When I went to apply for my first Motability vehicle on the scheme as an adult, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I felt like there was a lot of guidance out there for people with physical disabilities, but much less for those with chronic illness. In case anyone else finds themselves in the same boat as I was, I wanted to share what I’ve learnt now that I’ve completed the journey of ordering, all the way through to getting my car.

How do I know if I’m eligible?

In my case, I was eligible for a Motability car because I am in receipt of the mobility component of PIP. However, there are various other benefits that also qualify you to claim for a vehicle. The best way to find out if you might be able to apply is to visit the Motability website and follow the instructions.

Understanding What You Need

The first time you step into a Motability dealership, it can feel incredibly overwhelming to choose what vehicles to look at. There are a few things you can keep in mind to help you start to shortlist your favourites. Try to ask yourself practical questions, such as:

• How much boot space do I need for my mobility aids, equipment, and emergency kit?
• Can I transfer into a car easily, or do I need a wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV)?
• How important are things like ride height, door width, or automatic controls?
• Do I need adaptations – am I able to lift my own mobility aids into the vehicle independently?
• If I have a service dog, is there room for them to fit in the car comfortably?

Beyond all this, remember to also consider factors such as seat comfort and support, especially if you have joint or neck pain. Some vehicles have better suspension than others!

Establish a good line of communication with your dealership

Feeling at ease with your dealership is going to be really important when it comes to arranging your new car. You’re going to be dealing with them for the next 3-5 years – so it’s a must to feel comfortable sharing with them about what you need. In my experience, some dealerships have better Motability representatives than others, so definitely try to chat with as many as you can.

Your dealer should be your point of contact for all the things you might need – from ordering, to admin, adaptions to maintenance – they should be your core point of contact.

Be sure to book a test drive

Even if you can’t drive the car for yourself, you can request that your dealer takes you out for a test drive.

Remember to take your mobility aids with you when test driving. Check:

• Can you lift the boot without dislocating a shoulder?
• Are the seatbelts reachable with reduced flexibility?
• Can you open the doors fully while parked in real-world car parks?

Trying the vehicle in average day-to-day type scenarios will help you to decipher if it’s genuinely going to be the right choice for you. Don’t forget to take notes, or even film the experience if you would find it useful to watch it back later. The mental energy it can take to process an experience like this can leave you feeling overwhelmed.

Ask about adaptions early-on!

The top mistake I hear people make when it comes to to ordering a vehicle is dealers not mentioning the possibility of adaptions. Under the Motability scheme, for the most part, adaptions are free.

These must be requested at the time of ordering the car – they cannot be added on later. 

There are lots of different adaptions available, but not all fit all cars – so it’s important to enquire early on, so you can get an understanding of what might work for you. 

Even if you’ve never had adaptions before and aren’t sure of how beneficial they’d be, ask about them anyway. It’s better to have the conversation and be sure that you don’t need them, rather than miss out. 

Sometimes ‘fancy’ is a necessity