Seventy organizations have written to disability minister Sir Stephen Timms, asking him to engage with disabled people to fully understand the impact of the changes, according to multiple reports. Campaigners have warned the plans could hit disabled people's independence and finances, multiple reports indicate. The changes, announced in November last year, will see VAT charged on upfront payments for some users and tax increased on leases, saving the government an estimated £1 billion a year, according to multiple reports.
Premium vehicles like BMW and Mercedes-Benz, which make up five percent of the Motability fleet, have been removed, multiple reports indicate. Analysis has found that the changes will add an average of £400 to the upfront fees for Motability users, according to multiple reports. Opposition to the reforms is growing, with a fast-growing public petition already passing 21,000 signatures and calling on ministers to halt the changes before they come into force in July, multiple reports indicate.
The Motability program enables people with serious disabilities to get a car by using a portion of their benefits to pay for a lease, according to multiple reports. The number of people with a Motability car has risen by around 130,000 since 2023, reaching an estimated 890,000 this year, multiple reports indicate.