you or your designated driver (named on your vehicle registrations certificate) are permitted to drive the vehicle.
- The permitted driver may be required at any given time to produce a valid driving license
- Smoking is prohibited inside the replacement car
- Any parking fines or road charges incurred during your use of the replacement vehicle are to be dealt with personally. The Motability Assist scheme is not responsible for these expenses
- Your vehicle is usually provided to you with a full tank of fuel and you are also expected to return the vehicle after use in the same condition. When you hire the replacement car you will be required to pay a £1 fuel deposit which will be refunded once you return the vehicle with a full tank of fuel.
In case your replacement vehicle’s fuel tank is empty the fuel deposit will not suffice to compensate for your fuel usage and you will be invoiced for the surplus amount (of fuel)
- You will need to sign a rental agreement (and extension liability form) to hire the replacement car. The terms mentioned in the rental agreement will make you legally responsible for any damages to the replacement car.
If you have possession of a Motability Assist replacement vehicle for 27 days or less, you will have unlimited mileage. After the period of 27 days, your mileage is restricted to an average of 75 miles per day.
You can travel abroad in the temporary replacement vehicle after obtaining authorization (the free vehicle on Hire Certificate) from your local Europcar branch .Europcar’s cross border breakdown protection is compulsory.
Can I use the benefit payments I get for Universal Credit, Guaranteed Pension Credit, Housing Benefit or the Jobseeker’s Allowance to pay for my driving lesson fees?
Yes, you can utilise your benefit payments from these schemes to pay for your driving lesson fees. The following benefits can cover the cost of driving lessons:
Constant Attendance Allowance
The 4 available rates of the Constant Attendance Allowance are the Part Day rate, the Intermediate Rate, the Full Day Rate and the Exceptional Rate. The Part Day rate gives you £37.75 weekly, the Full Day rate gives you £75.50 weekly,the Intermediate Rate gives you £113.25 and the Exceptional Rate gives you £151
Universal Credit
The 3 basic monthly rates per household for Universal Credit payments are £265.31 if you are aged under 25 years, £334.91 if you are aged over 25 years, £416.25 for a married couple (or civil partnership) under 25 years of age and £525.75 for a married couple above 25 years of age.
If you have limited capacity for working you will receive an extra monthly payment of £354.28 (for Universal Credit health claims made after 3rd April 2017)
Personal Independence Payment
The daily living part of the PIP has a higher weekly rate of £92.40 and a lower weekly rate of £61.85
The mobility part of the PIP has a higher weekly rate of £64.50 and a lower weekly rate of £24.45
- Carer’s Allowance
- The Bereavement Support Payment
- Guaranteed Pension Credit
Conclusion
This blog post addressed the question “Which Schemes Offer Financial Help With Driving Lessons When I Am On Benefits?” Driving lesson fees can be covered by the Motability Scheme if you are also claiming certain benefits. The Motability Scheme intends to support people who are on a low income and unable to pay driving lesson charges. Your benefit payments for the Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment or State Pension Credit can also be used to cover expenses for driving lessons.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) : Which Schemes Offer Financial Help With Driving Lessons When I Am On Benefits?
What does the motability scheme lease package include?
The Motability Scheme’s leasing package covers::
- Vehicle insurance under the RSA Motability Scheme
- Annual vehicle tax payments (to the DVLA)
- 60,000 km mileage allowance (over 3 years) or 100,000 km mileage allowance over 3 years for Wheelchair Access Vehicle customers.
- Servicing and maintenance expenses
- Around 500 vehicle adaptations for no extra charges
- A set of Kwik Fit spare tyres
- Free windscreen maintenance
- Complete RAC breakdown cover including road assistance, unlimited callouts, at home service and national recovery,.
What is covered under my RSA Motability Insurance Policy?
The RSA Motability Insurance Policy provides insurance cover for all vehicles (cars and WheelChair Accessible Vehicles ) leased through the RSA Motability Vehicles Scheme. This insurance cover includes:
- Accidental damage to your vehicle
- Windshield or glass maintenance for your vehicle. A set of replacement parts for the vehicle is also available
- A set of replacement car locks and keys (to be used once theft has been reported)
- Vehicle tool kits and accessories for the Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle or automobile.
- Comprehensive fire and theft (vehicle) insurance
- Journeys travelling to work and back home
- Using your vehicle for charitable activities
- Standard car parts which are permanently fitted to the vehicle such as the seat belt, basic car stereo or radio, car rearview mirror and the car seats.
- Your vehicle is insured against being stolen or lost. Damage to the vehicle is also covered
- Any modifications to the vehicle which have been installed to suit your individual needs. These should be officially agreed with RSA Motability.
- You Motability Insurance Policy also provides cover in case of an accident causing death, the (permanent) loss of sight in both eyes, a loss of limbs. This insurance cover has a limit of £5000 per person.
What is the best time of the day for taking my driving lessons?
Taking driving lessons during the day time should be preferable given that most driving school instructors are available at the time. You will have better visibility of the road signs and markings during the day. The roads are also quieter and less chaotic during the day for practising driving.