What is Motability?

Motability is a national charity, which helps disabled people to become mobile by making a wide range of cars, scooters and powered wheelchairs available through the Motability Scheme.

How does the Motability Scheme work?

The Motability Scheme allows you to lease or buy a car, or a powered wheelchair or scooter, using the Higher Rate Mobility Component of your Disability Living Allowance (HRMC of DLA), or the War Pensioners? Mobility Supplement (WPMS). To be eligible, you should expect to recieve the allowance for the full length of the agreement you choose, but applications are welcome as long as you have at least 12 months' award length remaining when you apply.

When you join any of the schemes, all or part of your allowance is paid directly to us for as long as the agreement lasts.

What schemes are available?

We offer the following choices to lease or buy a car:

- A three-year Contract Hire Scheme to lease a new car.
- A four or five-year Hire Purchase Scheme to buy a new car.
- A two, three, four or five-year Hire Purchase Scheme to buy a used car.

We also offer both Contract Hire and Hire Purchase Schemes to buy a new powered wheelchair or scooter.

How does contract hire work?

Under the Contract Hire Scheme to lease a new car, we include the costs of insurance, maintenance, servicing and help in a breakdown in your monthly payment.

Some cars are available simply by transferring your allowance to Motability for as long as the agreement lasts. On larger and more expensive cars, you may need to pay extra.

For most Motability customers, a standard production car is suitable for their needs, but special adaptations are needed for around 10% of customers, to enable them to drive safely, or travel in comfort as a passenger.

As part of the Contract Hire package, a range of popular adaptations are available at no additional cost, such as push-pull hand controls and left-foot accelerators.

How does hire purchase work?

Under the Hire Purchase Scheme, you will own the car (or wheelchair or scooter) at the end of the agreement. However, you will be responsible for all the other running costs.

What if I can't drive?

You can apply for a car as a passenger and propose two other suitable people as drivers through the Contract Hire Scheme.

Alternatively, if you choose to buy a car through the Hire Purchase Scheme, you can propose as many drivers as you wish, as you will be arranging your own insurance.

If your child receives HRMC of DLA and is three years of age or older, you can apply on their behalf to obtain a car.

What if I need financial help?

If money is a problem, we may be able to provide a grant, either through our own Charitable Fund or the Specialised Vehicles Funds (SVF), which we administer on behalf of the Government.

Charitable funding is typically provided towards the advance payment needed to lease a car; the provision of adaptations such as wheelchair hoists, or for the funding of driving lessons. SVF funding provides financial help principally for those disabled people who require wheelchair accessible passenger and driving solutions.

Granting of funding is discretionary and the money available is limited. Grants are given towards the least expensive suitable solution to meet your basic mobility needs and you are normally expected to make a financial contribution.

How can I find out more?

For more information about how we can help you, please visit our website at: www.motability.co.uk or call our Customer Helpline on 0845 456 4566, minicom 01279 632273. The lines are open from 8.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday.

Please note that all phone calls are recorded and may be monitored for the purpose of improving customer services.

If you would like more information about our Wheelchair and Scooter Scheme please contact route2mobility on
0845 60 762 60

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