I can’t say that I’ve fully understood what has changed, but is this a tactic to try to reduce the number of people leaving the scheme? People sometimes forget that you get the GCB whether you stay on the scheme or leave it, which is why I always find it odd when people understate the price they have paid on their new Motability car by deducting the GCB from the AP (e.g. “after the GCB I only paid £x”). In reality, that’s a false claim. They have paid the full AP, as the GCB is guaranteed to them whether they remain in the scheme or leave it, so that money was the customers anyway, regardless of what they do!
To reduce the GCB and provide a payment at the start of each lease adds a bit of an incentive to encourage people to stay in the scheme. Of course, that only applies if the two payments add up to what we get (in total) now. So, is it the case that we get the same money, but in a different way (as long as we stay in the scheme) or will we end up with less regardless? Confused!