Over the last few years, Social Security Scotland has been preparing to take over the delivery of disability benefits from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) for people in Scotland.
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) have been replaced with two new allowances – Child Disability Payment and Adult Disability Payment – for disabled people living in Scotland. Social Security Scotland is also in the process of transferring the DLA or PIP awards of people in Scotland on to these new allowances.
As well as these allowance changes, you may also have heard that the Scottish Government have launched the Accessible Vehicles and Equipment Scheme. But what is it, and what does it mean for Motability Scheme customers in Scotland?
What is the Accessible Vehicles and Equipment Scheme?
The Accessible Vehicles and Equipment Scheme helps to provide disabled people in Scotland with access to vehicles or mobility equipment.
Anyone receiving the higher rate mobility component of Child Disability Payment, or the enhanced rate mobility component of Adult Disability Payment, is able to exchange it to lease a car, Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle (WAV), scooter or powered wheelchair through the Accessible Vehicles and Equipment scheme. The Motability Scheme is an accredited provider for this scheme.
If you choose to use your allowance to lease a vehicle through the Accessible Vehicles and Equipment scheme, Social Security Scotland will arrange for the payments to be transferred directly to us from your mobility allowance, in the same way as the DLA and PIP allowances are transferred to us by the DWP.
Accessible Vehicles and Equipment scheme and the Motability Scheme
As we announced in February 2020, the Motability Scheme has been accredited by the Scottish Government to provide cars, Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles, scooters and powered wheelchairs to eligible disabled people in Scotland.
The Motability Scheme accredited in Scotland
This accreditation allows us to supply vehicles through the Accessible Vehicles and Equipment scheme, so anyone receiving the higher rate mobility component of Child Disability Payment or the enhanced rate mobility component of Adult Disability Payment will be eligible lease a vehicle with the Motability Scheme.
Allowance payments will be administered by Social Security Scotland rather than the DWP, but you should find that the process of leasing a vehicle with us remains largely unchanged.
If you live in Scotland but currently receive one of the other qualifying allowances for the Motability Scheme, such as DLA or PIP, you can continue to access the Motability Scheme as normal.
You’ll eventually have your allowance transferred to Social Security Scotland but will still be able to lease a vehicle through the Motability Scheme. The only difference is that you’ll apply for it through the Accessible Vehicles and Equipment Scheme.
Want to learn more?
Keep up to date with the latest information from the Scottish Government on the transfer of disability benefits to Social Security Scotland and the Accessible Vehicles and Equipment scheme by visiting their website gov.scot
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