You choose the car, we do the rest!
If you receive the higher rate mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance, getting a new car is easier and more affordable than ever.
What is Motability?
Motability is an independent not-for-profit organisation, which provides mobility solutions for people with disabilities.
The Motability Scheme was established to provide disabled people with safe, reliable and affordable cars. Cars account for 99% of the Scheme's activities, with powered wheelchairs and scooters making up the remainder. The Scheme works only because it brings together a number of essential elements:
- The Government (Department for Work and Pensions and Veterans Agency)
- Motability (the registered charity empowered by its Royal Charter)
- Motability Operations (owned by the UK's largest banks), operating the car Schemes on a not-for-profit basis
- route2mobility Ltd ("r2m"), a privately owned company which operates the powered wheelchair and scooter scheme
- Manufacturers of cars, powered wheelchairs and scooters
- Car dealers and dealers in powered wheelchairs and scooters
- Specialist vehicle adaptation companies
- Insurance and roadside assistance providers
In the UK, over 1.5 million disabled people qualify for the Higher Rate Mobility Component of Disability Living Allowance and over 17,000 qualify for the War Pensioners' Mobility Supplement. What a disabled person chooses to do with that money is entirely up to them. Currently, 400,000 disabled people have chosen to have their allowances paid to the Scheme to meet the cost of having a car, powered wheelchair or scooter through a contract hire or hire purchase arrangement.
Who is eligible?
It doesn't matter how old you are or even if you cannot drive. If you receive the HMC of the DLA then you or someone else in the family, or a guardian can be nominated as drivers.
About the Schemes
It means the freedom to come and go, to shop, to work, to get the kids to school. It means staying in touch, making a difference - and getting more out of life. Using your allowance to pay for a new car is an important choice for the life you plan to lead.
Motability is the key to trouble-free motoring for thousands of people with disabilities and their families.
Motability take care of the practicalities, including:
- a single, regular payment which includes insurance, maintenance and roadside recovery
- routine servicing at no extra cost
- a unique Customer Services helpline
- so you can enjoy the freedom of the road.
There are three main ways in which Motability can turn your mobility benefit into the travel solution for your needs:
- A new car on a three-year contract hire lease.
- A new or used car on hire purchase term, over a term of two to five years.
- A quadricycle on a five-year lease. These are light steering, three-door vehicles that can be driven on a motorcycle licence. Your licence must have been issued before 1 February 2001, or must include category B1.
Contract Hire:
Most Motability customers choose contract hire as the best way to obtain and pay for their car. Contract hire offers worry-free motoring and the convenience of a single, regular payment that includes insurance, maintenance and roadside recovery.
Your contract hire lease has been developed through our long experience with millions of Motability customers. It comes with peace of mind built in.
Once Motability accepts your application, the advance payment and weekly rental are price protected. This lasts for three months from the date your agreement is printed - provided that the car description on the agreement is not altered later.
Your contract hire lease price, which will vary according to the make and model you choose, includes:
- Comprehensive insurance cover provided by Royal & SunAlliance 'Motability' (R&SAM).
- Full breakdown assistance provided by the RAC.
- Servicing, maintenance, and repairs - which you must arrange through a Motability dealer - at no extra charge to you.
- An allowance of 45,000 miles over the three years of your agreement (Additional miles in excess of 45,000 are charged at 5p per mile at the end of the three-year lease period.)
If you choose optional extras that aren't fitted as standard to your chosen car - such as a CD player - they can not be included in the lease cost. You must have them fitted by your supplying dealer and pay for them yourself.
Hire Purchase:
Although it has many advantages, contract hire isn't right for everyone.
You might prefer hire purchase if you:
- want to buy a second-hand car
- need adaptations and would prefer not to have to re-install them after three years, although we can offer an extension to five years
- regularly cover high mileage (i.e. well above 45,000 miles over three years).
If you choose hire purchase, you negotiate the actual purchase price with your Motability dealer. However, it's important to remember that you are also responsible for comprehensive insurance, breakdown recovery and less predictable costs such as repairs and servicing, which are all included in the contract hire lease.
Completing the Motability application:
Once you have decided on your car, our Motability specialist will complete the application form with you.
You will need to provide us with:
- your driving licence and award entitlement notice
- driving licences for other named drivers - who must also sign the proposed drivers' declaration on the application form
- details of any previous accidents and driving convictions that you, or your named drivers, may have.
- VED exemption certificate if applicable.
When the paperwork is complete simply sign the declaration on the application form. Our Motability specialist will then send your application and other paperwork to Motability for processing.
