Veteran back on the road after Motability row

Dean Tolhurst now has his car for another few weeks, and will be reassessed

A veteran who was told his Motability vehicle would be taken away following a review has been told he can keep it and will have his circumstances reassessed.

The Motability scheme allows people with a personal independence payment, or Pip, to lease a vehicle, but Dean Tolhurst, who lives in Bicton Heath, Shropshire, claimed a recent reassessment had not been done properly.

Mr Tolhurst said the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) had now "reopened both of my mandatory reviews."

A spokesperson for the DWP said it was "changing the welfare system so it helps people to live with dignity".

Mr Tolhurst has had a Motability car for six years, after breaking his back, having three strokes, two hernias, knee reconstructions and a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

He said he was unable to afford his own vehicle and relied on his mobility payments.

The 56-year-old said knowing he will keep his car, a red Vauxhall Crossland, until 22 August is "absolutely fantastic, [it allows me] to get up in the morning".

"My car is my freedom," he added.

Pip is paid to 3.7 million people with a long-term physical or mental health condition in England and Wales.

It includes a daily living component and a mobility component and claimants may be eligible for one or both.

In March, the government announced plans to tighten daily living assessments for both current and future claimants.

But after more than 120 Labour MPs threatened to vote against the change, it confirmed that those already receiving Pip would not be affected.

To receive Pip, people are asked questions about everyday tasks, with each scored from zero, for no difficulty, to 12, for most difficulty.

Mr Tolhurst said his recent reassessment did not properly take his mobility issues into account, which resulted in him not receiving an extra mobility payment that would allow him to lease a Motability car.

Mr Tolhurst served as a driver in the Royal Corps of Transport in the 1980s

Mr Tolhurst, who served in the British Army in the 1980s as a driver in the Royal Corps of Transport, said he has also "got the backing" of Shrewsbury MP Julia Buckley, who has written to the DWP.

The 56-year-old said his "anxiety levels are not quite as high as they were", attributing it to the support of the MP.

He added that he feels "a lot better knowing that people are backing me."

"When I said the system was wrong, DWP didn't listen to me - but they've listened to BBC Radio Shropshire, and they will be listening to Julia Buckley," he said.

Mr Tolhurst said anyone in his situation should "pick up the phone and ring your local radio station."

"[The DWP has] done things wrong, and they need to turn around and go 'sorry we'll rectify it' - that's the only thing I can hope for."

A spokesperson for the Department for Work and Pensions said they are "changing the welfare system so it helps people to live with dignity," adding that they have "announced a ministerial review of the PIP assessment process."