The Motability scheme has been in place for more than 40 years and provides disabled people with the option to lease a car or other mobility aid, with costs covered by their mobility allowance.
The Department for Work and Pensions has issued a response after Motability’s decision to slash the mileage allowance for vehicle users by half. The charity has reduced the annual limit before motorists face extra charges.
Motorists will now be allowed to drive 10,000 miles before incurring a 25p fee on every mile travelled above that limit. The former allowance was 20,000 miles with an additional charge of 5p per mile.
In a recent parliamentary question on the issue, Plaid Cymru MP Liz Saville Roberts challenged Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Pat McFadden: “What assessment has he made of the impact of the reduction in mileage allowance under the Mobility scheme from 1 July 2026 on disabled people living in rural areas.”
Conservative Andrew Snowden asked Mr McFadden: “What assessment he has made of the potential merits of exemptions and higher mileage allowances for Motability Scheme users with significant healthcare travel needs, including applying the previous average annual allowance of 12,000 miles per annum.”
Sir Stephen Timms, Minister of State for Social Security and Disability, disclosed that around 25 per cent of Motability users would be adversely impacted by the change. He stated: “Responsibility for the terms and administration of the Scheme sits with Motability Foundation and its Board of Governors.
“The changes to the leasing package were announced on 26 March and include reducing the mileage allowance from 20,000 per year to 10,000 per year. Changes only apply to new leases and there are no changes to the mileage allowance of existing leases. Motability Foundation have advised that approximately 75% of customers on the Scheme already use less miles than the proposed new mileage allowance. They have acknowledged that there will be an impact on some customers and are considering if the impact can be mitigated in some limited circumstances.”, reports the Mirror.
The scheme has this week introduced new technology for all new drivers and anyone with a person aged under 30 named on the lease. Drivers are now required to fit black boxes to their vehicles and download an app to the mobile phone of every named driver.
Cars will be equipped with telematics systems that monitor driving behaviour, including speed and braking patterns, generating a weekly score of green, amber or red.
Drivers who receive four red ratings within a 12-month period face removal from the Motability scheme. A pilot programme in Northern Ireland last year led to vehicles being taken back from 300 customers. The scheme has now confirmed that if a motorist receives a ‘red’ week alert, followed by the same rating for two consecutive weeks, they risk having their vehicle taken away. Motability guidance states: “Where a driver records a red week, both the customer and the relevant driver will receive feedback. If the driver continues to drive dangerously, despite the feedback, for two consecutive weeks, or four over the course of 12 months, then they may be removed from the Scheme.”
Motability has confirmed the system will record and transmit a driver’s exact location, direction and current speed; journey duration; braking and cornering; mobile phone usage, including phone model and ID and operating system, while driving; and device background location via network and GPS.
In a recent statement, Motability clarified that ‘high usage’ in a week can trigger a red alert but emphasised there are ‘no limits’ on the number of journeys. It added that if high usage alone triggers a red score, ‘it will not impact the lease’.
It explained the Drive Smart scheme, which launched on April 13, “will not impact a customer’s lease if they are driving safely regardless of how many journeys they take, how long they drive for or at what time they drive”. Drive Smart is a wedge-shaped device that fits into a car windscreen and pairs with a smartphone app, rather than being a black box location tracker.
A spokesperson for Motability Operations, which runs the Motability Scheme, explained: “The Motability Scheme was created to keep disabled people mobile. Those using Drive Smart do not have limits placed on how many journeys they make, for how long they travel or at what time they drive. However, from industry data we know that these factors do contribute to the likelihood of an accident.
“While high usage can trigger a red week in a small number of cases, where it is the only reason for a red score, it will not impact the lease. Drive Smart does not penalise vehicle use but has been designed to use telemetry data to support and reward safer driving. We continue to listen to customer feedback about Drive Smart and are continually reviewing how it works to make sure it’s as effective as possible.”
Once the device arrives, users receive an email outlining how to register via a smartphone app. Motability has confirmed: “Just so you know, you’ve got 10 days to complete setup and start using the app.”
In addition to the black box technology, Motability has introduced guidance recommending that drivers take a break every hour and limit themselves to six journeys per day. Exceeding this threshold will result in a red score for the driver, although it will not affect their lease agreement.
The charity has also halved the annual mileage allowance before additional charges are applied. Drivers will now be permitted to travel up to 10,000 miles before facing a 25p charge for every mile beyond that point. The previous arrangement permitted 20,000 miles with an excess fee of 5p per mile.
Motability reports that its typical driver covers approximately 7,500 miles annually, while Scotland’s equivalent scheme was continuing to review the mileage cap. A red week is triggered by persistently dangerous driving behaviour – such as excessive speeding. A single incident, such as emergency braking or one red journey, is not sufficient to prompt a red week on its own.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login