Downing Street has said that ministers will “always scrutinise spending of taxpayers’ money”, following the Transport Secretary’s suggestion that she would be comfortable with restricting access to “luxury” cars through a vehicle leasing scheme designed for people with disabilities. The Motability scheme allows personal independence payment claimants with severe mobility issues to lease a new vehicle, provided they receive the higher mobility rate of the benefit.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves is reportedly considering changes to the scheme, after reports emerged that some claimants have been able to access high-end cars such as Mercedes and BMWs. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander was questioned about potential cutbacks to the scheme during her media rounds on Monday.
Speaking to LBC, she said: “I think that the Motability scheme provides really important support to people who do have mobility needs. I think some of the cars that people have been able to access… there are some luxury models.
“I think we need to make sure that the scheme is always going to be there for the people who genuinely need it and we also need to make sure that we’re offering the taxpayer value for money in the way that that scheme operates, and if that means that models such as really high-end cars, Mercedes, BMW, aren’t available on that scheme, then that’s something I would be comfortable with.”
Downing Street refused to comment on Ms Alexander’s suggestion that she would back the removal of premium car models from the scheme. “This is Budget speculation. I’m not going to get ahead of that,” said the Prime Minister’s official spokesman.
He added: “Clearly, we will always scrutinise spending of taxpayers’ money, and that is a guiding principle of the work we do as a Government.”
Over the weekend, several newspapers reported that Ms Reeves plans to prevent those claiming sickness benefits from accessing the Motability scheme. The Chancellor is also reportedly considering ending access to high-end cars through the scheme, as well as top-of-the-range insurance and breakdown cover.
This is believed to stem from concerns that offering a premium driving experience to those using the scheme could undermine wider public confidence in the benefits system.
