Motability car scheme tied to driving-ban exemptions faces scrutiny in the UK

Drivers facing motoring offences have avoided driving bans by arguing their taxpayer-funded Motability cars are essential for travel, according to reports. An analysis by The Sun of recent court records found more than a dozen drivers escaped disqualification in the past six months after invoking their Motability status. One case involved 18-year-old Thomas Alcock, who was cited for travelling 107 mph in a 70 mph limit; magistrates gave a reduced punishment after noting the car was a Motability vehicle. Another involved Billie-Jo Morris, 28, who was found in a £50,000 Mercedes on the M6 Toll; she said she was the primary driver of her uncle's Motability car, and the court imposed a small fine. A third case cited Eshrat Katiraie, 56, who had 12 points on her licence when stopped for using a mobile phone; she claimed the Motability Toyota was needed to attend medical appointments, a claim the court accepted. Lord Man criticised the findings, saying there should be no preferential treatment to any driver, and that abuses undermine the Motability program. The government has since announced a crackdown on the scheme amid criticism that claimants with minor conditions were driving luxury cars at taxpayers' expense.

Motability is a government-sponsored program that lets disability benefit claimants swap their mobility allowance for a lease on a new car, with value-added tax and insurance premium tax exemptions. The program leases around 300,000 vehicles each year, and about 85 percent of claimants make additional payments to upgrade to higher-spec models, while only around 10 percent of leased vehicles are wheelchair-adapted, raising concerns about the scheme's accessibility and potential for exploitation. In November, the government removed luxury brands such as BMW, Mercedes and Audi from the scheme after the chancellor argued the program subsidized premium motoring that was out of reach for many working families. Taxpayer cost for Motability rose to about £3 billion last year, an increase of nearly 10 percent, according to official figures. The program is said to sustain demand in Britain's car market, with Motability vehicles accounting for more than one in five new car sales last year, and roughly ten percent of people in parts of the country being eligible to lease a vehicle. Motability Operations, which runs the scheme, said it has no involvement in legal proceedings and expects users to drive in accordance with the law.