In England and Wales, people lease a mobility scooter or powered wheelchair through the Motability Scheme using the enhanced rate of the mobility part of Personal Independence Payment (PIP). In Scotland, PIP is being replaced by devolved benefits, and the leasing route runs through a scheme with a different name. This guide explains, from the Scottish Government’s mygov.scot pages and Motability’s own page, how leasing works for people who live in Scotland. It is general information about a benefit-linked scheme; eligibility is decided by Social Security Scotland and Motability Operations.
The scheme has a different name in Scotland
Mygov.scot describes the Accessible Vehicles and Equipment Scheme as helping disabled people to lease a range of vehicles, listing cars, scooters, powered wheelchairs and specially adapted vehicles. The lease is with the scheme’s authorised provider, Motability Operations Ltd, and Motability’s page says that in Scotland the Motability Scheme works through the Government’s Accessible Vehicles and Equipment scheme. The result for a scooter buyer is the same product, leased from the same provider, but with the qualifying benefit and paperwork coming from Social Security Scotland.
The England and Wales version of the story is in the site’s guide to the Motability Scheme and PIP.
Which benefits qualify
Mygov.scot says Social Security Scotland helps pay the lease using all or part of one of three benefits:
- the higher rate mobility component of Child Disability Payment;
- the enhanced rate mobility component of Adult Disability Payment; or
- the higher rate mobility component of Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance (Scottish Adult DLA).
A standard rate of the mobility part does not unlock the scheme. Mygov.scot’s Adult Disability Payment page says that people awarded the mobility part receive either £30.30 a week for a standard award or £80.00 a week for an enhanced award, and that an enhanced award is what allows an application to lease an accessible vehicle. For comparison, GOV.UK’s PIP page lists the same mobility amounts of £30.30 (lower rate) and £80 (higher rate) a week, and separately says that the Motability Scheme is open to those on the higher mobility rate of PIP. Both pages were checked in September 2026, and figures are revised each year, so check the current page before relying on them.
Who can apply
To lease a vehicle for yourself, mygov.scot lists four conditions: you receive one of the qualifying components above, you are 16 or over, you can manage your own payments, and you have at least 12 months until your next scheduled review or an indefinite award. Motability’s page similarly says a person needs at least 12 months remaining on the award. A parent or guardian of a child receiving the higher rate mobility component of Child Disability Payment may apply on the child’s behalf, and an appointee may apply for someone who receives a qualifying component.
How to apply
Mygov.scot says the route is through the Motability website, where a customer can choose a vehicle and find a dealership. At the dealership, the customer presents a certificate of entitlement, which is included in the Child Disability Payment or Adult Disability Payment award letter. For people whose benefit is moving to Scottish Adult DLA, Social Security Scotland sends the certificate of entitlement up to five days after the benefit has moved.
If your award is still moving from the DWP
Motability’s Adult Disability Payment page, whose timeline ran into early 2025, says Social Security Scotland began accepting new applications across the whole of Scotland from 29 August 2022, and that it has been transferring some people who already receive PIP or DLA. Anyone who is transferred does not need to re-apply or have a new face-to-face assessment. For people newly joining the scheme during a transfer, Motability says the vehicle can be ordered but cannot be collected until the transfer is complete, because the DWP cannot arrange new payments while an award is moving. Anyone whose award is still moving should check the current position with Motability or Social Security Scotland.
What the lease does not cover
Leasing is separate from the road rules that apply to the scooter itself. Class 2 and Class 3 categories, registration of a Class 3 scooter and fitness rules still apply after delivery; see the site’s guides to fitness to use a Class 3 scooter and to free bus travel for disabled people in Scotland for other Scottish entitlements. Motability’s page also notes that a person on Attendance Allowance cannot apply to join the scheme.
Frequently asked questions
Is it still called the Motability Scheme in Scotland? Motability’s page says the Scheme works through the Government’s Accessible Vehicles and Equipment scheme there, with Motability Operations Ltd as the provider.
Does the standard mobility rate qualify? No. Mygov.scot names the enhanced (or higher) rate components only.
Can a parent lease a scooter for a child? A parent or guardian may apply on behalf of a child receiving the higher rate mobility component of Child Disability Payment, according to mygov.scot.
The bottom line
In Scotland, a scooter or powered wheelchair lease runs through the Accessible Vehicles and Equipment Scheme, funded from the enhanced mobility rate of Adult Disability Payment, the higher rate of Child Disability Payment or Scottish Adult DLA. Applicants need at least 12 months until their next review or an indefinite award, and apply through the Motability website with their certificate of entitlement.
Sources
- mygov.scot, "Apply to lease an accessible vehicle"
- mygov.scot, "Adult Disability Payment"
- Motability Scheme, "Adult Disability Payment" (motability.co.uk)
- GOV.UK, "Personal Independence Payment (PIP): How much you’ll get"