Letter: Motability a boon for the disabled

If ever there was an uninformed letter on the subject of the Motability Scheme, this missive is it.

The Motability Scheme has nothing to do with the benefits system, it is a not-for-profit national charity set up by Royal Charter. It is able to buy or lease fleet vehicles as a major buyer, and therefore is able to negotiate significant discounts on vehicles, often supplied in metallic paint as a bulk purchase or contract.

The fact that it works to do this on behalf of the 600,000 disabled people who currently receive a higher rate mobility component within their Disability Living Allowance, and who replace their vehicles every three years, has little to do with the benefits system.

The Motability Scheme knows all the mechanisms employed by manufacturers, suppliers and insurers and negotiates the best deal for disabled people.

Your argument is against disabled people being major purchasers of private transportation under the workings of an organisation which isn't looking to provide itself with enormous bonuses and fantastic salaries. The words not-for-profit should be a clue here.

I guess the current Government's plan to reform the benefits system has so far escaped your notice. It already has in train the Personal Independence Payment, to replace the current DLA System.

So you'll be pleased to know its plans to reduce the number of disabled people by moving the goalposts. There will be fewer disabled people (apparently) to apply for the Motability Scheme, and the buying power of the charity will be reduced.

This will reduce the discounts that can be negotiated and the choice of vehicles available under the Motability Scheme will be significantly reduced.

So Graham will have his way. The disabled will all be back in three-wheelers within the next couple of years. Damn them for daring to get out of their collective pigeon hole.

Wayne Faulkner, Shrewsbury