Disability Driving Instructors

To be eligible for funded driving lessons you must be a Motability customer with a car, mobility scooter or powered wheelchair through the scheme (or on order and due for delivery within 3 months). There is no upper age limit for applying for funded driving tuition.

Up to 40 hours of driving lessons may be available from Motability for disabled people who receive the enhanced rate mobility component of PIP (Personal Independence Payment) or the higher rate mobility component of DLA (Disability Living Allowance) and receive certain means tested benefits:

• Universal Credit;
• Income Support;
• Employment and Support Allowance (income-related);
• Job Seekers Allowance (income-based);
• Housing Benefit;
• Council Tax Benefit (Council Tax Support, Council Tax Reduction) or Rate Relief for customers living in Northern Ireland (not including the 25% discount under the Disabled Band Reduction Scheme or Single Occupancy Reduction);
• Pension Guarantee Credit;
• Working Tax Credit;
• Child Tax Credit.

Or if you are in full-time education or training, and your parents/guardians receive the means tested benefits the funded driving tuition may be available.

Full time education is defined as education in pursuit of a course, where a substantial period of each week is spent receiving tuition, engaging in practical work, receiving supervised study or taking examinations. Training is defined as an unpaid apprenticeship.

All grant applications are means-tested to ensure Motability supports those most in need of a charitable grant and help as many beneficiaries as possible with the charitable funds available. This means we will look at your financial situation to determine if we are able to provide a grant towards your lessons.

Grants are awarded in line with Motability’s policies and following thorough consideration of the information submitted in the application. All grant awards are final. Applications that Motability considers do not meet their criteria will not receive grant funding.

For further details please contact Motability on 0300 456 4566 to discuss or visit the website: https://www.motabilityfoundation.org.uk/charitable-grants/access-to-mobility-grants/driving-lessons/

The Motability funded tuition scheme is managed by BSM. An initial 2 hour lesson is awarded during which identification details and licence entitlement will be checked, the theory test will have to be applied for and a test date allocated, before the next 12 hours funding is allocated; during these 12 hours of tuition the theory test must be passed, the grant for the final 26 hours tuition will only then be made. It is important therefore that study for the theory test is started as soon as possible, if it is not passed within the first 14 hours of tuition, funding will stop; tuition can continue but it will have to be self funded until the theory test is passed.

Whether you can manage with standard controls, or if you need adaptations, BSM should find a specially trained instructor (either a BSM or an independent instructor) with a suitable tuition car; if more specialist controls are required and driving schools have not got a suitably adapted vehicle then tuition can be undertaken in the client’s adapted car to which Motability would fit a dual instructors brake. If there is any difficulty finding a driving instructor in your area contact Disability Driving Instructors via the Contact Us page.

If you are a full licence holder using adaptations for the first time, Motability may be able to fund up to 6 hours familiarisation training, they may also fund the fitting of a dual instructors brake in your vehicle if an instructors tuition vehicle with the necessary adaptations is not available. Contact Motability on 0300 456 4566 to discuss this.

Updated 28.12.2023