MOTABILITY SCHEME
The
MOTABILITY othing makes you feel as free and independent as driving: the ability to go wherever you want, when you want, and how you want. Scenic routes, service station stops, a pause to take in the scenery - it’s all your choice. For disabled people, the independence that comes with having access to a car that suits their needs is vitally important, and the Motability Scheme exists to facilitate that, helping to get disabled people behind the wheel and on to independence.
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Motability was born out of a desire to replace the potentially unsafe oneseater Invacars which were distributed for free to disabled people from 1948 to the 1970s by the British Ministry of Pensions, the scheme has existed since the late 70s. It offered disabled people an opportunity to exchange a cash-balance for a car that suited their specific needs, as well as provide a standard vehicle that can be adapted in whichever way they see fit. The scheme supports disabled people and their families who would like to lease a car, powered wheelchair or scooter. Even with COVID-19 affecting all of our lives, the Motability Scheme is still running, and helping families get around in a time where it’s more important than ever. It’s a really simple scheme: if you receive the Higher Rate Mobility Component of Disability Living Allowance (HMRC DLA), the Enhanced Rate of Mobility Component of Personal Independence Payment (ERMC PIP), the War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement (WPMS) or the Armed Forces Independent Payment (AFIP),
Scheme you can exchange all or part of your mobility allowance for a vehicle that’s included in the Motability Scheme. You don’t have to go out of your way to ensure this happens: once you’ve decided which vehicle you’re going to select from the almost 2,000 vehicles the scheme offers, the money is deducted from your higher rate mobility allowance every four weeks and paid directly to Motability by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). You can select a three-year lease for most vehicles, with WAVs being offered on a five-year lease, and the scheme also covers insurance, servicing, adaptations to the vehicle, full breakdown assistance, and the inclusion of up to two named drivers. Motability will also cover tyre repair and replacement, windscreen repair, MOTs and road tax, and they offer a pretty generous mileage allowance of 60,000 miles over a three-year lease or 100,000 miles for WAVs on a five-year lease. Batteries can also be replaced in scooters at no extra cost, and if you have to phone customer service, you’ll be receiving support from one of their UKbased customer service teams. It’s important to take into account that the Motability Scheme doesn’t cover your fuel usage, so while a big gas-guzzler might be well within the means of your allowance, it might be really expensive to run. The scheme offers a wide range of fuel-efficient petrol and diesel vehicles, as well as a selection of electric cars, which are ideal for those conscious about their vehicle’s CO2 output and environmental impact. There are currently over 630,000 customers who currently use the Motability Scheme. To find out more and see how you could benefit, visit motability.co.uk.
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