By CLAIRE ELLICOT WHITEHALL EDITOR
A Reform MP has condemned the Motability scheme that allows disabled people to get brand new cars through the benefits system – and called for the return of the 1960s three-wheelers instead.
Lee Anderson, the party’s chief whip, said today the current scheme – which allows disabled people to obtain financing for luxury brands such as BMWs and Mercedes – was an ‘absolute scandal’.
He suggested the Invacar, or invalid carriage, a small single-seater microcar distributed by the NHS that were a common sight in the 1960s, should make a return instead.
Reform UK also unveiled plans to cut welfare by £9billion a year by restricting benefits for mental health claimants.
Mr Anderson’s intervention today came after it was reported that Chancellor Rachel Reeves had decided against tightening the eligibility criteria for the Motability scheme.
There are currently more than 40,000 claimants and the scheme has been criticised for allowing those with more minor conditions to claim the taxpayer-funded cars.
Mr Anderson said: ‘The Motability scheme’s got completely out of hand. One in five, I think, new cars on the road now are a Motability car.’
He added that those claiming benefits would go to hospital in the car ‘and the rest of the time their family are driving around in a brand new BMW – it’s not fair’.
A Reform MP has condemned the Motability scheme that allows disabled people to get brand new cars through the benefits system – and called for the return of the 1960s three-wheelers (pictured) instead
Lee Anderson (pictured), the party’s chief whip, said today the current scheme – which allows disabled people to obtain financing for luxury brands such as BMWs and Mercedes – was an ‘absolute scandal’
The former Labour staffer and Tory MP told a Westminster press conference: ‘It’s an absolute scandal. I remember, back in the day, if you were on disability and you wanted a car from the state, it was a blue three-wheeler. Anybody remember those? What’s wrong with that? Let’s go back to that.’
However, Nigel Fletcher, chief executive of the Motability Foundation, said: ‘Blue trikes were phased out for a reason – they were dangerous, no longer fit for purpose and they restricted disabled people to travelling in isolation.’
The Invacar was banned from English roads in 2003 over safety fears after some overturned and others caught fire.
Today Reform also revealed proposals to tighten the criteria for disability benefits to only the most serious cases, claiming it would save £9billion a year by 2030.
Ms Reeves tried to reduce the size of the benefits bill earlier this year by reducing access to personal independence payments (Pip) but had to back down in the face of a major backbench rebellion.
