Understanding the Motability Scheme

Motability Dealer Sussex

Birchwood Motability

Motability is the key to trouble-free motoring for thousands of people with disabilities and their families.

Motability take care of the practicalities, including:

  • A single, regular payment which includes insurance, maintenance and roadside recovery
  • Routine servicing at no extra cost
  • A unique Customer Services helpline

With all of this covered under the Motability Scheme, you can enjoy the freedom of the open road.

There are three main ways in which Motability can turn your mobility benefit into the travel solution for your needs:

  • A new car on a three-year contract hire lease.
  • A new or used car on hire purchase term, over a term of two to five years.
  • A quadricycle on a five-year lease. These are light steering, three-door vehicles that can be driven on a motorcycle licence. Your licence must have been issued before 1 February 2001, or must include category B1.

Contract Hire

Most Motability customers choose contract hire as the best way to obtain and pay for their car. Contract hire offers worry-free motoring and the convenience of a single, regular payment that includes insurance, maintenance and roadside recovery.

Your contract hire lease has been developed through our long experience with millions of Motability customers. It comes with peace of mind built in.

Once Motability accepts your application, the advance payment and weekly rental are price protected. This lasts for three months from the date your agreement is printed - provided that the car description on the agreement is not altered later.

Your contract hire lease price, which will vary according to the make and model you choose, includes:

  • Comprehensive insurance cover provided by Royal & SunAlliance 'Motability' (R&SAM).
  • Full breakdown assistance provided by the RAC.
  • Servicing, maintenance and repairs - which you must arrange through a Motability dealer - at no extra charge to you.
  • An allowance of 60,000 miles over the three years of your agreement (Additional miles in excess of 60,000 are charged at 5p per mile at the end of the three-year lease period.)

If you choose optional extras that aren't fitted as standard to your chosen car - such as a CD player - they can not be included in the lease cost. You must have them fitted by your supplying dealer and pay for them yourself.

Hire Purchase

Although it has many advantages, contract hire isn't right for everyone.

You might prefer hire purchase if you:

  • Want to buy a second-hand car
  • Need adaptations and would prefer not to have to re-install them after three years, although we can offer an extension to five years
  • Regularly cover high mileage (i.e. well above 45,000 miles over three years).

If you choose hire purchase, you negotiate the actual purchase price with your Motability dealer. However, it's important to remember that you are also responsible for comprehensive insurance, breakdown recovery and less predictable costs such as repairs and servicing, which are all included in the contract hire lease.

Completing the Motability application

Once you have decided on your car, our Motability specialist will complete the application form with you.

You will need to provide us with:

  • Your driving licence and award entitlement notice
  • Driving licences for other named drivers - who must also sign the proposed drivers' declaration on the application form
  • Details of any previous accidents and driving convictions that you, or your named drivers, may have.
  • VED exemption certificate if applicable.

When the paperwork is complete simply sign the declaration on the application form. Our Motability specialist will then send your application and other paperwork to Motability for processing.

It may sound complicated, but the overall process is very simple and our Motability specialists will always be on hand to help. If you have any questions please contact us today.