Ask the Experts

As ever, we have a team of experts, disabled and non-disabled, to answer your questions on the issues that affect our lives. Whether you need advice on choosing a wheelchair-accessible vehicle, how to make a claim under the Disability Discrimination Act, or resolving a difficult personal issue, one of our panellists is sure to be able to help. Here are some brief introductions.

TRAVEL - ANDY WRIGHT

Andy is a disabled travel industry professional, with over 25 years’ experience. He’s the managing director of Accessible Travel, a specialist tour operator providing holidays for people with mobility impairments.

RELATIONSHIPS - SIMON PARRITT

Simon is a qualified chartered counselling psychologist. Disabled himself, he studied psychosexual therapy for three years and has a professional interest in stress and anxiety disorders.

ACCESS - AGNES FLETCHER

Agnes is a disability trainer and consultant who can find solutions to access problems. She has helped readers on subjects ranging from finding and hiring equipment abroad to issues with accessible public toilets.

TECHNOLOGY - LÉONIE WATSON

Léonie is a computer consultant and works for the digital consultanting firm Nomensa. She specialises in adaptive technology and can answer questions on how to get you connected and best able to use the internet.

FINANCE - DAVID CLARKE

David is a senior partner with Clydesdale Bank, with 18 years’ experience in the banking industry. He has also worked for HSBC and the Royal Bank of Scotland.

HOUSING - KATE SHEEHAN

Kate is an an occupational therapist and director of Better Living, a company set up to work with mainstream manufacturers to meet the needs of the ageing population.

LAW - DOUGLAS JOY

Douglas is senior solicitor at the Disability Law Service, and he gives advice on disability and the law. He specialises in questions on discrimination and disability.

BENEFITS - SELINA MILLS

Selina works at Citizens Advice Bureau and has a team ready to deal with any concerns you may have over benefit entitlement, debt or other money matters.

TRANSPORT - HELEN SMITH

Helen is a Disability Now columnist, as well as campaigns and policy director of disabled motorists’ lobby and campaigning charity Mobilise.

Q I’m a wheelchair-user and the lease on my Motability car is up in May. My daughter drives for me and as she has had three claims on the insurance Motability is not renewing the lease even though the claims were not her fault. What can we do?
Christine Atkinson, by phone

Helen Smith says: Although you say the claims were not her fault, I presume that it was Motability’s insurance – RSA Motability – who had to pay up. They will work on a no-claims rather than no-blames basis and since they’ve had to pay out three times, I’m sure you can understand why they wouldn’t want to renew your lease.

It may seem a little harsh but Motability has to keep its costs down and if drivers claim on their insurance multiple times, their costs rise and that has an adverse affect on other customers.

If there is someone else who could drive your car for you, you could ask Motability if they would renew your lease with a different driver. Your only other alternative is to use your mobility allowance to buy your own car and find your own insurance.