Should a disabled person pay road tax?
Do you need to pay road tax?
UK road tax can cost as much over £500 every year. Why should a disabled person pay road tax? It is not necessary. Click here to find out more information. You do not need to jump through many hoops, in fact it is a very easy process.  Many people believe a car is essential, it allows you to be independent and it helps you to maintain a good quality of life
Should a disabled person pay road tax?
Do you own a car? Are you entitled to a blue badge? Do you have exemption from road tax for your car? When paper tax discs existed I looked at the tax discs of cars parked in disabled spaces at the local supermarket. I was always surprised at the number of cars that were paying the road tax. Usually at least 75% , are you one of them?
Everything you need to know about car tax
There are a lot of ins and outs about charges for the new style car tax. Too complicated for me to explain. Instead CLICK HERE. This website explains things very simply, at least I think so.
You receive the full disability allowance
A blue badge means that you have a disability and that you receive the full disability allowance. If you are a car owner you could be exempt from road tax. Click here to find out if you could be exempt
Disabled Car Tax Exemption Certificate
If you look at the government website for taxing a vehicle there is a section for disabled people and it states ‘Tax your car using your disabled tax exemption certificate ‘. If you would like to go to that page of the internet click here It explains requirements to get a free tax disc for your car.
I hope this helps
This is another opportunity for a disabled person to save money so it can help to maintain your quality of life. No one has ever sat me down and said that as a disabled person there are several ways that you can save money. I am continually finding government schemes that help me, a person with a disability. This is one of them.
Did you know
- The long-serving paper tax disc was consigned to history in October 2014
- Road tax used was called Vehicle Excise Duty but almost no one uses this term any more.
- The tax is now based on gas emissions and not the cc of the engine unless the car was registered before 1 March 2001.
- Velology is the study and collection of tax discs.
Related articles
Flying with significant mobility problemsÂ
April 2014
Hi I have two daughters that get pip and both have blue badges,does that mean I can get free toad tax for my car as both of them don’t drive,so I am the one driving them places
Hello Sean,
Yup, there should be no need for you to pay any road tax.
Hi ,
Why cant you get vehicle tax exemption, when you are over 65 and no able to go from standard to enhanced . Your medical condition has deteriated and should be entitled but can’t apply because pip does not review after 65. I believe a Dr should be able to confirm your medical condition and it should not be reliant on pip.It is totally unfair.
Hello Gini,
Thanks for the comment. I am not aware of either of these problems. No it does not seem right for so many reasons and in the grand scheme of things it would not cost the government much money
I am disabled and on the higher rate of DLA. I am intending to buy a small van a Ford Courier. I have a blue badge, but not sure if small vans qualify for free road tax. Can you help ?.
Hello Martyn,
It looks as if the answer to your question is yes. I can see no reason why a small van should be exempt. Here is HMG link to road tax and higher rate of DLA which I assume is for mobility. Here is the link https://www.gov.uk/financial-help-disabled/vehicles-and-transport
I am fully enhanced pip care and mobility received. Blue badge as well. I don’t drive or work. If my husband takes the car to work for earning for us would that break the rules for free disabled tax?
Theoretically yes but I assume you are taken out as a passenger to go shopping, visit friends etc etc. The car provides you with social capital/social life. I admit it is a grey area where the government has tried to apply a fixed non-inclusive rule. I think you must allow your conscious and financial state to rule over that one
Hiya in on hight pip mobility and care and my partner car is his own but he is my main carer e and takes me everywhere can I get free tax for the car can you help thankypu
Hello Laura,
You ought to be able to avoid paying road tax on car of your partner or carer because you are dependent upon him taking you anywhere. Check out this website https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-exempt-from-vehicle-tax
Both my husband and I have blue badge I’ve heard we may be able to get reduced road tax can anyone advise thank you
Hello,
I hope you find the following article useful, https://www.aid4disabled.com/should-a-disabled-person-pay-road-tax/ Basically you should be exempt from road tax.
I hope that helps
Hi Patrick, I have had a blue badge for 5 years but had no PIP or Benefits paid to me so I paid Road Tax regardless. July 29th 2015 I was diagnosed after visiting an emergency appointment at the Stroke Clinic with Cancer inside my Spine and was given 7 days to live, the tumour was pushing my Spinal cord and it was ready to snap. This Fabulous Specialist told me whilst I was getting MRI Scans he had arranged for the top team of Specialists to operate on the 5th day, I was admitted on the 3rd day. I Survived with a vast amount of hard work I now can walk short distances with 2 canes. I found your site by accident, could you help me with things I or my hubby can claim for I was allowed PIP at the highest rate since About March 16, I was hospitalised for first 7 months. I was 64 when I was diagnosed with Spinal Cancer in 2015, I had Breast Cancer in 2007. Then I had 2 cancers in my gall bladder which was removed with the tumours in 2009. My date of Birth is 30/04/1951. I will go through to your site re free Road Tax I thought you had to buy a new car to receive this. So thank you Very much. Hi Patrick, I have had a blue badge for 5 years but had no PIP or Benefits paid to me so I paid Road Tax regardless. July 29th 2015 I was diagnosed after visiting an emergency appointment at the Stroke Clinic with Cancer inside my Spine and was given 7 days to live, the tumour was pushing my Spinal cord and it was ready to snap. This Fabulous Specialist told me whilst I was getting MRI Scans he had arranged for the top team of Specialists to operate on the 5th day, I was admitted on the 3rd day. I Survived with a vast amount of hard work I now can walk short distances with 2 canes. I found your site by accident, could you help me with things I or my hubby can claim for I was allowed PIP at the highest rate since About March 16, I was hospitalised for first 7 months. I was 64 when I was diagnosed with Spinal Cancer in 2015, I had Breast Cancer in 2007. Then I had 2 cancers in my gall bladder which was removed with the tumours in 2009. My date of Birth is 30/04/1951. I will go through to your site re free Road Tax I thought you had to buy a new car to receive this. So thank you Very much.
Hello,
I really do admire you, defintely someone who looks forward and up. I will not advise you on benefits because I think your situation is complicated plus I am not a benefits expert. For advice and help then maybe start with Citizens Advice Bureau. Write down your questions and make sure you get a straight answer that you believe. If in doubt get a second opinion but not too sure who to appeoach. Maybe Age UK might also be an organisation to talk to, here is their website address http://www.ageuk.org.uk
I hope that helps
i have a van as i can get in and out of it can i put it on disability tax
Hello John,
There would seem to be an unanswerable case, you should not have pay car tax
My wife passed away 2 weeks ago I was exempt for road tax through her pip am I covered until end of month or do I need to buy it right now
Hello,
I honestly do not know the correct answer. I suggest you contact DVLA, Swansea. Below is their address and phone number.
Address: Long View Rd, Swansea SA6 7JL
Phone:0300 790 6801
My colleagues were searching for PROB 1 last month and came across a website that has lots of fillable forms . If others are wanting PROB 1 too , here’s
http://goo.gl/B0RxbqHello Leam
ndro,
This is applicable for the USA
Hi just thought I’d let you no a blue badge does not mean you can get free tax I have had a blue badge for a couple of years and have been on incapacity benefit only. To be able toreceive free tax you need high rate DLA or highest PIP you can get tax at reduced rate if you are on medium PIP
have purchased a used vehicle from a dealer who taxed it online for me at his office in order for me to drive it away legally. can i claim a refund and how do i do this?
Hello John,
Rather than explain what to do, what you cannot do etc I think it is much better for you to go to the Governent website. Here is the address https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-tax-refund.
This explains the whole procedure, what you are entitled to etc.
Patrick
Hi at this moment in time I have my own car that is registered disabled (zero tax) I am in the process of getting a motability car which will be zero tax because the CO 2 Emissions are lower than (100 g/kg).Some times I will be driving my own car, but when I need hospital treatment ect I have to be taken there by my daughter who will be driving my motability car that she and her husband are the nominated drivers of this car, does this mean that I can still claim zero tax on my car.
Hello,
I am under the impression that Tax and insurance is automatically paid for with a Motability vehicle, CO2 emissions are an irrelevance as far as you are concerned. Your daughter and her husband are responsible for the Motabiity vehicle. You also have your own car. Do you drive both cars? Not too sure why you have a Motability vehicle if you can drive your own car that is not Motability. I am a little confused and do not know the answer. I would suggest you talk to Motability people or someone else who is familiar with the legal situation.
Patrick
can I get a free road tax if I ride a quad or a motor bike as the rules only state a motor vehicle I do not own a car,am eligible for full dla mobility
I’m sorry but I do not know the answer to that
Hi everyone… I knew about road tax exemption last year but when I asked at the post office, they just made it impossible! So I left it. My disabled daughter (4 yrs) circumstances did not change and she is still receiving DLA… about 2 weeks ago my wife got in touch with DLA dept and they told her we are entitled for exemption…we received the DLA certificate yesterday and I will apply for exemption on Saturday. No the question is: My daughter receive DLA Higher rate since Dec 2013… Are we entitle for a refund of paid road tax from Dec 2013 to date? Can you please help in answering this. Many thanks
Hello,
As far as I know refunds are not available. Can anyone add anything else to this
Good afternoon Patrick, I would just like to say a huge thank you for the links and information in this website. I also would just like to add that as I have read through the previous comments and questions, I think it very rude of one person to tell you that you, “Don’t know what you are talking about”. When, in fact you are just trying to help people to see that they may be entitled to more help than what they are getting. I didn’t know about free car tax and am now the proud owner of a free tax disc. As I have a spinal injury and have only been disabled for the past 3 years, I have totally relied on sites like this where a kind and considerate human being has taken the time to put down information that will and has in fact helped me improve my life as it is now. You are very correct in all that you have said above too. Everyone who is entitled to free car tax is certainly not claiming it. I have spoken to over a dozen people since who in fact were entitled and didn’t know this. As a result of your information, we have all claimed and I am glad to say, we have all received our discs. It is very unfair that just because one person can’t get the free tax because of their particular circumstances, that they go off on a tantrum and take it out on you.
Once again, I would like to say thank you on behalf of the other people who have benefited from your advice after I told them about the information you have given on here. I will certainly be reading from now on and looking into the other things you have given links on. If I am not entitled to anything, it’s no loss as I may be able to pass the advice on to others and they may benefit from it. In this, sometimes very unfair society of ours, the benefits system does fail people. But its sites like this and people like your good self that help those of us less fortunate get the help that we need in plain English as it can be very confusing looking for advice sometimes. My local council only give blue badges to those who have severe mobility issues and I DID have to prove that I was in receipt of DLA, every case is not the same, so people should really learn to be a bit more polite.
I would like to say in answer to some queries above that my husband can drive my car if he is coming to collect me or drop me off somewhere as it is being used for the benefit of the blue badge holder. (me)! So, I would advise people to call their local council and see what they say about the car being used by a partner. After reading the comments above, I called my local council and they advised me that this is perfectly alright as some days I can barely move, let alone drive. so if in doubt, call your local council. I hope that this tid bit can help someone too.
I look forward to reading more of your great tips.
Hello,
Thank you so much for your very kind comments. Quality of life is so important and that is what keeps me going and why I run this website. It improves my life, keeps me busy and I’m really pleased to find out that others are benefiting as well.
Hi my wife car is taxed as disabled,.and I’ve just got car on mobility!is my wife car still available on free tax ? Many thanks
Hello,
As far as I understand things then yes your wife’s car is still exempt from road tax.
Patrick
I don’t think you will need to worry. Transfering it from paper to computer and I’m that sure problem will be considered, at least I hope so.
When the tax disk is done away with how will parking wardens know that my car is tax exempt? Thus allowing me to park for 2 hours with my blue badge but pay for 1 hour, when if only having a blue badge I would need to pay for each hour I park.
A car bought through Motobiity should already be taxed and insured, that is part of the deal. I have checked on the website and all you have to worry about is actually driving it.
I think the website http://www.motability.co.uk/cs/groups/public/documents/document/bw9f/mdy2/~edisp/mo_066648.pdf will answer all of your questions
hi can you help? my dad has a motability car which he uses not all the time, as i run him around alot to hospital and doctors and alike he was told that he could claim a free tax disc for my car?? is this true??
Regards
Mark
….hi,anyone know if you can apply for free road tax for 2 cars under disabled criteria.?..I am registered owner of 2 vehicles,thanks in advance
The wording would indicate that only 1 car can get road tax exemption if you are disabled
Hello,
I’m not entirely sure that I fully understand the comment. You either pay the full price for a tax disc or if you can prove that the vehicle is for the exclusive use of disabled person then you do not have to pay for a road tax disc. If exchanging full tax disc for a disabled tax disc then refund available for the complete number of outstanding months
Patrick.
Hi,
I am buying new car and guy who is selling it said he will sell it with a road tax for full year , i think he said sth about disabled owner etc. He wanted to do it by himself because i believe he can get it cheapier than i would if i pay by myself. But please let me know if i buy this car with a road taxi even if he do it with a disabled person or sth , can i drive it later with this car when i buy it after he bought road tax to it ?
Thx
Hello,
I have published the response shown above because I feel that all comments should be published. This is an area where the legislation is complicated and it is also easy to feel aggrieved. For example not being disabled until you are older than 65.
The fairest way for me to go forward is to let you read the original article, and the two website articles.
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=1069273
http://www.dialdoncaster.co.uk/information/fact-sheets/2299-road-tax-exemption.
If you want to risk being thoroughly confused then read the comments
Hello,
I don’t really understand why you have written this article when you don’t know what you’re talking about. A Blue Badge does NOT mean you are receiving any sort of benefit or allowance. Here are some facts to clear things up;
* You can get a Blue Badge at any age and you do not need to be on any benefits. You apply for it on its own.
* The reason most car with Blue Badges don’t have Disabled tax discs is because they don’t receive the relevant benefit, they received the badge on an assessment basis.
* If you get the high rate Mobility part of Disability Living Allowance (Or War Pensioner’s Mobility) you are entitled to a Blue Badge and free tax. This is the only way you can get free tax.
* If you get DLA before 65 you will continue to receive it, but you cannot claim after 65. You can instead claim Attendance Allowance. This is not unfair at all towards the elderly because you can still get a Blue Badge, and DLA is granted for disabilities you endured not as a result of aging. Attendance Allowance is to accommodate your needs as you age.
I have done a bit of research into this. I agree the system is not terribly fair. Rather than answer the questions I will point you to a couple of websites that should answer your questions.
The first one is Money Expert and here is the URL http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=1069273
2 important points
1) Attendance Allowance is claimable by those over 65 years old. It has only a care component, it has no mobility component.
2) DLA, which has both care and mobility components can only be claimed by those under 65. However if you already receive it, you can carry on receiving it after 65years old providing the claimants needs stay the same.
The other one is very comprehensive. It is put together by the Doncaster disability advisory service
http://www.dialdoncaster.co.uk/information/fact-sheets/2299-road-tax-exemption.
I think this will answer your questions and anything else along the same line
Hope this helps,
Patrick
I forgot this. Even if you have a blue badge it does not mean that you recive disability allowance if you claimed over the age of 65. they call it attendance alowance to wrigle out of giving the free tax disc
Hi Patrick
You do not mention that you have to have the disabled entitlement before the age of 65. after this it is called attendance allowance. even though my father is 99 and very disabled and can’t walk he cannot get a free tax disc as it is called attendance allowance as he was over 65 when he first claimed for help. I think this is very discrimatory against elderly people who have become disabled in later life. perhaps you could mention this in your web-site.
Regards Sheila
Hi Patrick
You mention that you have looked at the tax discs of lots of cars parked in disabled spaces at the local supermarket and you are always surprised at the number of cars that are paying the road tax. Its usually at least 75% , and you ask are you one of them? The amount you have paid is shown on the tax disc. As you say, a blue badge means that you are disabled and that you receive the full disability allowance. If you are a car owner you could be exempt from road tax !
However, if you are a one car family with two (or more) drivers of the same car then a fully paid tax disc is required so that the non-blue badge holders can still drive in their own right. This is particularly galling where it is just man and wife and they each have their own driving needs but the badge holder is not allowed to take advantage of his/her entitlement. Is this a form of discrimination?
Jim Barratt
Thankyou so much for this comment i have been looking all over for the answer to this query. My hubi is disabled and I am learning to drive and was wonddering if we could still get free car tax when I start to drive. Seems not ! I can see this is gonna be way too expensive for us.
I have made corrections to this page. You are bound to find some more glitches.
I only open a new tab when linking to an external website. If linking to another page on same web-site (www.aid4disabled.com) then I stay on the same tab. Hit <- to get to previous page. Apparently that is the convention. I hope that makes sense.
Hi. Patrick – really useful information. I was curious to know about the other useful stuff which you refer to in your article but the link appears to be broken. Please could you send me a link to your website. With very many thanks in advance. Ambuj. 0777 554 3300