The Motability Scheme was conceived in 1977 to enable people with mobility issues to lease a new car using a mobility allowance as part of their disability benefits.
Today if you receive the Higher Rate Mobility Component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA), the Enhanced Rate of the Mobility Component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP), the War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement (WPMS) or the Armed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP) you would be eligible to join the Motability Scheme.
If you are eligible, you don’t have to be limited to a small city car as you may suspect. There are a number of options available from Mercedes-Benz to keep you moving.
A selection of the Mercedes-Benz A-Class models is available, with the A180 petrol and A180 and A200 diesels in a variety of trim levels in the scheme.
All are available in either manual or automatic and will take up all of your allowance in weekly rental, plus an advance payment (with the exception of those on WPMS in the case of the A180d), varying from £899 to £2,399.
A180d models also qualify for zero-rate VED, with CO2 emissions of 89g/km – equivalent to 80.7mpg.
If you need a bit more room, the Mercedes-Benz B-Class is also available, with a wide range of trims and engines within the Motability scheme and again with both manual and automatic options.
The range starts with the B180 diesel in SE specification, available with an advanced payment of £1,599 (£588 for those in receipt of WPMS) and taking up all of your weekly allowance in rental. This car is also available in Sport and AMG Line trims, as is the case with the B180 petrol.
You can also select the B200 diesel in SE, Sport and AMG Line specifications, and again with manual or auto options, topping out at an advanced payment of £2,999 (or £1,988 on WPMS). If you’re under 25 too, the B-Class will be the only Mercedes-Benz you’re permitted to drive.
Of course crossovers are in-demand at the moment too, particularly for the elevated driving position, and four of the Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class range are also available.
All of the available GLAs are the 200d diesel model, with either Sport or AMG Line trims, and your choice of automatic or manual gearbox. This will, like the other cars here, swallow your entire allowance, with initial payments from £1,699 to £2,999 (£688 to £1,688 for WPMS recipients).