Driving Lessons

Disabled people who have a lease agreement on the Motability Scheme or a pending order for a Motability Scheme vehicle (delivery expected within four months), and a provisional driving licence.

Motability Scheme customers with a full driving licence who need familiarisation for new driving controls in a grant-funded vehicle.

You must be in receipt of one of these disability allowances to join the Scheme:

• Enhanced Rate of the Mobility Component of PIP
• Higher Rate Mobility Component of Disability Living Allowance
• Higher Rate Mobility Component of Child Disability Payment
• Enhanced Rate Mobility Component of the Adult Disability Payment (ADP)
• War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement
• Armed Forces Independence Payment

And, to be eligible for driving lessons, you must also receive a Government assessed means-tested benefit (listed below):

• 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.

If you think you are eligible for a grant, please contact us on 0800 500 3186 and ask for a Driving Lesson Grant application form.

Once you submit an application, it will be allocated to a Case Manager for consideration. During busy periods, it may take ten weeks for your application to be reviewed. Please wait for your Case Manager to contact you with an update on the status of your application.

All grant applications are means-tested to ensure we support those most in need of a charitable grant and helps 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 Foundation’s policies and following thorough consideration of the information submitted in the application. All grant awards are final. Applications that we considers do not meet their criteria will not receive grant funding.

If you have a Motability Scheme car on order but only a provisional licence, we can provide up to 40 hours of driving lessons to help you pass your driving test. This includes time to get used to any adaptations or controls you will have in your new car.

You will need to pay for both the theory and practical driving tests.

If you are an existing Scheme customer and have had a Motability Foundation grant for the adaptations made to your car, a Driving Lesson Grant can help pay for familiarisation lessons on how to use the new controls.

We work in partnership with the AA Driving School, who have instructors across the UK, and aim to provide a suitable, local instructor for you. 

When your grant has been approved, the AA finds an instructor for you who will then contact you to arrange your first lesson.  It might take a few weeks, or even months, before your lessons begin.

You should start to study for, and book your theory test when you start your lessons.

Lessons should be taken on a regular basis and ideally, the course of lessons is completed within 12 months from receiving the grant. Progress is monitored and the support offered may be reviewed if necessary.

If you have received a grant towards a vehicle with adaptations and need familiarisation lessons to help build your confidence, we will work with you to support your needs. The support we offer can include paying for a dual brake to be installed to a Scheme vehicle before the lessons take place, if this is needed. We find that most people only need up to five hours of familiarisation lessons, however we may pay for additional hours if you need them.

If you are a Motability Scheme customer who is under 25, in full-time education and your parent/s receive a means-tested benefit, you can apply for a Driving Lessons Grant. 

You must have a provisional license or need familiarisation lessons in your grant funded-vehicle.

If you have been asked to take your driving test again after your licence was revoked (taken away) due to a criminal offence, you cannot apply for a driving lesson grant.

Grants are for first time learners who have not passed their test or for those needing familiarisation lessons for a new driving control.