It seems pointless arguing about something that will never happen, so this will be my last post on this subject.
Opening up the scheme to all those in receipt of lower rate benefits (PIP/DLA) means that 3.8 million people would become eligible (DWP figures). I have no idea how many cars are returned before lease end each year, but suspect it’s no more than a thousand or so. Whilst I agree that in the current climate (with cars disappearing off the scheme and long lead times on those that remain) it would be a great idea to allow those already in the scheme to get hold of cars that have been returned early, it would be wrong to deprive existing higher rate recipients of access these cars but let lower rate (less disabled) people have them. There would be an outcry amongst existing customers and rightly so.
Also, how do you decide which tiny proportion of the 3.8 million (who under yours and David ‘s proposal would now be entitled) get the thousand or so cars? You couldn’t obviously, so you’d have to open up the whole scheme to them, including the ability to order brand new cars.
The public and press outcry that would result would dwarf the Daily Mail campaign of the past and cause the scheme to loose all credibility, and that’s before you get into the whole world of VAT exemption (which the scheme relies on). It would never work I’m afraid and it would madness for Motability to even consider it, which is why they won’t.