News

Just been into my local garage MINI to place an order for a motability vehicle after searching far and wide decided on a new vehicle that was in stock for delivery in 1-2 weeks instead of the projected build time of 3-6 months only to be told buy 3 separate main dealers it was not available as it had optional wheels on it ( which were already on the car and i was willing to pay for ) and as a motability customer i was not allowed to add ( they were already on it ) any options to a new car anymore. Contacted motability who were clueless about the changes.
So BMW MINI are effectively discriminating against disabled customers 

There are only 2 electric cars that my wife can get into unaided, Lexus UX300e an Hyundai that was uncomfortable for her.  Fortunately, we picked our car before the budget and picked up a lovely Lexus on the Saturday after the budget.  Other cars may have been available but we wanted a local dealer within 6 miles of home.

Regarding claimants on PIP Mobility in this section. Whilst it is good to air your problems with what the present Labour Chancellor has recently said in her Autumn Statement here, so others can be informed and empowered by them.

Not sure if you guys have heard this here is a snippet Motability will also remove overseas breakdown cover from the scheme and lower the mileage limit on its leases, and it said it was creating a new “special investigations unit”, even though the rate of “misuse” had remained stable, following a “growth in customer numbers”. So Motability customers will be taxed even with having adaptations added to your car on the AP and insurance tax at 20% I think this is a breach of equality act as if you can have and afford the giant APS on WAV cars you will not pay a penny VAT now this makes a two tier system which is quite unjust and not only that this is going to happen as well although the going abroad will not affect me it still seems that if you did want to take your car over the sea you should be able to anyway here is what Motability are going to be doing:  Motability will also remove overseas breakdown cover from the scheme and lower the mileage limit on its leases, and it said it was creating a new “special investigations unit”, even though the rate of “misuse” had remained stable, following a “growth in customer numbers”. Now this special secret Gov investigations team sounds a bit like the DWP and I always thought if you have nothing to hide then it is ok but it is a wee bit frightening that not only innocent people if reported by a nasty person which we all know exist this Motability investigations team could be outside you house following you and make some paranoid now they know and trusted motability may become like unwell due to not knowing they are being checked I think this is really sinister an attack on disabled people and we all know that there has been and will be those that either do not know or do know that certain rules apply to the scheme and there will be some abuse but like the DWP they get it wrong sometimes and it is just not what Motability I thought should be doing unless they have evidence of wrongdoing 100%.  

Disgraceful. Yet again the disabled are an easy target. Maybe I’ve forgotten that I intentionally got Progressive MS, intentionally lost my job of 30 years and intentionally put myself in a wheelchair!

I must admit to being a little confused on this matter. Are we not all in possession of free cars receiving  £5,000 a month in  benefits as well as free housing and  council tax. Our heating and electricity paid for plus of  course we are blocking all the supermarkets in the day and twice a week blocking the leisure centre car parks when we go out to play wheelchair rugby.

Please forgive me for not fully understanding. Is the mileage going to be capped too? I work full time for the local authority and use my car or I couldn’t work. I have young people I visit for work and all over the country. I’ll soon loose my job if I have to refuse to do visits further away. I’d like some clarity on this please so I fully understand. Thanks so much  

So called luxury vehicles are just their budget range anyway and never value for money or anywhere near the quality of their rivals.

The vast majority of those wishing to use the Motability scheme Want to get a car that fits their disability needs As well as fits their budget for any deposit required While it might be nice to choose the colour of the car Both the colour and badge which any car might have is secondary to getting the freedom from having an affordable Motability car With many unable to afford those higher deposits required for those luxury cars Many in fact find the scheme out of their reach before these changes were even made As many need to allocate their PIP for other mobility needs This was just a smoke screen to try and get some divert attention away from the other things within the budget But look behind the headlines It is not going to save much money If any money at all 

The chancellor in her 2025 Autumn Budget speech said the physically disabled will have there mobility cars options reduced and have to pay more to have one with car makes and models restricted which to some persons maybe causing problems they previously did not suffer.

I have written to my local MP to ask her to raise the issue in parliament. Misinformation and lies to add a distraction from more pressing issues. There is no free car, we choose the cars based on our needs, not anything else. I have a Renault Captur - I needed an automatic, high seat access, parking sensors/camera and enough space for any supplies I need to take with me, sufficient reach adjustment o the seat and steering wheel. Still nearly £1000 advance payment. I went hybrid as I can't have a charger at home, living on a Victorian terraced street with no drives/off road parking. Can't ever guarantee which street I'll end up parking in.

I don’t want or require a luxury vehicle on the scheme but as a stroke survivor I require something larger than the small cars offered without top up downpayment. I have one leg and arm that do not bend easily

This is a smoke screen for launching taxes on a business that is doing well. It’s the same as the Schools VAT and they are also looking into claiming VAT on Churches. I do object to a headline being called ‘right-wing’ it has nothing to do with that it’s a smoke screen like everything else with Labour. The luxury cars coming off the list again was a diversion and it’s these diversions we need to watch as they slip something else in without our knowledge. 

I'm considering handing my car back, they made me extend it to the 5 years as I received the grant towards the AP. 

I was once an able-bodied person, but then I had a life-changing accident. Before my accident, I had a well-paid job that came with a choice of the type of vehicle I wanted to drive. Following my accident, I was stigmatised as "disabled, I know all my disabled friends out there will understand what I mean by this. Barriers that never applied to me as a non-disabled person suddenly came out of the woodwork and engulfed my life and that of my family. Disabled people have to face barriers every single day of their lives, such as "You can't dine here, we have no disabled access", "Please don't bring your wheelchair in here, the other customers may be offended", Sorry, we only have one space for disabled parking, etc, you all know what I mean. Now this government and the UK press have decided I am a scrounger and shouldn't have a choice in life like I did when I was able-bodied. I would ask my professional peers to think about what I am about to say before they judge thousands of other disabled people and me. "We have very few choices to make left in our lives, we can't choose to shop/eat/or go on holiday to most places in the UK because we as disabled people do not count in comparison to the profits brought on by these businesses who don't care about us only the profit they make by putting a few extra seats in where a wheelchair could be, or a family that has a child who may need that extra care but is classed as offensive by society because of the way they look or act. Shame on them all. Now we are told we can no longer have a choice as a disabled person as to what vehicle may be available on the Motability Scheme because the press feels outraged that we, people with disabilities, dare to want a choice of what we may wish to drive and yes, if it is a luxury vehicle, then no problem with that. In response to the press's hatred of all things disabled, may I offer this solution to the stigmatising attitude to all of us disabled people? Our disability is not a choice; it is something we have to manage 24/7, 52 weeks of the year. If you, the press, can take away our disabilities and place us in the company of being able-bodied again. I, for one, would give up a life of being constantly treated as a third-class citizen in return for not having a nice vehicle to drive, which helps make my day manageable, and yes, dare I say, with a little bit of comfort (oh goodness, I am disabled, I should want to feel comfortable!). I save hard, so why are you denying me a choice, as you call it? Please, national press, if you can't support us, disabled citizens, then please don't hinder us, you never know the day you may be in our exclusive company. 

Re EV Motability... Wasn't aware these are being pushed by dealerships and advisers, that should be stopped immediately... There's too many people stuck in the middle of nowhere with disabilities , and no access to charging infrastructure...

Though it may be unpopular, I do mostly agree about luxury cars being unnecessary...

The salary for the CEO of Motability Operations, Andrew Miller, was reported as £460,000 in the 2024 financial year, with a total compensation package of £747,000 including bonuses and other benefits. This was a slight decrease from the previous year's total package of £765,000. 

How as disabled people can we ‘revolt’ against this! 

Whilst i couldn't afford a 'luxury' car, I still fail to see why these have been demonised. The media have been appaulling.  They have put out misinformation and have damaged the lives of so many people.  The media pushed the government to act and push on the tax etc onto motability vehicles.  Meanwhile, people like myself will be faced with having no vehicle, no volunteering, no therapies and generally an isolated life.