To be honest the premise and actual practical benefit of the scheme is hard to beat & it’s kept me mobile & improved my access for almost 25 years. So it has been beneficial in it core remit. The problem I have is the way it’s run, the lack of clarity and transparency & that it’s not putting us as customers first. The low numbers of cats available are slightly mitigated by the current / foreseeable climate but even in context motability operations could do much better strategically & operationally. but with respect leaving the scheme I have no savings nor pension and survive on basic benefits and as I’ve had debts & rent arrears too – I’d never get a loan nor indeed could I afford one. If I left I’d have to buy a second hand cheap suv and Hope for the best and that the £264 a month from April would cover insurance, repairs and anything else. I am hopeful that things will improve before I change again but if AP’s continue as there are or increase further then I’ll have no choice but to extend my current lease next year.
If you want to run a brand new car and are in your financial position Dante then I completely agree that Motability cannot be beaten. However, you are still paying £10,000 over 3 years or £17,000 over 5 years to keep mobile, even if you get a grant or a car with zero AP. I mean this with the greatest respect, but there are millions of people in employment or with pensions whose financial positions are far stronger than yours who wouldn’t dream of out laying that sort of money for a car and would never remotely consider getting a brand new car. It is no wonder that of the 1.8 million people who are in receipt of qualifying benefits and eligible to join the Motability scheme that only one-third choose to do so. I guess that a great number of the other 1.2 million would love a new car but simply cannot afford to surrender their benefits as they are needed for other things, especially in the current cost of living crisis.