Up to 40 hours of free driving lessons could be available for people claiming certain benefits, such as those on Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Disability Living Allowance (DLA).
Disability charity Motability is offering a Driving Lessons Grant Programme for people receiving higher or enhanced rates of benefits.
Up to 40 hours of lessons with an instructor are available, although beneficiaries will still have to pay for the theory and practical driving tests themselves.
The grant will cover the cost for disabled people who have a provisional licence and aim to learn to drive, while those who have a licence but require familiarisation lessons to get accustomed to newly adapted cars can benefit from the scheme too.
A case manager will be allocated to applicants to means-test applications to ensure eligibility, although this could take up to 10 weeks during busy periods.
The guidance on the charity’s website states: "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.”
The average learner driver requires between 40-50 hours of lessons before they are ready to take their test, so the free lessons could potentially cover someone's entire learning journey.
Are you eligible for the Motability Scheme?
The Motability Driving Lessons Grant Programme prioritises funding for people who would like to learn to drive and who are:
1. In receipt of one of the following disability allowances:
- Enhanced rate of the mobility component of PIP
- Enhanced rate mobility component of the adult disability payment
- Higher rate mobility component of disability living allowance
- Higher rate mobility component of child disability payment
- War pensioners’ mobility supplement
- Armed forces independence payment
2. Receive a government assessed means-tested benefit, including:
- 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)
- Pension guarantee credit
- Working tax credit
- Child tax credit
Applicants need to also have a current lease agreement on the Motability Scheme or have a pending application for a vehicle on the Motability Scheme, with a confirmed date to receive delivery of the vehicle at some point within the next four months.
For more information, visit the Motability website.
