Motability Operations is under pressure to tackle fraudulent use of the vehicles, which are leased in exchange for disability benefits <\/a>money.<\/p>\n There is increasing concern that the system \u2013 aimed at helping disabled people get around \u2013 is being taken advantage of by benefits<\/a> claimants and their friends and family.<\/p>\n The i Paper last week revealed that the company removed vehicles from 11,000 people in the past three years<\/a>, rising from 2,488 cases of misuse in 2022 to 5,300 such cases in 2024.<\/p>\n There have been reports of young people boasting about their motability vehicle on social media and suggesting it was easy to get one \u2013 with one balaclava-wearing TikTok<\/a> user explaining how he got his \u00a331,000 car for \u201cessentially free\u201d.<\/p>\n As Motability Operations steps up its monitoring and reviews some of its rules, we took a closer look at the different ways people exploit the system.<\/p>\n Misuse by friends and family<\/p>\n People claiming personal independence payments<\/a> (PIP<\/a>) are eligible for a Motability car, so long as they get the \u201cenhanced\u201d mobility rate of this disability benefit, which is worth \u00a377 a week.<\/p>\n Claimants are allowed to have three people on the insurance<\/a>. It means that two appointed friends, family members or carers can drive the car, so long as they are helping the disabled claimant with their needs.<\/p>\n Personal use of Motability cars by these assistance drivers is one reason claimants are being expelled from the scheme.<\/p>\n The i Paper understands that the company recently removed a benefits claimant after its tracking system discovered the car was being used to travel between his son\u2019s home and his son\u2019s place of work.<\/p>\n The car was also used to drive between the son\u2019s home and his grandchild\u2019s school each day.<\/p>\n Motability Operations has been able to identify such misuse because of data recorded from tracking devices<\/a>. The company tells people upfront if a tracker is being installed.<\/p>\n The devices are fitted onto a vehicle if the company decides the arrangements come with higher risk of possible misuse, such as if none of the claimant\u2019s appointed drivers live at their home.<\/p>\n Motability chief executive Andrew Miller has said the company is looking again at the number of people allowed to use each car, reviewing whether it is being \u201ctoo generous\u201d with the insurance rules.<\/p>\n Benefits fraud<\/p>\n It is the government that decides whether someone\u2019s condition merits the enhanced mobility rate of PIP. And it is the government that decides whether someone should no longer get the disability benefit.<\/p>\n However, Motability Operations has relationships with UK police forces through a \u201cmemorandum of understanding\u201d. The company works with officers to probe possible misuse and can help trigger benefits fraud <\/a>investigations.<\/p>\n There have been some Motability car users who been taken to court and jailed.<\/p>\n Ann Hooper, a Motability user, was sentenced to nine months in prison in 2021 for fraudulently claiming \u00a333,000 in disability benefits for herself and two sons<\/a>.<\/p>\n Surveillance footage showed her walking around a supermarket in Devon, despite having claimed to be \u201ctoo disabled to move\u201d. One of her sons was spotted weightlifting at a gym, despite her claim he needed a wheelchair.<\/p>\n Linda Hoey, another Motability car user, was given a suspended jail term of 18 months in 2017 after falsely claiming \u00a365,000 in disability benefits<\/a>. She was photographed snorkelling while on holiday in the Maldives despite claiming she could barely walk.<\/p>\n Using Motability car to run a business<\/p>\n Using a Motability car to run a business like a taxi or delivery service is another reason people are removed.<\/p>\n The i Paper understands the company\u2019s tracking devices have been used to discover late-night runs from 11pm and 6am.<\/p>\n Motability Operations has said it wanted to increase use of tracking devices to tackle misuse problems.<\/p>\n Its chief executive said greater monitoring could be used to counter some of the \u201cvalid\u201d claims that people are \u201cusing the scheme in not the way it\u2019s intended\u201d.<\/p>\n Sub-leasing, lending and selling<\/p>\n Disabled users sign a lease agreement to get access to a Motability vehicle. <\/p>\n They hand over most or all of their \u00a3300 monthly mobility benefits, along with an advance payment of anywhere between \u00a3499 and \u00a38,000, depending on the car\u2019s price.<\/p>\n Lending the car to someone not on the insurance, sub-leasing it, or selling it on, are all forbidden and will see disabled claimants stripped of access.<\/p>\n Criminal acts and driving without insurance<\/p>\n Motability Operations can remove people from the scheme if they are found to be using a car to commit any criminal act \u2013 not only benefits fraud.<\/p>\n Driving without insurance or driving while you are banned is also in violation of the lease agreement.<\/p>\n Leases can also be terminated if people are found not taking good care of a car. The company can also send users the bill for any repairs.<\/p>\n Couple Ann and Bernard McDonagh were last year convicted over shoplifting and \u201cdine and dash\u201d theft offences \u2013 driving away from restaurants without paying the bill. Ann, jailed for 12 months, was found to have made off in a blue Ford Transit van obtained under the Motability scheme after one of her shoplifting trips.<\/p>\n Criticisms and defence of the scheme<\/p>\n
![\"Yolanda](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/SEI_230047224.jpg\")
Yolanda Barker from Kent has multiple sclerosis and relies on PIP and ESA benefits <\/p>\n