Motability drops premium cars, backs UK-built by 2035
Motability has changed its car list with immediate effect. From 25 November 2025, ‘premium’ brands such as BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Alfa Romeo and Lexus are no longer offered on the scheme. Motability says it is refocusing on cars that meet disabled people’s needs and are affordable to run.
For many of us, the scheme is a practical route to independence: eligible disabled people can use the higher-rate mobility part of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) to lease a car, often with adaptations for wheelchair users. BBC News reports the scheme now supports about 860,000 customers, with vehicles typically replaced every three years.
Demand has risen as more people qualify for the higher‑rate mobility component, and that has pushed costs across the system. With the UK Budget due on Wednesday 26 November 2025, critics have urged ministers to consider how the scheme is funded and whether its design still fits today’s pressures.
Until now, around 50,000 leases were for higher‑end models, where customers topped up with their own money to cover the extra cost. Motability’s update removes those brands from the choice list. If you were considering one, you’ll need to pick from other models that remain on offer through the scheme’s portal.
Quick explainer: PIP’s mobility component recognises extra travel costs many disabled people face. On Motability, that payment goes directly to the lease provider each month, and you can add adaptations so the vehicle actually works for your body, family and daily routine.
Motability has paired the change with a new industrial aim: by 2035 it wants half of the cars it leases to be built in the UK, with an interim goal of 25% by 2030, up from about 7% today. Chancellor Rachel Reeves says buying more British‑built cars could support thousands of skilled, well‑paid jobs and help the wider economy.
Voices matter here. Farah Black, a disabled woman in Northern Ireland, told the BBC she chose a BMW adapted for her wheelchair use and made an advance payment to cover the extra cost. She said, ‘We should all have a choice.’ Her story shows this isn’t just about badges; it’s about dignity and control.
Inside government, the direction has been clear for weeks. Earlier in November, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said she would be comfortable removing the really high‑end cars from the scheme. Motability’s decision lands before the Budget and softens immediate pressure for ministers to intervene.
Others argue the scheme should go further on value for money. Former Department for Work and Pensions adviser Matt Ryder says supplying nearly‑new vehicles could stretch budgets without cutting access. In his words, ‘A car is not a luxury, but a brand new car is a luxury purchase.’
If you’re using the scheme, the immediate change is the menu of models, not how eligibility works. The scheme still uses your PIP mobility payment towards a lease. For details about adaptations, mileage or servicing on your agreement, check your Motability account or speak to your dealer.
For the classroom or a family chat, try these questions in plain English: What is ‘fair’ when a benefit is used to lease a car? Should public schemes prioritise the cheapest option, or the one that best preserves independence? How much should industrial goals guide public purchasing?
Andrew Miller, chief executive of Motability Operations, describes the scheme as a lifeline to freedom and independence-and many readers will agree. As the Budget on 26 November 2025 nears, watch for any changes to eligibility, lease lengths or the age of vehicles, and keep disabled people’s voices at the centre.