For those who are eligible, there are so many reasons to join the Motability Scheme. As well as access to a car, Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle, scooter or powered wheelchair of your choice, the scheme sees insurance, breakdown assistance, servicing and maintenance all arranged — all in the price a person pays too — among so many more benefits.
Join Vindis, which provides Motability motoring and guidance across each of their Volkswagen, ŠKODA, SEAT and Audi dealerships, as they detail everything you need to know about the scheme, who’s eligible, the various benefits and how to actually go about becoming a part of it…
What is the Motability Scheme?
The Motability Scheme allows disabled people to exchange their mobility allowance in order to lease either a brand-new car, scooter or powered wheelchair in order to get mobile. All vehicles which are leased via the scheme are done so by Motability Operations Ltd, an independent company that is responsible or the finance, administration and maintenance of the initiative and which are both authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Are you eligible for the Motability Scheme?
You will be eligible for the Motability Scheme if you receive any of the following mobility allowances — though take note that it’s vital you have a minimum of 12 months award length remaining too…
- The Armed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP), the allowance of which is £59.75 per week as of April 11th
- The Enhanced Rate Mobility Component of Personal Independence Payment (ERMC PIP), the allowance of which is £59.75 per week as of April 9th
- The Higher Rate Mobility Component of Disability Living Allowance (HRMC DLA), the allowance of which is £59.75 per week as of April 11th
- The War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement (WPMS), the allowance of which is £66.75 per week as of April 11th
Also be aware that you can get a Motability vehicle and then elect for someone else to drive it when you don’t drive. In fact, up to two people can drive the vehicle on your behalf. As well as this, there is the option to claim for a Motability vehicle for the benefit of a child who is aged three years old or over.
Benefits provided through the Motability Scheme
There are so many reasons why you shouldn’t miss out on the Motability Scheme if you’re eligible for the initiative.
The first thing you’ll likely notice when delving into this scheme is just how many vehicles you have to choose from, covering all of the latest makes and models on the market. Don’t worry about your Motability vehicle becoming too old either, as you get to select a brand-new car of your choice every three years!
Once you’ve picked the vehicle that’s perfect for you, Motability Operations Ltd will then get to work on arranging everything from the car’s insurance to breakdown assistance, the servicing procedure and any maintenance required — this is all included in the price that those eligible for the scheme will pay.
Motability Operations Ltd is even on hand to negotiate prices with the leading car manufacturers every three months, so you know you’re always getting unbeatable value and benefiting from huge savings no matter your budget.
How to join the Motability Scheme
Ready to become a part of the Motability Scheme? That’s great! The next step will be to start your actual search for the ideal set of wheels — make sure you have valid ID (like a passport or driving licence) and your certificate of entitlement which you gained from the Department of Work and Pensions to hand ahead of your visit to a dealership.
When it comes to finding dealerships close to you which stock Motability vehicles, either check out the Motability website or call the Motability helpline on 0300 456 4566. The helpline is available from 8am to 7pm between Monday and Friday, as well as 9am to 1pm on Saturday. However, also be aware that calls to the helpline cost 12p a minute from a landline and between 3p and 45p per minute from a mobile.
Once a dealership has been found, you’ll want to get in touch with their Motability specialist and get an appointment arranged with them. If you will find it difficult to get to a dealership, don’t be afraid to ask if the specialist can arrange for the appointment to take place at your home. Alternatively, enquire if they can assist in arranging transport to get you to and from their dealership.
Wherever the meeting takes place, the appointment will involve you filling out a questionnaire in order to help find the perfect vehicle for your needs. This is also the ideal time to inform the dealer about any way that a vehicle will need to be adapted — here’s a list of all the adaptions and adjustments available. Use a mobility aid or wheelchair to get around? Have this to hand during your appointment as well, as you can check that the equipment definitely fits into the vehicle that you’re interested in.
Don’t think all dealerships will offer the same selection of Motability vehicles either. If you’re not totally satisfied with the choice available at one dealer, simply get in touch with another close to you and see if their options are a bit different.
After your search for your perfect Motability vehicle is complete and you have made up your mind about your set of wheels, you’ll need to order it. For this, you’ll need to present the dealership with the car with the following documentation:
- Some sort of identification — again, a passport or driving licence will be sufficient.
- Your certificate of entitlement from the Department of Work and Pensions.
- A proof of address — either a bank statement or a council tax bill from the past six months will be sufficient.
After ordering your Motability vehicle, you’ll receive a confirmation letter through the post around two weeks later. This will contain your Personal Identification Number (PIN), which you must enter when signing your lease agreement and collecting your new set of wheels.
Once you have your Motability car
Once you have the keys to your Motability vehicle, there is an important rule that you must adhere to. This is that the car must only be used by, or for the benefit of, the disabled person who gets a mobility allowance. Take note that this does not mean that the disabled person needs to be in the vehicle during every journey; other named drivers can make use of the car to complete routine activities and shopping trips, so long as each trip has a benefit to the disabled person.
Times when you will be in violation of misusing a Motability vehicle include:
- If you don’t give the disabled person the benefit of their vehicle.
- If you fail to take proper care of the vehicle.
- If you lend, sub-lease or sell the vehicle.
- If you drive the vehicle while either uninsured or banned from driving.
- If you use the vehicle for business purposes which are unauthorised, such as doubling it up as a delivery vehicle or taxi.
- If you use the vehicle in a criminal act.
If serious misuse of a Motability vehicle is recorded, or if severe damage is found, Motability Operations Ltd reserves the right to take action. This may result in the lease being terminated, the driver being excluded from getting another Motability vehicle, and/or a bill being sent to the driver to cover the costs of repairs or estimated loss in sale value.
We hope you now have all the knowledge required to make the most of a Motability vehicle — enjoy the drive!