I have been getting a steady stream of sick and disabled Constituents who have had their Motability cars removed because they have had the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) wrongly downgraded when they are assessed for its replacement, Personal Independence Payment (PiP).

All of them have long term chronic and deteriorating conditions, so I would expect them to continue to qualify in the new benefit. (eg Multiple Sclerosis, Arthritic Psoriasis, or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)

Most have been in receipt of the Higher Rate Mobility Component of DLA, which enables them to get a Motability car, for many years and their health is getting worse, not better. The car is a lifeline for many, enabling them to continue to work in some cases, or to have a semblance of normality in lives made more difficult in any case by their disability.

Many eventually have to appeal to a Tribunal, which is stressful in itself but because it takes months for the Government and the Courts to do Mandatory Reconsiderations and Tribunals, even if they win, their car has been removed in the interim. People must then wait 6 months to get another vehicle even if the car should not have been removed in the first place.

The Govt have now admitted in a Parliamentary answer to my question that 20,800 people of the 32,400 who appealed to a Tribunal in 2015-2016 succeeded in their appeal and thus had their cars WRONGLY removed. Motability have recently said that they are removing 800 cars a week from disabled people because of this -; 48,500 cars so far.

This is a despicable attack on often severely disabled people and is entirely the fault of this callous, incompetent, Tory Government. No wonder disabled people feel that they are being punished -; it looks to me like they are.

Clickherefor more about the Government’s removal of motability entitlement across the county, andherefor the original written Parliamentary questions and answers.