Motability

Motability is a scheme in the United Kingdom which is intended to enable disabled people, their families and their carers to lease a new car, scooter or powered wheelchair, using their government-funded mobility allowance. Currently, the Motability scheme has more than 650,000 customers.

The scheme was founded in 1977 by Lord Sterling of Plaistow and the late Lord Goodman and launched at Earl's Court, London, on 25 July 1978. It was initially targeted at motorists aged 16–19 years, with some 220 applications being processed at the beginning of the scheme.

It is a partnership between the charitable sector, the UK government, leading banks, and the motor and insurance industries. Since 1978 over three million cars, scooters and powered wheelchairs have been provided to help disabled people with their mobility needs.

Queen Elizabeth II has been the Chief Patron of Motability since its foundation.

By the mid 1970s over 40% of households in the country owned a car but disabled people claimed that they were missing out. Only those who could drive themselves received any government help with transport, usually in the form of a blue trike which was unable to take passengers.

The Mobility Allowance - now called the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance - introduced by the Government in 1976 broke the mould in giving help regardless of ability to drive. It also signalled the Government's commitment to giving disabled people choice in the form of a cash allowance, rather than imposing certain types of vehicles on them.

The Mobility Allowance was a positive advance but it soon became clear that it was not large enough to buy and run even the smallest car. The then Secretary of State for Health and Social Services invited the late Lord Goodman and (now Lord) Jeffrey Sterling to consider how disabled people could use this allowance to affordably obtain a vehicle.

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