As the COVID-19 situation changes we understand that customers have a number of questions. We are continuing to update this page regularly to ensure we cover the most frequently asked customer questions.
Dealership showrooms across the UK are open and able to offer test drives and face-to-face appointments to help you choose your next car.
All dealerships are following Government guidelines regarding COVID-19 so if you are planning to visit a dealership, we recommend contacting them now to make an appointment so they can explain the measures they have in place.
Although the rules around social distancing and face coverings have changed in some parts of the UK, dealers’ priorities continue to be in making customers feel safe and secure. Please let the dealer know of any specific measures they can take to make you feel more confident and comfortable during your visit.
Our Customer Services team is currently dealing with a high volume of calls, we hope you find the answer to your question here. If you do need to call, we ask for your support if you are unable to get through to us as quickly as usual.
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Vehicle handovers and new applications
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Do I need to make an appointment at my dealership to place an application? |
Yes, please do make an appointment before you visit a dealership. This will mean that the dealer will be able to dedicate enough time to helping you find the right car and let you know how COVID-19 is affecting their services.
If you are a car or WAV customer without an appointee, you can save time on the day of your appointment by starting your next application from home with a Motability Scheme online account.
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I am an existing customer. When can I place an application for my next car? |
If you are in the final three months of your lease or have had your lease extended due to the COVID-19 situation, you can order your next vehicle now. Please contact your dealer to make an appointment to discuss your next car.
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Has COVID-19 affected car delivery times? |
The length of time it takes for your car to be delivered could vary considerably due to the disruption experienced by car manufacturers during this time and other ongoing issues affecting the global car industry.
It is worth checking with the dealership if the car you are interested in is in stock or whether it will need to be ordered from the manufacturer, which may well mean a delay. There may well be a comparable car from a different manufacturer, so it is worth considering this before you place your order.
If there are any delays with the delivery of your car, please speak directly to your dealer to discuss this. We are unable to improve delivery dates or provide any more information than your dealer.
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I am an existing customer, but do not want to place an order for my next car at the moment, what are my options? |
Where possible, we recommend customers start their search in the usual way and place an order in the last three months of their lease.
Ongoing challenges in the motoring industry are leading to supply issues, which means that some manufacturers are removing some models from general sale until production can catch up, which in turn means they will also be removed from the Scheme. It is expected that this will continue in to 2022.
Our car search tool has the most up to date information on what’s currently available on the Scheme, but the list of available cars is changing more frequently than you would usually expect due to the supply issues.
Our current price list (until 31 December 2021) includes around 350 cars with an Advance Payment of less than £500 – over 120 of these cars have no Advance Payment, around 25 of which are available for less than your higher rate mobility allowance.
If you are looking to order a car, please speak to your dealer as soon as possible so they can help you choose the car that’s right for you and advise you on the current situation with delivery times. Although please be aware that due to the ongoing challenges these timescales may change, but your dealer will do everything they can to keep you up to date with the latest information that is available to them. Remember, if you are an existing customer, we can arrange to extend your lease to keep you in your current car until your new car is ready.
In certain circumstances you may be able to extend your lease for one or two years. This might be the case if you have specific adaptations or if you have driven less than 15,000 miles at the end of your three-year lease. If either of these apply, please contact our Customer Services team on 0300 456 4566.
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I had my lease extended by six months due to the COVID situation, when can I place a new order? |
If you had your lease extended due to the COVID situation you do not have to wait to place a new application. You can place your next order at any point during your current lease extension.
Due to the current issues with new car supply, we would recommend that you start looking for your next car and place your next order as soon as you are able to.
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I’m thinking of applying for a Grant from Motability, the Charity, what do I do? |
The Grants team at Motability (the Charity) are accepting applications from all beneficiaries for their charitable grants programme. Their phone lines are open between 9.00am to 5.00pm, Monday to Friday. Due to anticipated increased demand, call waiting times may be longer than usual and it may take a number of weeks for an application to be assigned to a Case Manager. Please wait for your Case Manager to contact you to update you on the status of your application.
For more information please visit their website motability.org.uk/grants.
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I do not want to place a renewal application at the end of my lease, how do I hand my car back? |
If you do not want to place a renewal application at the end of your lease, please contact your dealership to make an appointment to return the vehicle. If your dealership is unable to accept the vehicle for any reason, then contact us on 0300 456 4566 so we can discuss arrangements.
During your lease
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Are you still offering help to customers in temporary financial need owing to the COVID-19 situation? |
Until 31 July 2021, Motability Scheme customers leasing a car or WAV and experiencing temporary and exceptional financial need in relation to COVID-19 were able to access an advance of the £600 Good Condition Bonus (GCB) usually paid at the end of a lease. Customers who lease a scooter or powered wheelchair were also able to access their £100 End of Contract Bonus in the same way. However, both of these options have now ended and from 1 August 2021, the GCB or End of Contract Bonus will only be paid at the end of the lease.
Please note, if you requested an early payment of your £600 GCB, or £100 End of Contract Bonus if you lease a scooter or powered wheelchair, you will not receive this payment again at the end of your lease.
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My lease was automatically extended for six months, what will happen with my Good Condition Bonus? |
The Good Condition Bonus (GCB) will be paid when you hand back your car to the dealer. We will automatically send the bonus to you, either by bank transfer if you have updated your bank details in your Motability Scheme online account , or cheque if not. You can also request payment by bank transfer with your dealer when returning your car. You should receive the payment within 5 days of the car being returned if we arrange a bank transfer, or within 28 days if we send a cheque.
If, due to the COVID-19 situation, you have already received early payment of your GCB during your lease, you will not be entitled to this payment again.
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My usual driver is not able to drive me at the moment, can I add a new driver? |
Your lease includes insurance for up to three named drivers, these can be family, friends or carers. If you need to add a new driver, please call RSA Motability (RSAM) on 0300 037 3737. The driver you wish to add will need to be with you when you call, so RSAM can check their details and add them to the insurance straight away.
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Are your partner services open to help if I need them? |
The RAC are on hand to help if you have a breakdown and need emergency help. Please call 0800 73 111 73
Our insurance partner RSA Motability can help with any insurance queries. Please call 0300 037 3737
Kwik Fit centres are open, they can also offer a mobile service. Call the Tyreline on 0330 123 1531 or to book a mobile appointment call 0330 123 1533. If you are planning to visit a centre please call the Tyreline in advance to make an appointment.
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The MOT is due on my car, what should I do? |
MOTs must be completed as normal. Your dealer should be in touch to arrange this, but please contact them directly if your test is due and you have not heard from them. If they are unable to complete your MOT for any reason, you can contact Kwik Fit and make an appointment at one of their centres.
If you are unsure when your MOT is due, you can check this at gov.uk/check-mot-history.
If your MOT has expired, it can legally only be driven to a pre-booked MOT appointment. You will need to arrange this with your dealer, or with Kwik Fit at one of their centres.
If you are self-isolating you should book the MOT for after the period of self-isolation is over, or ask a named driver to take the vehicle to be tested.
Please note, if you are due to hand back your car, the MOT will need to be completed before your lease ends.
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My service is due or my car requires repairs, what happens now? |
Your dealership will be in touch to arrange to carry out any servicing and maintenance. If your service is due and you haven’t heard from your dealer, you should contact them to make an appointment.
If your vehicle is undriveable and requires urgent repairs, please contact RAC Motability Assist on 0800 73 111 73 for advice.
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I am in a hire car at the moment, how do I collect my Scheme car? |
You will need to remain in the hire car that has been provided for you until the dealer has been able to complete the repair work required on your Scheme car. We hope to reunite you with your Scheme car as soon as possible, but please be aware that repairs are likely to take longer than normal due to the availability of parts and the impact of the COVID-19 situation.
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What do I do if the customer unfortunately passes away during this time? |
Should a customer die during their lease, a family member should contact us as soon as possible. The quickest and easiest way to do this is by filling out our Notification of a customer passing away form, alternatively you can phone us on 0300 456 4566, please bear with us as we are taking longer than usual to answer calls. We will then advise you of the next steps you need to take which usually means that we will arrange for the car to be collected within a few weeks, however at this time it may take longer for us to process this request.
If you are planning to use the Government’s ‘Tell Us Once’ service, you must let us know first so that we can ensure named drivers can continue using the vehicle until it is returned.
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I was due to be reassessed for my allowance but the DWP have suspended my assessment for 3 months; can I stay in my current vehicle? |
If your lease is due to end before your reassessment, please contact us on 0300 456 4566 so we can apply a lease extension for you. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have confirmed that they will continue to pay allowances where they have had to delay assessments.
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I am abroad with my Motability Scheme vehicle but I cannot get back due to the COVID-19 situation, what can I do? |
If you are unable to return to the UK in your Scheme vehicle, please contact us on 0300 456 4566 to discuss this.
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Am I still able to request a copy of my vehicle registration certificate (V5c)? |
We are able to send a copy of your V5c registration certificate, however it might take slightly longer than usual for you to receive this due to a backlog of requests owing to the COVID-19 situation. You can request a copy of your V5c using our online form.
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Can I add a personalised number plate to my vehicle? |
We are able to add a personalised number plate to your Scheme car, however this might take longer than usual to complete as we rely on a number of partner organisations whose service has been impacted by the COVID-19 situation. You can find out more about adding a personalised number plate here.
Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle (WAV) customers
As applications and handovers of WAVs are completed at a customer’s home, you should contact your WAV supplier to understand how they are operating within the current regulations.
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I am coming to the end of my lease; when can I apply for a new vehicle? |
If you lease a WAV through the Scheme and are within the last three months of your lease you can place an order for your next vehicle. We recommend contacting your WAV supplier in advance of this to discuss with them how your needs may have changed, or might change over the next five years, and start your search for your next vehicle.
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I had my WAV lease extended during lockdown, when can I order my next vehicle? |
Customers leasing a WAV who had their lease extended during lockdown, can contact their WAV supplier to discuss ordering their next vehicle at any point in their lease extension.
Due to the current issues with new vehicle supply, we would recommend that you start looking for your next WAV and place your next order as soon as you are able to.
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I do not want to apply for my new WAV at the moment, what are my options? |
Where possible, we recommend customers start their search in the usual way and place an order in the last three months of the lease.
In certain circumstances you may be able to extend your lease for another one or two years. This might be the case if you have specific adaptations on your WAV, or if you have driven less than 25,000 miles at the end of your five-year lease. If either of these apply, please contact our Customer Services team on 0300 456 4566.
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I do not want another vehicle on the Scheme, how do I arrange to return the WAV at the end of my lease? |
If you are intending on leaving the Motability Scheme at the end of your lease, please contact your WAV supplier to make arrangements for the vehicle to be returned. If your WAV supplier is closed, or unable to accept the vehicle, then contact us on 0300 456 4566 so we can discuss arrangements.
Scooter and powered wheelchair customers
Where applications and handovers of scooters and powered wheelchairs are completed at a customer’s home, you should contact your dealer to understand how they are operating within the current regulations.
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I am coming to the end of my lease; when can I apply for a new product? |
If you are within the last three months of your lease, please contact your dealer to discuss placing an application for your next product. It is worth checking with the dealer if the product you are interested in is in stock or whether it will need to be ordered from the manufacturer as this may have a significant impact on delivery times. Bear in mind that similar products from alternative manufacturers may have different delivery times.
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I had my scooter or powered wheelchair lease extended during lockdown, when can I order my next vehicle? |
Customers who had their lease extended during lockdown can contact their scooter or powered wheelchair dealer to discuss ordering their next product at any point during their lease extension.
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I do not want to lease another scooter or powered wheelchair on the Scheme, how do I arrange to return the product at the end of my lease? |
If you plan to leave the Scheme at the end of your lease, please contact your dealership to make arrangements for the product to be returned. If your dealership is closed, or unable to collect the product, then contact us on 0300 456 4566 so we can discuss arrangements.
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What about servicing and repairs for my scooter or powered wheelchair? |
Your dealership will be in touch to carry out any non-essential service, maintenance and repair work.
If you require any urgent repairs to your scooter or powered wheelchair, please contact your dealer directly to see what they are able to arrange for you. If your dealership is closed, or unable to complete the repairs, then contact us on 0300 456 4566 so we can discuss alternative options.
One Big Day and The Big Event
Following COVID-19 government guidance, we made the difficult decision to cancel the One Big Day physical event programme for 2021, but we expect all of our live events to be back up and running in full in 2022.
For any future news on our One Big Day events, please keep checking our Facebook Page
