Motability Scheme Changes – What Do They Mean?

Lord Sterling, chairman of Motability, has released an extensive statement outlining changes to the current Motability Scheme.  Here we look at how this will impact on drivers ofwheelchair accessible vehicles.

Protecting the Motability Scheme

Lord Sterling’s statement comes in the wake of recent negative press coverage about abuse of the Motability Scheme.  Lord Sterling comments: “Like any organisation with close to 600,000 customers, there is a small minority of customers who will try and abuse the Scheme.  Motability works with a range of partners to ensure that effective procedures are in place to protect the Scheme.

“During our last financial year we dealt with 7,144 allegations relating to fraud or abuse of the Scheme.  Enforcement action was taken including customers who had their agreements terminated and their cars withdrawn.  We will continue to invest in this activity to protect the reputation of the Scheme and of the vast majority of disabled customers.”

Motability Car Scheme Changes

Key changes which come into force immediately for any new agreements include the following:

• The removal of luxury vehicles from the scheme limiting Advance Payments to £2,000.
• Limitations on nominated drivers under the age of 21, who will now have to live with the disabled customer.
• Limitations of the distance that a nominated driver can live from the disabled customer, with the limit being set at five miles.

Motability have been clear though that the planned changes are designed to ensure clear policies “focused on the needs of the vast majority of customers”.

Impact on Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles

Whilst the most expensive standard cars on the Scheme have been removed and Advance Payments on the whole have been limited to £2,000, Motability have been quick to clarify that this limit does not apply to wheelchair accessible vehicles.  This planned change will therefore not affect the range of wheelchair accessible vehicles available through the Motability Scheme.

Allied Mobility sales director, Peter Facenna, commented: “These new, tighter guidelines from Motability will hopefully discourage future abuse of the Scheme.  This in turn will help ensure that more people who genuinely need help can benefit from the huge difference owning a mobility car can make to disabled people and their families.”

Click UK Motability Scheme for more information on how the car scheme works, emailinfo@alliedmobility or call 0800 916 3018.

To read the full statement from Motability click Motability Scheme Update here.