Just in case you’re not very familiar with motability, it’s a scheme that lets people who satisfy certain criteria own a brand new or used car for a period of time. Motability is mostly for people living with disabilities, and this scheme helps them go about their businesses and daily lives quite easily. It is extremely advantageous to all its recipients because not only does it improve the quality of life, it is also very easy on the car because most plans would make sure the only thing a user would need to do is to fuel the car. Insurance, maintenance, and most other costs are usually covered by the scheme.
Here are a few things you may want to know:
History
On the July 25, 1978, Motability was launched at Earl’s Court in London. It began through efforts of the late Lord Goodman and Lord Sterling of Plaistow. Today, it’s owned by a collaborative effort of five major clearing banks. These banks include the Royal Bank of Scotland, Lloyds TSB, Barclays, HBOS, and HSBC. Motability itself is a national charity.
Publicity and Popularity
The popularity of the scheme is pretty substantial. However, reports still have it that there are a lot of people who are not aware – even people who are eligible – that they can get a car under the Motability scheme. Though there are a lot of people who currently enjoy the service, a lot more people do not know and probably should. If you’re one of the people who haven’t really heard about it, you could visit the Sandown-Group and check out their mobility cars for sale.
Dealerships
Getting such a vehicle has gotten considerably easy. This is because there at least 3,500 dealers who are officially registered with the scheme. There are also over 40 car manufacturers who assemble vehicles to match the needs of people who might want the scheme. As a matter of fact, there a lot of these dealers registered under the Motability scheme that hire dedicated staff to handle Motability enquirers. This makes it a lot easier for prospective applicants of the scheme to enjoy Motability.
Influence
More than 6 percent of all the new cars purchased in the UK were purchased under the Motability scheme. This is a pretty huge number coming from just one platform. This roughly translates to at least one out of 20 cars purchased in the UK were purchased by Motability. This alone gives it a certain effect and impact on the entire auto market in the UK.
Reach
There is currently no larger fleet operator in the whole of Europe. Motability Operations is the largest and is the biggest single seller of used cars. The scheme sells an average of 125,000 used vehicles every year.
Eligibility
Eligibility is currently available to all persons who receive one or more of these allowances:
- Higher Rate Mobility Component of the Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
- Enhanced Rate of the Motability Component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement (WPMS)
- Armed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP)
Once you receive any of these, you may then lease a brand new car, a used vehicle, a scooter, or even a powered wheelchair.
Motability is a pretty interesting scheme, and everyone who is eligible and might need it is encouraged to sign up for it. Do some research, find out more about eligibility, and make sure you enjoy the service if you qualify.
