Key Highlights
- A disabled woman in Northern Ireland criticizes potential changes to the Motability scheme over concerns about premium car subsidies.
- About 50,000 luxury cars are currently leased through the scheme across the UK.
- The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, is considering making changes to the scheme for taxpayers’ concerns.
- Farah Black paid extra to get a luxury BMW, stating that the additional cost was an advance payment as all Motability users do.
Motability Scheme Faces Potential Changes Amid Taxpayer Concerns
The popular Motability scheme in Northern Ireland is under scrutiny after Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves considered making changes to address taxpayers’ concerns about subsidizing premium cars. The scheme allows people with certain disability benefits to lease vehicles, including cars, scooters, and powered wheelchairs.
Financial Impact on Scheme Users
Farah Black, a disabled woman who has used the Motability scheme for 12 years, shared her personal experience. She cried upon picking up her car, a luxury BMW that she paid extra to lease. “The day I picked up my car I cried,” she said. “I’m getting emotional now thinking about it.” Black’s story highlights the financial burden and choice limitations imposed on scheme users.
Government Scrutiny and Proposed Changes
A source within the treasury told BBC News NI that changes to the scheme are being considered, with Chancellor Reeves concerned about potential “unfairness” in subsidizing luxury vehicles. The Motability scheme currently leases around 50,000 luxury cars across the UK. While some argue that these cars are essential for mobility, others believe they contribute to public misunderstanding of the scheme’s purpose.
Industry Perspectives and Concerns
Ciaran Gorman, a driving instructor at Disability Action, expressed his concerns about unadapted cars in the Motability scheme. He stated that non-disabled drivers and unadapted cars are an important part of the scheme but can lead to public misconceptions. “Some people don’t need adaptations,” he said. “Some people can’t drive, some people have someone to drive for them, whether that’s a family member or a carer. Children have Motability vehicles and obviously they don’t drive.” Gorman emphasized the complexity of scheme users’ needs.
Nuala Toman, Head of Accessibility at Disability Action, called on the government to abandon its plans, stating that changes would “punish people for being disabled and push many deeper into poverty and isolation.” She highlighted the financial implications: “Removing VAT exemptions would increase costs by about ‘£3,000 for even the most basic models, making independent mobility unaffordable for many.”
Background on Motability Scheme
The Motability scheme is operated by a private company overseen by a charity. Since the pandemic, its financial reserves have doubled to £4 billion, mostly due to increased vehicle values driven by users. The scheme accounts for roughly 40% of all new car sales in Northern Ireland and plays a crucial role in providing mobility options for disabled individuals.
Disabled people are more likely to live in households without access to cars, struggle with public transport, and experience financial hardship.
The Motability scheme aims to address these issues by allowing beneficiaries to hand over a portion of their benefits to lease new vehicles at reduced rates while also funding necessary adaptations like hand controls for wheelchair users.
Despite the scheme’s positive impact on many lives, the proposed changes highlight ongoing tensions between taxpayer concerns and the need for inclusive mobility solutions. As the government weighs its options, the future of this vital program hangs in the balance.
