@Mike 700 Whilst I agree with most of your points, it’s worth stating that whilst Motability will be the best leasing option for most people, those who are able to buy a car can do so at considerably less cost than leasing through Motability, especially at the lower end of the market. I’m currently changing my daughters Hyundai i20 which we bought new 6 years ago. The total cost of ownership (depreciation, insurance, servicing, tyres, road tax etc) has totalled £1,300 a year and it’s been just as ‘worry free’ as a Motability car. The same car through Motability, even with nil AP, would have cost £3,250 a year. Many Motability customers are accepting 5 year leases at present. That’s a cost of £16,250 in lost benefits with nothing whatsoever to show for it at the end. You can just about make a case for that with cars at the top end of the scheme, given the depreciation and higher running costs, but not for the average car IMHO.
As a former banker, I was invited and volunteered to become a Director of a Credit Union , and given my experience over many , many years of holding a Lending mandate I was tasked with overseeing lending.
Most members, albeit not all, were in receipt of benefits rather than income from employment, with many receiving Disability benefits, and a high proportion of these had either non existent or poor credit records often through no fault of their own, but nevertheless could not enter into car loans or leasing through regular channels.
This is where Motability stands head and shoulders above the others, in that it offers an easy route to disabled, and often disadvantaged people to a new car, which many would not be able to access without the Motability scheme.
You make a valid point GG but my opinion , for what it is worth, is that even though the Motability scheme may, in some cases be more expensive than others, for the majority of disabled it is a Godsend, and Long May it continue!