by Chris Knapman CarGurus https://www.cargurus.com
The Motability Scheme helps people with disabilities exchange their Government-funded mobility allowance for the lease of a brand new car, wheelchair-accessible vehicle (WAV), scooter, or powered wheelchair, and will help fund any necessary adaptations for that vehicle.
Unlike conventional car leasing, Motability also covers insurance, car tax, breakdown cover, servicing and maintenance, including tyre replacement, meaning that you can be worry-free and just pay for fuel. Cars leased through Motability have an annual 20,000-mile limit included as standard, with the lease running on a three-year basis. If you lease a wheelchair-accessible vehicle through Motability, the contract runs for five years and 100,000 miles. The excess mileage charge in either case is 5p per mile.
Eligibility for Motability requires you or your child over three years of age to receive one of the following types of mobility allowance:
As with a conventional contract hire lease, it’s the customer’s responsibility to keep the car in good condition, and they aren’t permitted to use the car as a delivery vehicle or taxi. To confirm as much, all Motability customers and any nominated drivers are required to sign a Statement of responsibilities and suitability confirmation.
Payments for Motability cars are made from the relevant benefits agency direct to Motability Operations, so there’s nothing for you as a customer to do. It is, however, worth knowing that Motability Operations is a private company and is different from Motability the registered charity. The latter is responsible for how the scheme is run, and it contracts the former to oversee finance and administration. Motability Operations is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, and any profit it generates is reinvested in Motability the charity.
As a customer, there are three ways to use your allowance to pay for a Motability lease agreement. The first is to use part of the allowance to pay for the lease of the car, in which case there is no upfront payment, and any remaining allowance will be paid direct to you.
The second is to use the full allowance to pay for the lease. Again this attracts no upfront payment.
If you are considering a car or wheelchair accessible vehicle that costs more than your allowance, then there is an upfront extra cost in the form of an advance payment to cover the additional amount. An advance payment is also required if you specify any optional extras with your car that aren’t part of the standard specification and require additional cost (such as satellite navigation or larger alloy wheels).
All Motability cars can include two additional named drivers free of charge, although they can use the vehicle only if the disabled customer will benefit. For example, a second driver is allowed to take the primary customer to an appointment or to do the weekly shop. It could be that a carer would be a named driver.
There are more than 4,500 Motability dealers in the UK, covering a wide range of manufacturers offering cars on the Motability scheme. Whether you’re after a small hatchback or a large people carrier, you should be able to find a suitable model at such a dealership.
The Motability website includes two useful search functions. The first is to search by car, which will give you an idea of the kind of models available and how much advance payment certain models might attract. The second lets you search for a nearby dealer.
Every dealer will also have their own Motability specialist who can assist with arranging test drives, choosing a car, and putting you in touch with the correct company for any adaptations that may be required.
As well as organising the lease of a car, Motability can also help when it comes to paying for adaptations. These will generally be carried out by a third party rather than the car manufacturer, but you still need to order the adaptations at the same time as the car in order to have them included within your Motability allowance.
If the cost of the adaptations is not covered by Motability, a discount will still generally be offered if they are ordered at the same time as a car. In addition you can apply for a Charitable Grant from the Motability charity to help meet the cost of certain adaptations, as well as driving lessons or Advance Payments.
There are roughly 400 total adaptations available under Motability, and they are split into three categories: Driving, Stowage, and Access. So whether you need hand controls, a wheelchair hoist, or swivel seats, it is likely a solution is possible.
Bear in mind that not all adaptations will be suitable for all cars, so be prepared to be flexible as to what model you choose. In addition, if you need to fit adaptations after your lease has started, you will be liable for the cost, and you’ll need to clear any modifications with Motability to ensure they don’t have any insurance implications.
At the end of a Motability lease your car will most likely be sold at auction, and if you still qualify for a Motability vehicle, you will be able to apply for a new one. You should be contacted by Motability three months before your lease is due to end, so with a bit of planning, it's possible to return your old car and take home your new one on the same day.
For more information visit Disabled Motoring UK, as well as the websites for the Motability charity and Motability Operations.
Having previously written for The Daily Telegraph, What Car?, Auto Express and others, Chris Knapman now oversees the editorial content at CarGurus, covering buying guides and advice, car reviews, motoring news and more.
