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Scottish Sun
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Scottish Sun
From constipation to ‘tennis elbow' all bizarre ailments netting Brits brand-new cars under corrupted Motability scheme
The Motability scheme faces growing scrutiny as influencers boast about how claimants can exploit the system EASY STREET From constipation to 'tennis elbow' all bizarre ailments netting Brits brand-new cars under corrupted Motability scheme Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) TAXPAYERS are funding cars for drivers with ailments including constipation and "tennis elbow". The £600 million-a-year Motability scheme offers essential support to individuals with severe physical or mental disabilities. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 One brazen influencer has been seen bragging about how to get a £31k car for fraction of the price Credit: TikTok 2 Other Brits are claiming new motors under the Motability scheme, bragging they're 'driven around in style' Credit: TikTok But new figures have laid bare how the scheme - which vital to giving those with physical or mental disabilities access to reliable transportation - has been corrupted beyond recognition. The keys to 40 cars were allocated to individuals with 'tennis elbow', a condition that 'causes pain around the outside of the elbow' but is typically resolved with rest, according to the NHS. And 20 individuals suffering from constipation made use of Motability, along with ten people struggling with a 'failure to thrive'. Over 32,000 new cars were handed over for people suffering anxiety or other depressive disorders, while 800 went to individuals with obesity. While obesity can lead to mobility challenges in severe cases, some believe this inclusion is too broad and leaves the programme's goodwill open to exploitation. What's more, the data shows that 770 cars were leased to individuals with alcohol misuse problems, with 220 going to those with issues around drugs. The data was released in response to a Parliamentary Question, published by the Guido Fawkes website and reported on by the Daily Mail. Number of Brits claiming brand new cars under taxpayer-funded disability scheme soars due to TikTok The scheme, which costs some £600m and is funded by the Department for Work and Pensions, supports around 589,000 claimants in England and Wales as of 2024. It allows beneficiaries to exchange part of their Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for a car, powered wheelchair, or scooter, essentially giving them options tailored to their needs. It also allows friends or relatives to drive the vehicle on their behalf of the claimant, further expanding its usefulness. Furthermore, the initiative drives a significant portion of new car purchases in Britain - accounting for one in five sales across the country. This heavily supporting the automotive industry in the process and, in turn, creating jobs. Conditions that qualify for taxpayer-funded cars under Motability scheme ADHD/ADD: 9,090 Alcohol misuse: 770 Anxiety and depressive disorders: 32,160 Anxiety disorders - other/type not known: 2,600 Back pain: 6,760 Constipation: 20 Depressive disorder: 7,460 Elbow disorders - other/type not known: 50 Obesity: 800 OCD: 650 Phobia - social: 190 Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis): 40 Allergy risk of anaphylaxis unknown or not fully assessed: 10 Failure to thrive: 10 Food intolerance: 20 It provides those who are physically or mentally unable to gain access to reliable transportation - which can reduce isolation and improve mental health, thus enabling them to engage more fully in society. But there are claims that people are exploiting the system. Some influencers have even been found to boast online about obtaining these vehicles for minimal costs, and even advising others on how to maximise their benefits. Earlier this year, we reported on one balaclava-wearing influencer who gave viewers a step-by-step guide to obtaining PIP and Motability - and even suggested followers could take the government to court if turned down. In one video, he shows viewers how to pick up an Abarth 695 Sport, usually worth £31,000, for 'basically free'. He said: 'To get this car, all you have to do is pay £599. "This car is an automatic with nearly 200 brake horsepower, and it does 0-60 in 6.5 seconds. The Sun Says Motability scheme has been corrupted beyond recognition by obvious scammers CAN there be a greater example of how our welfare system has spiralled out of control than the grotesque monster that Motability has become? For decades the scheme provided a lifeline for profoundly disabled people. But since Covid, Motability has been allowed to mushroom into a massive industry way past its original remit. A system designed to help the most vulnerable use their Government PIP payments has now warped into a £7billion company supplying one in five new cars in Britain. How? Because thousands claiming to have issues such as anxiety have been allowed to sign up for luxury BMWs and Mercedes 4x4s. Taxpayers are now even coughing up for people who say they are depressed to claim free driving lessons. The Sun is NOT suggesting genuinely disabled people shouldn't be protected. But Motability has been corrupted beyond recognition by hordes of obvious scammers. Labour must ignore the hand-wringers, concentrate on the genuinely needy. And end this insanity once and for all. Hardly good news when debt has ballooned and billions for defence spending is urgently needed. She's right to try to slash the burdensome red tape unnecessarily tying up businesses. But here's a couple of bigger ideas for the Chancellor to add to her growth wish list: Axe Ed Miliband's ruinous Net Zero targets. And stop whacking taxes on families and business. "Did I mention it has a full exhaust system, which absolutely sounds insane?' And another user explained in a video how her four-year-old autistic daughter would be 'driven around in style' after replacing their Vauxhall Zafira with a new Skoda Kodiaq. The family motor is typically worth £36,000, but can be picked up on Motability for just £3,299. John O'Connell, at the Taxpayers' Alliance, said: 'The Government must look at the criteria before this situation gets worse.' But Motability Operations said: 'To use the Motability Scheme, you must receive a higher rate mobility allowance. 'Eligibility for the allowance is determined and awarded by the Government.' Another systemic issue flagged by critics is the three-year replacement cycle for vehicles provided through the scheme. It's argued that this timeframe is unnecessarily short, given the durability and longevity of modern day motors, while replacing vehicles every three years escalates costs and raises concerns about wastefulness. Labour peer John Mann questioned the necessity of such frequent replacements. He said: 'Motability is making too much money. It needs tighter criteria. There needs to be a return of some of this money they have accrued to the exchequer. 'I also question why it is necessary for its customers to change to a new vehicle so regularly. Cars last a long time and the whole point of Motability must be to help people live a normal life. Three years per car is too short a time frame.' While concerns around the scheme's overall financial management, eligibility criteria and misuse are certainly valid, the Motability scheme remains a lifeline for hundreds of thousands of Brits with genuine mobility challenges. Many believe reforming the programme to address certain issues and prevent exploitation could ensure it continues to fulfil its mission - without compromising its vital role in supporting disabled individuals.
The Sun
6 days ago
- Automotive
- The Sun
From constipation to ‘tennis elbow' all bizarre ailments netting Brits brand-new cars under corrupted Motability scheme
TAXPAYERS are funding cars for drivers with ailments including constipation and "tennis elbow". The £600 million-a-year Motability scheme offers essential support to individuals with severe physical or mental disabilities. 2 2 But new figures have laid bare how the scheme - which vital to giving those with physical or mental disabilities access to reliable transportation - has been corrupted beyond recognition. The keys to 40 cars were allocated to individuals with 'tennis elbow', a condition that 'causes pain around the outside of the elbow' but is typically resolved with rest, according to the NHS. And 20 individuals suffering from constipation made use of Motability, along with ten people struggling with a 'failure to thrive'. Over 32,000 new cars were handed over for people suffering anxiety or other depressive disorders, while 800 went to individuals with obesity. While obesity can lead to mobility challenges in severe cases, some believe this inclusion is too broad and leaves the programme's goodwill open to exploitation. What's more, the data shows that 770 cars were leased to individuals with alcohol misuse problems, with 220 going to those with issues around drugs. The data was released in response to a Parliamentary Question, published by the Guido Fawkes website and reported on by the Daily Mail. The scheme, which costs some £600m and is funded by the Department for Work and Pensions, supports around 589,000 claimants in England and Wales as of 2024. It allows beneficiaries to exchange part of their Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for a car, powered wheelchair, or scooter, essentially giving them options tailored to their needs. It also allows friends or relatives to drive the vehicle on their behalf of the claimant, further expanding its usefulness. Furthermore, the initiative drives a significant portion of new car purchases in Britain - accounting for one in five sales across the country. This heavily supporting the automotive industry in the process and, in turn, creating jobs. ADHD/ADD: 9,090 Alcohol misuse: 770 Anxiety and depressive disorders: 32,160 Anxiety disorders - other/type not known: 2,600 Back pain: 6,760 Constipation: 20 Depressive disorder: 7,460 Elbow disorders - other/type not known: 50 Obesity: 800 OCD: 650 Phobia - social: 190 Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis): 40 Allergy risk of anaphylaxis unknown or not fully assessed: 10 Failure to thrive: 10 Food intolerance: 20 It provides those who are physically or mentally unable to gain access to reliable transportation - which can reduce isolation and improve mental health, thus enabling them to engage more fully in society. But there are claims that people are exploiting the system. Some influencers have even been found to boast online about obtaining these vehicles for minimal costs, and even advising others on how to maximise their benefits. Earlier this year, we reported on one balaclava-wearing influencer who gave viewers a step-by-step guide to obtaining PIP and Motability - and even suggested followers could take the government to court if turned down. In one video, he shows viewers how to pick up an Abarth 695 Sport, usually worth £31,000, for 'basically free'. He said: 'To get this car, all you have to do is pay £599. "This car is an automatic with nearly 200 brake horsepower, and it does 0-60 in 6.5 seconds. The Sun Says Motability scheme has been corrupted beyond recognition by obvious scammers CAN there be a greater example of how our welfare system has spiralled out of control than the grotesque monster that Motability has become? For decades the scheme provided a lifeline for profoundly disabled people. But since Covid, Motability has been allowed to mushroom into a massive industry way past its original remit. A system designed to help the most vulnerable use their Government PIP payments has now warped into a £7billion company supplying one in five new cars in Britain. How? Because thousands claiming to have issues such as anxiety have been allowed to sign up for luxury BMWs and Mercedes 4x4s. Taxpayers are now even coughing up for people who say they are depressed to claim free driving lessons. The Sun is NOT suggesting genuinely disabled people shouldn't be protected. But Motability has been corrupted beyond recognition by hordes of obvious scammers. Labour must ignore the hand-wringers, concentrate on the genuinely needy. And end this insanity once and for all. Hardly good news when debt has ballooned and billions for defence spending is urgently needed. She's right to try to slash the burdensome red tape unnecessarily tying up businesses. But here's a couple of bigger ideas for the Chancellor to add to her growth wish list: Axe Ed Miliband's ruinous Net Zero targets. And stop whacking taxes on families and business. "Did I mention it has a full exhaust system, which absolutely sounds insane?' And another user explained in a video how her four-year-old autistic daughter would be 'driven around in style' after replacing their Vauxhall Zafira with a new Skoda Kodiaq. The family motor is typically worth £36,000, but can be picked up on Motability for just £3,299. John O'Connell, at the Taxpayers' Alliance, said: 'The Government must look at the criteria before this situation gets worse.' But Motability Operations said: 'To use the Motability Scheme, you must receive a higher rate mobility allowance. 'Eligibility for the allowance is determined and awarded by the Government.' Another systemic issue flagged by critics is the three-year replacement cycle for vehicles provided through the scheme. It's argued that this timeframe is unnecessarily short, given the durability and longevity of modern day motors, while replacing vehicles every three years escalates costs and raises concerns about wastefulness. Labour peer John Mann questioned the necessity of such frequent replacements. He said: 'Motability is making too much money. It needs tighter criteria. There needs to be a return of some of this money they have accrued to the exchequer. 'I also question why it is necessary for its customers to change to a new vehicle so regularly. Cars last a long time and the whole point of Motability must be to help people live a normal life. Three years per car is too short a time frame.' While concerns around the scheme's overall financial management, eligibility criteria and misuse are certainly valid, the Motability scheme remains a lifeline for hundreds of thousands of Brits with genuine mobility challenges. Many believe reforming the programme to address certain issues and prevent exploitation could ensure it continues to fulfil its mission - without compromising its vital role in supporting disabled individuals.
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Government-backed motability scheme that could get you a free car
By Taxpayers are funding cars for people with conditions including 'constipation', 'tennis elbow' and 'anxiety'. New figures reveal the government-backed Motability scheme is also being used to provide vehicles for drivers who have abused alcohol or drugs. Motability was set up to help those with serious physical disabilities get around. But the bloated scheme is now being used by people with a wide variety of ailments. A table shows they include over 32,000 new motors for people suffering anxiety or other depressive disorders, while 40 cars went to people with 'tennis elbow', a condition which the NHS advises 'usually goes away with rest'. A further 20 people suffering from constipation made use of Motability, along with 190 who had 'social phobia', the official figures show. Ten people struggling with a 'failure to thrive' got a taxpayer-funded car, and so did another 20 with a 'food intolerance'. A full breakdown of the figures was released in response to a Parliamentary Question and published by the Guido Fawkes website which said some £600million was funnelled from the Department for Work and Pensions into the scheme in 2024, and, as of April, some 589,000 benefits claimants in England and Wales have the publicly-subsidised cars. The way the scheme works, eligible benefit claimants – meaning those who receive an enhanced rate for qualifying mobility difficulties - can choose to swap a portion of their payments for a new car, scooter or powered wheelchair. The figures show that 800 cars have gone to people with obesity and 230 to those with Tourette's syndrome. Some 770 people with 'alcohol misuse' conditions and another 220 with drug misuse issues lease cars from Motability. The campaign group Crush Crime claims it is 'easier for a drunk-driver to get a free car than a lifetime driving ban', adding: 'Yes, they can get a car BECAUSE they have an alcohol problem.' Motability stressed that 'anyone with an unspent drink-driving conviction cannot drive our vehicles'. Motability came under fire recently as it emerged people online boasted of gaming the system to get new cars 'basically free'. Incredibly, the publicly-funded private company is now so big it buys one in five new cars sold in Britain – and friends or relatives of Motability customers can drive them too. The boss earns £750,000 and – as the Mail revealed earlier this year – Motability is sitting on a £4billion stockpile. Meanwhile TikTok 'influencers' are fuelling the Motability scandal by encouraging Britons to cash in on brand new cars. A non-refundable advance payment based on the value of the vehicle due at the outset is required, but at a significantly lower cost. The scheme has been coming under fire for months amid fears the system is being abused. The boom in claimants, who must be in receipt of benefits in the form of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or the Disability Living Allowance (DLA), has proved lucrative for Motability, whose turnover soared to £7billion last year. Meanwhile Motability Operations, the company behind the Motability charity, is sitting on a surplus of £4billion - all of which is stemming from taxpayers' money. One TikTok 'influencer', masking his full face with a red balaclava, handed out tips to claim a £31,000 car for 'essentially free'. He tells his 25,000 followers the best way to obtain PIP and Motability, even advising people to take the Government to court if they are turned down. In one video, he reveals the best way to cash in on an Abarth 695 Sport, worth around £31,000, saying: 'To get this car, all you have to do is pay £599... but there's a catch. You have to be in the Motability scheme, meaning you have to be getting PIP, more specifically the Motability aspect of it. You need to get 12 points of that, however if you have a family member on PIP or if you are on PIP yourself you can exchange your allowance to get this car.' In other videos, first reported by The Sun, he advises his followers how to find out if they are eligible for the Motability scheme and reveals how he acquired his Seat Arona, worth up to £29,850, 'for free'. Filming a video while driving around in the car, he says: 'A question I get asked a lot is how did I get my car completely free? I've got this car completely free, so the way I got this car was through the Motability scheme. 'The way I got this car was going into a dealership, giving them the letter, them confirming the benefit and just getting the car ordered... it came within four days.' Another user shared a video boasting how her four-year-old autistic daughter can be 'driven around in style' after the family replaced their Vauxhall Zafira with a flash new Skoda Kodiaq. The vehicle is usually worth around £36,000 but can be leased for £3,299 on the Motability scheme. Motability claimants are supposed to prove they struggle to leave their home or cannot plan and follow a journey route without help to get the required '12 points'. John O'Connell, at the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: 'The Government must look at the criteria before this situation gets worse.' Motability Operations, which runs the Motability scheme, said: 'To use the Motability Scheme, you must receive a higher rate mobility allowance. Eligibility for the allowance is determined and awarded by the Government.' The Department for Work and Pensions, which makes the decisions on who is eligible for disability benefit claims, said: 'People in receipt of an eligible benefit can choose to join the Motability Scheme. Any misuse of the scheme is a matter for Motability and, where appropriate, the police.' One of the most notorious incidents involving a Motability recipient hit the headlines in May last year when a couple called Bernard (pictured) and Ann McDonagh were convicted of a string of 'dine and dash' offences. When the McDonaghs and their children went to the Bella Ciao restaurant in Swansea one day last April, they were clearly in the mood to splash out. Their main courses included the two most expensive items on the menu – T-bone and fillet steaks – and when it came to pudding they ordered 'double desserts'. 'They wanted two brownies on a plate,' the owner of the restaurant said later. But when the time came to settle the £329 bill for her party of five, Mrs McDonagh tried to pay with a savings account card. After this had been declined twice, she told the proprietor: 'I'm going to go to the car to get another card, I'll leave my son here as proof that you can trust me.' Unfortunately, for Bella Ciao's bottom line, McDonagh Jr made a run for it shortly afterwards and the family made their escape in a blue Ford Transit van. It later emerged that the McDonaghs had been given the brand-new vehicle by Motability on a three-year lease but, far from putting them on the road to productive employment, it became their getaway vehicle. Their choice of a Ford Transit is illustrative of the range of models that are available to Motability's clients, who are presented with an eye-catching catalogue of gleaming new vehicles. By handing over £60 of their weekly PIP mobility benefit, a claimant can find themselves driving away with an all-electric Dacia Spring – retail price £15,000 – for no upfront cost . In exchange for the full £75.75 weekly allowance, a claimant can 'purchase' a petrol Nissan Juke SUV – retail price £23,000. For people in dire need of assistance with transportation owing to a disability, these vehicles can be essential to their physical and mental wellbeing. But it becomes less clear as to the immediate benefits to the taxpayer when you look further down the list of vehicles purchased by Motability – which enjoys zero VAT on the hire and resale of its vehicles. For an upfront payment of £7,999, customers can walk away with a brand-new BMW i4 M Sport, which retails at £50,000 and accelerates from 0-60mph in five seconds, or, for the same upfront price, a Mercedes-Benz CLA Coupe. Once the lease on a vehicle is up, Motability sells it on the open market, with the profits going back into the company. Labour peer John Mann (pictured), who has previously raised concerns about the company, says: 'Motability is making too much money. It needs tighter criteria. There needs to be a return of some of this money they have accrued to the exchequer. I also question why it is necessary for its customers to change to a new vehicle so regularly. Cars last a long time and the whole point of Motability must be to help people live a normal life. Three years per car is too short a time-frame.'
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Revealed: The VERY strange ailments that are netting sufferers a free, brand-new car funded by the taxpayer
Taxpayers are funding cars for people with conditions including 'constipation', 'tennis elbow' and 'anxiety'. New figures reveal the government-backed Motability scheme is also being used to provide vehicles for drivers who have abused alcohol or drugs. Motability was set up to help those with serious physical disabilities get around. But the bloated scheme is now being used by people with a wide variety of ailments. A table shows they include over 32,000 new motors for people suffering anxiety or other depressive disorders, while 40 cars went to people with 'tennis elbow', a condition which the NHS advises 'usually goes away with rest'. A further 20 people suffering from constipation made use of Motability, along with 190 who had 'social phobia', the official figures show. Ten people struggling with a 'failure to thrive' got a taxpayer-funded car, and so did another 20 with a 'food intolerance'. A full breakdown of the figures was released in response to a Parliamentary Question and published by the Guido Fawkes website which said some £600million was funnelled from the Department for Work and Pensions into the scheme in 2024, and, as of April, some 589,000 benefits claimants in England and Wales have the publicly-subsidised cars. Online 'influencers' dish out tips for getting Motability cars, including this TikTok user hiding his full face with a red balaclava offering advice on claiming a £31,000 car for 'essentially free' In other videos, he advises his followers how to find out if they are eligible for the Motability scheme (left) and reveals how he acquired his Seat Arona 'for free' (right) Constipation and 'tennis elbow'...some of the more startling conditions for getting a taxpayer-funded car ADHD/ADD: 9,090 Alcohol misuse: 770 Anxiety and depressive disorders: 32,160 Anxiety disorders - other/type not known: 2,600 Back pain: 6,760 Constipation: 20 Depressive disorder: 7,460 Elbow disorders - other/type not known: 50 Obesity: 800 OCD: 650 Phobia - social: 190 Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis): 40 Allergy risk of anaphylaxis unknown or not fully assessed: 10 Failure to thrive: 10 Food intolerance: 20 The way the scheme works, eligible benefit claimants – meaning those who receive an enhanced rate for qualifying mobility difficulties - can choose to swap a portion of their payments for a new car, scooter or powered wheelchair. The figures show that 800 cars have gone to people with obesity and 230 to those with Tourette's syndrome. Some 770 people with 'alcohol misuse' conditions and another 220 with drug misuse issues lease cars from Motability. The campaign group Crush Crime claims it is 'easier for a drunk-driver to get a free car than a lifetime driving ban', adding: 'Yes, they can get a car BECAUSE they have an alcohol problem.' Motability stressed that 'anyone with an unspent drink-driving conviction cannot drive our vehicles'. Motability came under fire recently as it emerged people online boasted of gaming the system to get new cars 'basically free'. Incredibly, the publicly-funded private company is now so big it buys one in five new cars sold in Britain – and friends or relatives of Motability customers can drive them too. The boss earns £750,000 and – as the Mail revealed earlier this year – Motability is sitting on a £4billion stockpile. Meanwhile TikTok 'influencers' are fuelling the Motability scandal by encouraging Britons to cash in on brand new cars. A non-refundable advance payment based on the value of the vehicle due at the outset is required, but at a significantly lower cost. The scheme has been coming under fire for months amid fears the system is being abused. The boom in claimants, who must be in receipt of benefits in the form of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or the Disability Living Allowance (DLA), has proved lucrative for Motability, whose turnover soared to £7billion last year. Meanwhile Motability Operations, the company behind the Motability charity, is sitting on a surplus of £4billion - all of which is stemming from taxpayers' money. One TikTok 'influencer', masking his full face with a red balaclava, handed out tips to claim a £31,000 car for 'essentially free'. He tells his 25,000 followers the best way to obtain PIP and Motability, even advising people to take the Government to court if they are turned down. In one video, he reveals the best way to cash in on an Abarth 695 Sport, worth around £31,000, saying: 'To get this car, all you have to do is pay £599... but there's a catch. You have to be in the Motability scheme, meaning you have to be getting PIP, more specifically the Motability aspect of it. 'You need to get 12 points of that, however if you have a family member on PIP or if you are on PIP yourself you can exchange your allowance to get this car.' In other videos, first reported by The Sun, he advises his followers how to find out if they are eligible for the Motability scheme and reveals how he acquired his Seat Arona, worth up to £29,850, 'for free'. Filming a video while driving around in the car, he says: 'A question I get asked a lot is how did I get my car completely free? I've got this car completely free, so the way I got this car was through the Motability scheme. 'The way I got this car was going into a dealership, giving them the letter, them confirming the benefit and just getting the car ordered... it came within four days.' Another user shared a video boasting how her four-year-old autistic daughter can be 'driven around in style' after the family replaced their Vauxhall Zafira with a flash new Skoda Kodiaq. The vehicle is usually worth around £36,000 but can be leased for £3,299 on the Motability scheme. Motability claimants are supposed to prove they struggle to leave their home or cannot plan and follow a journey route without help to get the required '12 points'. John O'Connell, at the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: 'The Government must look at the criteria before this situation gets worse.' Motability Operations, which runs the Motability scheme, said: 'To use the Motability Scheme, you must receive a higher rate mobility allowance. Eligibility for the allowance is determined and awarded by the Government.' The Department for Work and Pensions, which makes the decisions on who is eligible for disability benefit claims, said: 'People in receipt of an eligible benefit can choose to join the Motability Scheme. Any misuse of the scheme is a matter for Motability and, where appropriate, the police.' One of the most notorious incidents involving a Motability recipient hit the headlines in May last year when a couple called Bernard and Ann McDonagh were convicted of a string of 'dine and dash' offences. When the McDonaghs and their children went to the Bella Ciao restaurant in Swansea one day last April, they were clearly in the mood to splash out. Their main courses included the two most expensive items on the menu – T-bone and fillet steaks – and when it came to pudding they ordered 'double desserts'. 'They wanted two brownies on a plate,' the owner of the restaurant said later. But when the time came to settle the £329 bill for her party of five, Mrs McDonagh tried to pay with a savings account card. After this had been declined twice, she told the proprietor: 'I'm going to go to the car to get another card, I'll leave my son here as proof that you can trust me.' Unfortunately, for Bella Ciao's bottom line, McDonagh Jr made a run for it shortly afterwards and the family made their escape in a blue Ford Transit van. It later emerged that the McDonaghs had been given the brand-new vehicle by Motability on a three-year lease but, far from putting them on the road to productive employment, it became their getaway vehicle. Their choice of a Ford Transit is illustrative of the range of models that are available to Motability's clients, who are presented with an eye-catching catalogue of gleaming new vehicles. By handing over £60 of their weekly PIP mobility benefit, a claimant can find themselves driving away with an all-electric Dacia Spring – retail price £15,000 – for no upfront cost. In exchange for the full £75.75 weekly allowance, a claimant can 'purchase' a petrol Nissan Juke SUV – retail price £23,000. For people in dire need of assistance with transportation owing to a disability, these vehicles can be essential to their physical and mental wellbeing. But it becomes less clear as to the immediate benefits to the taxpayer when you look further down the list of vehicles purchased by Motability – which enjoys zero VAT on the hire and resale of its vehicles. For an upfront payment of £7,999, customers can walk away with a brand-new BMW i4 M Sport, which retails at £50,000 and accelerates from 0-60mph in five seconds, or, for the same upfront price, a Mercedes-Benz CLA Coupe. Once the lease on a vehicle is up, Motability sells it on the open market, with the profits going back into the company. Labour peer John Mann, who has previously raised concerns about the company, says: 'Motability is making too much money. It needs tighter criteria. There needs to be a return of some of this money they have accrued to the exchequer. 'I also question why it is necessary for its customers to change to a new vehicle so regularly. Cars last a long time and the whole point of Motability must be to help people live a normal life. Three years per car is too short a time-frame.'
Telegraph
03-04-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
David Lammy spent over £1m on private jets in three months
David Lammy spent more than £1 million on private jets in just three months despite Labour's vow to crack down on expensive ministerial flights. The Foreign Secretary 's air travel bill rose to £1.2 million between October and December 2024, with the vast majority going on private flights. It equates to more than £14,000 per day, with the lion's share spent on trips on a ministerial jet, according to the Guido Fawkes political blog. There is no suggestion Mr Lammy's use of private jets is out of kilter with his predecessors. However, it risks a hypocrisy row for Labour ministers, who previously lashed out at the Conservatives over their own use of private flights. In October 2023, Rachel Reeves, now the Chancellor, promised a 'crackdown on Tory ministers' private jet habit' if Labour came to power. She said: 'We will enforce the ministerial code on the use of private planes and save millions of pounds for taxpayers in the process.' Angela Rayner, now the Deputy Prime Minister, also criticised Liz Truss for using a private jet when she was foreign secretary, claiming it showed 'exactly quite how little respect this Conservative government has for taxpayers' money'. Labour also described Rishi Sunak, the former prime minister, as 'out of touch' after he used private planes and helicopters to travel around the UK during the general election campaign. 'Newly-minted ministers' Guido Fawkes reported that Mr Lammy's spending on air travel rose to £1.2 million between October and December last year, up roughly a third on the previous three-month period. Private flights accounted for the majority of the bill, at around £1.1 million, the website said. Mr Lammy faced scrutiny over his travel habits just weeks after entering government when he used a private plane to travel to New Delhi. Andrew Murrison, the former Conservative minister, accused 'newly-minted ministers' of 'jaw-dropping' hypocrisy for 'hopping on and off' private jets. In response, Lucy Powell, the Commons Leader, said: 'I'm glad he raises that point because we're actually having a debate this afternoon on trust in politicians and politics, as this Government brings forward its manifesto commitment to take action on the sleaze and scandal and cronyism we saw in the last Parliament.' A spokesman for the Foreign Office said: 'At a time of significant global upheaval, it is vital that the Foreign Secretary can travel abroad – often at very short notice – to defend and champion the UK's interests. 'Ministerial travel plans are decided with consideration of the best use of a minister's time and overhead costs, in line with established practice by successive governments. These costs are consistent with his predecessors in the previous government. 'This Foreign Secretary remains committed to ensuring the most cost-effective way of travel, delivering best value for money for the taxpayer.'
