Things you should know when choosing your new wheelchair!

The tips and tricks I have picked up along the way about what to know when you are looking to get either a new wheelchair (manual or powered), k-walkers, and standers, these tips can be used for any of these pieces of equipment along with advice from your GP or OT.

Wheelchair tips #1: Find a chair type that works best for you be it manual or powered, rigid or structured, sport style or standard. Which wheels and castors (small front wheels) suit you best and what type of handlebars, backrest heights, and tipping bars are your preference.

Wheelchair extra tip: It helps the assessment go a lot quicker and straightforward if you have an idea or a reference chair from the internet so that you can discuss it with the seating department so that you can get a better idea of what your options are.

Wheelchair tip #2: Early on try to have a few favorite colors are that you would like your chair's frame to be, at least you will have a list ready for those times where you are being assessed for your new manual or powered wheelchairs.

Wheelchair extra tip: Before you choose your chair, it helps to think of it as like buying a new pair of shoes, ones that you will be showing off all the time so it does help to get it as customized as possible so that you can continue on with not only the type of chair that you like (frame-wise) but also the overall aesthetic of you and your chair combined.

Wheelchair tip #3: In my experience, the whole process goes a lot smoother when you are referred to your seating clinic by either your physiotherapist, OT, or GP whatever the case is.

Wheelchair tip #4: Depending on how you are sourcing your chairs either by medical cards, insurances, or self-funded, the wait times can range anywhere from 6 to 12 months which then sometimes depends on the specifications and styles that you choose.

Wheelchair extra tip: Once you have received your new chair and the excitement eases a little, it is important that you are at least helping to maintain your wheelchair – this is easier said than done but I’ve just started this in the last while and it does help by looking after them, this can be done simply by getting a full service or remembering to clean out your castors every so often (trust me!!)

** Also, the period of time between when you receive your chair and when you can change it again mainly depends if you have started to outgrow your wheelchair and need it to accommodate the same or if you are a medical cardholder or have any health insurance where the wait times could possibly be different depending on each person’s situation.

Please note that these tips were created from my own experiences as a wheelchair user and I would highly recommend having a chat with your doctors, physios, OTs about what options you have and where to go from there! Good Luck

Happy Wheeling! X

What is the Primary Medical Certificate!

"The Primary Medical Certificate is issued by the HSE and certifies that a person is severely disabled and or permanently disabled for the purposes of the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers Regulation 1994"

In this post, I wanted to talk more about the Primary Medical Certificate more importantly what the process is like, what to expect and what to be aware of.

The first step is to apply to your local HSE clinic to request an application form to be sent out to your home. Once you receive the application fill it out the next is to have it stamped and signed by your GP and then send it back * making sure to state if the disabled person will be the driver or the passenger - as this is very important when applying to revenue when you want to purchase a car and have it adapted to suit*.

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

The next step is to simply wait for an appointment to be sent out where you will be given a date and time where the PMC officer will have to visit your home and finish the assessment. (In my experience it was over fairly quickly once the lady had seen that my house was made fully accessible for my needs etc - please also note that it may take a little longer for the application process to be completed depending on each individuals case - where an extra step would be to perhaps get a letter from their OT detailing the individuals' disability and why they should be entitled to the PM certificate so that a car can be bought to assist with the disabled persons overall care be it as the Disabled driver or Passenger.

If in some cases your application has been refused you can appeal this decision by contacting the Disabled Drivers Board of Appeal at the following address

Disabled Drivers Board of Appeal

National Rehabilitation Hospital

Roches town Avenue

Dun Laoighaire

Co. Dublin

For more information on the Primary Medical Certificate and the disabled drivers and passengers scheme, you can click the link below.

https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/travel_and_recreation/transport_and_disability/tax_relief_for_disabled_drivers_and_disabled_passengers.html

What is the Disabled Drivers and Passengers Scheme!

The disabled drivers and passengers scheme provides a range of tax reliefs linked to the purchase and use of specially constructed or adapted vehicles by drivers and passengers with a disability.

What does this mean:

• Remission or repayment of Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT)

• Repayment of value-added tax (VAT) on the purchase of a vehicle

• Repayment of VAT on the cost of adapting a vehicle

If you are eligible for this scheme, you may also be eligible for other exemptions:

• A Motor tax exemption on the vehicle

• A toll charges exemption on the vehicle

• A fuel grant

The Qualifying person

To qualify for the tax relief under this scheme, the person with the disability must have a valid Primary Medical Certificate as this certificate confirms that you are severely or permanently disabled.

• One completely or almost completely without the use of both legs

• One completely without the use of one of your legs and almost completely without the use of the other leg to the extent that you are severely restricted as regards movement in your legs

• Are without both hands or both arms

• Are without one or both legs

• Are completely or almost completely without the use of both hands or arms and completely or almost completely without the use of one leg

• Have the medical condition of 'dwarfism' and serious difficulties of movement of the legs.

The car

If you are a driver or passenger with a disability you are eligible to claim tax relief on either a new or used vehicle.

* Used vehicle: this is a vehicle that has not been already registered in Ireland and has been previously claimed under this scheme. You can buy a pre-registered used vehicle, in these cases, the amount to be repaid is the residual VAT contained in the value of the vehicle. Whereas on a Brand New car both the VAT on the cost of the car and the cost on the adaptation added to the car can be claimed under the Disabled Drivers and Passengers Scheme.

* If you bought and adapted your car before you had qualified for the tax relief as a disabled passenger, this means that there still is a VAT & VRT repayment due that is appropriate for the market value of the car at the time. Also if you are a passenger with a disability and you have bought a used car that was adapted and claimed for transporting the disabled person this is eligible for the Disabled Drivers & Passengers Scheme.

Revenue Vat Exemption from VRT, Motor Tax, and Toll charges -

The Vat Exemption:

Under the tax relief scheme, you can apply for an exemption from VRT (or repayment of VRT and Vat) through Revenues online portal. The first step is to register for the Revenue MyAccount - if you have not already done so for work and tax purposes. If you are applying for the very first time you will need to submit your Primary Medical Certificate by uploading it into the MyAccount - disabled drivers and passengers section.

If your application is accepted for an exemption from VRT your account will be updated and you will get authorization to buy a vehicle and an Exemption Notification that allows the vehicle to be registered as exempt from VRT at the NCT center. You can apply by post but please note that it will take considerably more time for your application to be received and processed so it is advised that an online application be submitted as the turnaround time is 1 - 2 days depending on the application and other factors.

Motor Tax Exemption:

As part of the tax relief and exemption scheme, you can avail of a motor tax exemption which means that you are exempt from paying motor tax on a new or used vehicle.

New Cars:

If it is a new vehicle that is being registered in Ireland for the first time, you must apply for a motor tax exemption. It must include the vehicle's chassis number (VIN) and all the details of the adaption that was added to the car. If you are successful you will receive an exemption ID from Revenue which is then used to register the vehicle under the DDAP scheme.

Used Cars:

If it is a used or second-hand car you will also need to apply for a motor tax exemption from Revenue. If you are successful you will need to get a certificate of approval - which can be gotten in the Disabled Drivers and Passengers Portal once you have submitted your Primary Primary Medical Certificate this certificate will be issued - which then needs to be brought to your local Tax Office to tax the car.

What to bring with you:

* Certificate of Approval

* Change of Particulars form - RF11

* Vehicle Registration Certificate - Logbook

The Motor Tax Office will then be able to issue an exempt tax disc and a replacement Registration Certificate to the Registered Owner.

Toll Road Exemption

All cars that have been adapted for either a disabled driver or passenger under the tax relief scheme are entitled to an exemption from all toll fees.

The Newly updated 'Disability Toll Exemption Scheme' means that drivers of qualifying cars are free to travel on all Irish roads using their DTES disc. Only one application is needed under the new scheme which has been in operation since February 3rd, 2020. To qualify your vehicle must be eligible for tax relief under the Disabled Driver and Passenger scheme.

* If your car qualifies for the scheme and you have not applied, you can still travel toll-free on all Irish roads by showing your exempt tax disc when going through the manned toll booths.

For more information or to complete your online application please visit www.dtes.ie

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The Fuel Grant! - What you need to know

If you qualify for the Tax relief with the disabled and drivers and passengers scheme, you could also be eligible to apply for the fuel grant. This fuel grant is an amount that is paid per liter (up to a maximum amount) of liters per calendar year.

2730 liters max - Petrol: €0.602, Diesel: €0.495

For more information on the Disabled Drivers and Passengers Tax relief Scheme, Exemption from motor tax and toll fees as well as the fuel grant scheme. Please click the link below where you will find more on the vehicle requirements and the amounts available to be claimed

https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/travel_and_recreation/transport_and_disability/tax_relief_for_disabled_drivers_and_disabled_passengers.html