Transitional Support

The Government is currently in the process of replacing Disability Living Allowance (DLA) with Personal Independence Payment (PIP) for disabled people aged 16 and over who have not reached State Pension age.

As a result of benefit devolution, the Scottish Government are currently in the process of replacing DLA and PIP with Adult Disability Payment (ADP) and Child Disability Payment (CDP).

Motability Foundation has no role in determining who should receive mobility benefits. This decision is made solely by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) for DLA and PIP, and Social Security Scotland (SSS) for ADP and CDP.

Although we have no role in determining mobility allowances, Motability Scheme customers may be affected by these changes.

Due to this, we have established transitional support options to support Scheme customers who have been unsuccessful transitioning in the following circumstances:

DLA to PIP
DLA to ADP
CDP to ADP

Type: Access to mobility grant

A Transitional Support grant may be available from the Motability Foundation for customers who leave the Motability Scheme due to DLA to PIP stopped allowance assessment, and who meet the grant criteria.

You do not need to apply for this grant as Motability Operations will contact you if they are notified you have not been awarded the higher rate mobility allowance after a DLA re-assessment and discuss your options when leaving the Scheme.

Details on who may qualify for a Transitional Support grant are below.

Your award outcomes

If you are awarded the Enhanced Rate Mobility Component of PIP or the Enhanced Rate of the Mobility Component of Adult Disability Payment

You do not need to do anything as you will continue to be eligible to lease a Motability Scheme vehicle. You should experience no disruption to your lease and will be able to continue leasing your vehicle.

If you are not awarded the Enhanced Rate Mobility Component of PIP or the Enhanced Rate of the Mobility Component of Adult Disability Payment

Following your DLA to PIP, DLA to ADP or CDP to ADP reassessment, if you are not eligible for the Enhanced Rate of the Mobility Component of PIP or ADP, you will no longer be eligible for the Motability Scheme.

Motability Operations Ltd will be in touch to help you return the vehicle and support you through this transition.

You may also be eligible for a pro-rata refund of any Advance Payment you made. When the vehicle is returned, you will not have to pay any further lease payments.

Transitional support for Scheme customers

There is a package of financial support available if you are a Scheme customer who previously received DLA, ADP or CDP payments and have been unsuccessful in your PIP or ADP reassessment, as long as you return the vehicle to the dealership in good condition and by the agreed date.

Transitional support is not applicable for Scheme customers following a PIP to PIP or ADP to ADP reassessment.

Details of our transitional support options are outlined below and are dependent on when you first joined the Motability Scheme.

Scheme customers who joined before 2013

Option one: Choose to keep the vehicle for eight weeks (starting from the day of your last mobility allowance payment) and receive £2,000 transitional support payment. You must return your car within eight weeks, in a good condition.
Option two: Choose to keep the vehicle for 26 weeks (starting from the day of your last mobility allowance payment) and receive a reduced transitional support payment of £500. You must return your car within 26 weeks, in a good condition.

Scheme customers who joined during 2013

Option one: Choose to keep the vehicle for eight weeks (starting from the day of your last mobility allowance payment) and receive £1,000 transitional support payment. You must return your car within eight weeks, in a good condition.
Option two: Choose to keep the vehicle for 26 weeks (starting from the day of your last mobility allowance payment) and receive a reduced transitional support payment of £250. You must return your car within 26 weeks, in a good condition.

Scheme customers who joined since 1 January 2014

More information about PIP was available by the beginning of 2014, therefore, people used the Scheme with some knowledge that benefit reassessment could impact their eligibility to continue leasing a vehicle. If you joined on or after 1 January 2014 you may be eligible for:

a potential pro-rata Advance Payment refund,
financial support to fit the same adaptations to a non-Scheme vehicle (where relevant),
a full claims history letter from Direct Line Motability (DLM). You can request a copy of the claim’s history letter for yourself or a named driver online in your DLM insurance portal. You can also call DLM on 0300 037 3737,
details for Autonet, an insurance broker who can provide insurance quotes, where possible, for customers leaving the Motability Scheme, and
no further lease payments.

Find information for Scooter and Powered Wheelchair Scheme customers transitioning from DLA to PIP on the Motability Scheme website.

Further PIP information

Staying mobile after the Motability Scheme guide PDF Will download a resource (PDF 882.9 KB).
Frequently asked questions about the transitional support package, found in the second tab on this page "Frequently asked questions".

Other information about PIP

More information about the DWP’s plans for DLA and PIP can be found on the Government’s website.

More information about Social Security Scotland’s plans for ADP and CDP can be found on the Scottish Government’s website.

Disability Rights UK (an independent charity) has produced a guide to claiming PIP, you can find this and other factsheets covering DLA and PIP on their website.

If you have been awarded Enhanced Rate Mobility Component of PIP, Enhanced Rate of the Mobility Component of Adult Disability Payment or Higher Rate Mobility Component of Child Disability Payment and are looking to join the Scheme, you can find out more on the Motability Scheme page.

What is Transitional support package?

As part of its welfare reform programme, the Government are currently replacing Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for disabled people aged 16 or over and who have not reached State Pension age with a new benefit called Personal Independence Payment (PIP). As a result of benefit devolution, the Scottish Government are currently in the process of replacing DLA and PIP with Adult Disability Payment (ADP) and Child Disability Payment (CDP). Recipients who are awarded the enhanced or higher rates of these mobility benefits will qualify for Motability in exactly the same way as today. However, if someone does not qualify for mobility support, or qualifies at a lower level, they will no longer be eligible to use the Scheme. In these cases, we provide a one-off transitional package of support and advice regarding alternative mobility.

I’m not eligible for the Enhanced Rate of PIP or ADP. What happens now?

If you are not awarded the Enhanced Rate of the Mobility Component of PIP or the Enhanced Rate of the Mobility Component of Adult Disability Payment, please contact Motability Operations Ltd as soon as possible. As soon as the DWP or Social Security Scotland confirms that you are no longer eligible for the Scheme, Motability Operations Ltd will write to you, giving you more information specific to your situation. This will include a personalised letter which outlines the transitional support package that may be available to you. They will also enclose our Staying mobile after the Motability Scheme guide (PDF 863.9 KB), which includes advice on buying a second hand car, information on insurance, maintenance and other mobility solutions.

What are the timescales for taking the car back?

Once we have been informed of your benefit decision, Motability Operations Ltd will write to you with details of how to return your vehicle. You will be able to keep the car for eight weeks after the mobility allowance payments stop. In addition, if you first joined the Scheme before 1 January 2014 you will have the option to keep the car for 26 weeks after the last mobility allowance payment.

How will you know about the outcome of my reassessment?

The DWP or Social Security Scotland will write to you to let you know the outcome and separately they will confirm this decision to Motability Operations Ltd. However, if you are not awarded the Enhanced Rate of the Mobility Component of PIP or ADP it is important that you contact Motability Operations Ltd immediately, so that they can support you in the transition from the Motability Scheme. Please make sure that both Motability Operations Ltd and the DWP or Social Security Scotland have your correct contact details so there is no delay in sending you information regarding your transitional support package, where eligible.

I cannot get to my dealership, will I still get the support payment?

In order to qualify for the transitional support package, you must return your car to a Motability Scheme dealership. This can either be your dealer or, alternatively if it is more convenient, you can arrange with us to return the car to a different Motability Scheme dealership which is closer to you.

How much financial support can I expect as a car customer?

Please make sure that both Motability Operations Ltd and DWP or Social Security Scotland have your correct contact details so there is no delay if we need to send you information regarding your transitional support package, where eligible.

Scooter and powered wheelchair customers who joined the Scheme before 2014 will be provided with a package of support and advice with the objective of enabling them to purchase their current product wherever possible. Arrangements will be made to help those with specialised mobility needs, including customers with a Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle (WAV).

This package will be reviewed regularly and may be changed or withdrawn as a result.

How do I let you know which option I would like to choose?

If you do not return the car to your dealer within eight weeks of the date of your last payment, you will automatically have selected to keep the car for 26 weeks and your transitional support payment will be reduced accordingly.

I left the Scheme for a number of years and rejoined in 2013. What financial support could I be entitled to?

If you have left the Scheme for a period of one year or more and decide to rejoin the Scheme, you are considered to be a new customer from the date you started your new lease. Therefore, as you rejoined the Car Scheme in 2013 after more than a one year break, you will be eligible for a one-off £1,000 transitional support package providing you return the car to the dealership in good condition and within the given timescales. This reduced, yet still significant, amount is because information on PIP has been publicly available since you decided to rejoin the Scheme. If you rejoined the Scheme after 1 January 2014 you will not receive a support package, but we’ll refund any Advance Payment on a pro-rata basis.

When will the money reach me once I have returned my car to the dealer?

The money will be sent to you in the form of a cheque within 14 days of returning the vehicle.

If I apply for PIP or ADP in the future and am successful, will I need to pay this money back?

This is a one-off support package to help with the transition from the Scheme and it is not expected that you’ll need to pay this back if you are later awarded PIP or ADP. However, if you are eligible to and decide to re-join the Scheme within six months of receiving the transitional support package, you will need to speak to Motability Operations Ltd to discuss your options.

Will I be penalised for ending the leasing agreement early?

No further rental payments or costs will be applied to customers whose leases end early as a result of a DLA to PIP, DLA to ADP or CDP to ADP reassessment.

Will I get any of my Advance Payment back?

If you have paid an Advance Payment, this will be refunded to you on a pro-rata basis. For example, if the agreement ended after one year of a three year lease, two-thirds of the Advance Payment would be refunded. If you paid a significant Advance Payment for your vehicle you may want to consider the effect of a lower pro rata refund if you choose to keep the vehicle for the extended 26 week period.

I've lost my allowance, but not due to PIP. Am I still eligible for the transitional support payment?

No, the one-off transitional support package has been specifically designed to support customers who have to give up their vehicle as a result of reassessment from DLA to PIP, DLA to ADP or CDP to ADP.

Will the Transitional Support Package be applicable for all customers leaving the Scheme because of PIP and ADP?

No, the transitional support package will not be available to anyone who has not engaged in the reassessment process. However, if you have actively decided not to undergo reassessment and have informed the DWP or Social Security Scotland of this decision (so they can tell us), you will still be eligible. We recommend that you pay particular attention to any response dates for submitting assessment documentation and make sure that both Motability Operations Ltd and DWP or Social Security Scotland have your correct contact details so there is no delay in sending you information regarding your transitional support package, where eligible.

The amount of financial support you may be eligible for as part of the Transitional Support Package depends on when you entered into a lease agreement for a Motability Scheme car.

I lease a scooter/powered wheelchair through Motability Scheme. What will happen to me?

If you are not awarded the Enhanced Rate of the Mobility Component of PIP or ADP, please contact Motability Operations Ltd as soon as possible to let us know. As soon as the DWP or Social Security Scotland confirms that you are no longer eligible for the Scheme, Motability Operations Ltd will write to you giving you more information specific to your situation. Motability Operations Ltd will try to work with you so that you can stay in your existing product. They will also provide their Staying mobile after Motability guide (PDF 882.9 KB), this mentions a number of useful resources for additional advice and future support. Customers with a scooter or powered wheelchair will be able to keep their product for up to a maximum of eight weeks after their last mobility allowance payment.

I've got adaptations fitted to my Scheme car. What happens in this circumstance?

If you have adaptations, Motability Operations Ltd will help you with the costs of fitting similar adaptations to a non-Scheme vehicle. Further information about this will be included in the personalised letter which Motability Operations Ltd will send you if they are informed that you are not awarded the Enhanced Rate of the Mobility Component of PIP or ADP.

I lease a wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV). Do I still need to keep to the standard timescales?

WAV customers are automatically entitled to keep their vehicle for 26 weeks, without reduced transitional support payment. During this time Motability Operations Ltd will work with you on a case by case basis to discuss what options are available to you. Further information will be included in the personalised letter which they will send you if we are informed that you are not awarded the Enhanced Rate of the Mobility Component of PIP or ADP.

Can you help me find a second hand car?

As the Motability Scheme is a leasing scheme, Motability Operations Ltd are unable to assist you in buying a non-Scheme car.

However, the dealer who provided your Motability Scheme car could be a good starting point to find out what’s available.

The Staying mobile after the Motability Scheme guide (PDF 863.9 KB) also includes advice on buying a second hand car, information on insurance, maintenance and other mobility solutions.

I'm housebound without my Motability Scheme car. Where can I find out about other forms of transport?

Further information to help you think about your options, including advice on buying a second hand car, information on insurance, maintenance and other mobility solutions is available from a variety of sources. For example, Disability Rights UK and the Research Institute for Disabled Consumers (RiDC) both produce a number of useful guides which you may find helpful.

If you are not awarded the Enhanced Rate of the Mobility Component of PIP or ADP, please contact Motability Operations Ltd as soon as possible. As soon as the DWP or Social Security Scotland confirms that you are no longer eligible for the Motability Scheme, Motability Operations Ltd will write to you, giving you more information specific to your situation. You will also be sent a copy of the Staying mobile after the Motability Scheme guide (PDF 863.9 KB). This mentions a number of useful resources for additional advice and future support.

Will an insurance company take my claims history on the Scheme into account?

Direct Line Motability (DLM) will send you a letter giving details of your claims history on the Scheme. You can request a copy of the claim’s history letter for yourself or a named driver online in your DLM insurance portal. You can also call DLM on 0300 037 3737. Motability Operations Ltd are working with Autonet, a leading UK insurance broker, who will offer insurance quotes to former Scheme customers that will recognise their no-claims history on the Scheme.

The Staying mobile after the Motability Scheme guide (PDF 863.9 KB) includes information on arranging insurance.