Motability changes will limit how far disabled people drive

The Motability Scheme has announced more changes that will negatively impact disabled people’s lives. As part of reforms to the scheme, disabled people will see their mileage allowance halved.

More Motability cuts

The scheme announced that from July 1 2026, new leases will only have a mileage allowance of 10,000 miles a year. This has been slashed in half from the previous 20,000. The excess mileage fee will also increase. The previous 5p per extra mile will go up by five times that amount to 25p.

The excess mileage fee mightn’t seem like a lot, but you’ve got to remember just how vital a lifeline driving is for many disabled people. Especially with the state of accessible public transport. It’ll soon add up. It also doesn’t allow for emergencies. For instance, my nearest specialist hospital is 14 miles away — that’s an extra £4.50 there and back.

But it’s not just for hospital appointments. Disabled people use their cars to live the same lives as the rest of society. To get to work, take their kids to school, go on holiday, do whatever the fuck we like.

Labour bowing to right-wing dickheads

Except for the government, the media and a lot of society don’t want us doing what we want.

This follows the Labour government bowing to pressure from right-wing Twitter dickheads last year. As The Canary previously reported, Starmer’s leadership listened more to right-wing rage bait than to disabled people’s concerns.

Along with wanting to confiscate asylum seekers’ jewellery, Labour announced that ‘luxury’ vehicles would no longer be part of Motability. Disabled people would also face thousands in up-front fees and be subject to VAT.

The missing context from this, of course, though, was that many ‘basic’ cars can’t be adapted in the ways disabled people often need — but Labour didn’t let facts stop their hate.

Cuts will limit disabled people

Most bizarrely, Motability are using those cuts as a reason to impose more restrictions on disabled people. And they’re phrasing the mileage restrictions as a good thing.

Andrew Miller, CEO of Motability Operations said:

In last year’s Autumn Budget, the UK Government announced tax changes that affect the Scheme. From 1 July 2026, VAT and Insurance Premium Tax (IPT) will apply to most leases. Together, these changes mean it will cost significantly more to run the Scheme. If we did nothing, the average cost of a new lease would increase by around £1,100.

It was clear to me that simply passing all these costs on to customers was not an option. We had to carefully consider how to reduce the tax impact as much as possible, but also focusing on changes that reflect how most customers already use their vehicles.

Whilst it’s clear Motability is trying its hardest to offset the government’s imposed changes, but they’re still punishing those who need to use their car more.

To limit disabled people’s driving in this way, implies that we shouldn’t be able to participate in life as fully as non-disabled people. And again that’s playing right into the right-wing arsehole’s hands.

Featured image via MotabilityScheme