Is the Motability scheme plagued by abuse?

When working with people with disabilities, I saw many examples of misuse of Motability cars and parking badges: I welcome a crackdown (Mail). If the people who cheat the system were caught, there would be more money in the kitty for those with genuine disabilities. Many people will tell you that not all disabilities are visible — but to have a parking disc you must be unable to walk a required distance, not able to do it in discomfort.

SUE MITCHELL, Bognor Regis, W. Sussex. CLAIMING that most people on the Motability scheme are making false claims (Mail) is misleading. My husband has a Motability car. He had worked since the age of 14 and was forced to give up his job, reluctantly, aged 50, due to ill health. His life is one of constant pain. We’re grateful to have the car but his Disability Living Allowance goes to pay for it. He has had three medical checks in the past 11 years to prove his eligibility. How come some people seem able to get them without proper checks? It saddens me, though, when people say: ‘I wish I could have a Motability car.’ They can have my husband’s pain and we’ll gladly give up the car.

Mrs J. TREVAINS, Plymouth, Devon. I’ve played golf with several people with ‘bad backs’ but perfectly able to walk the course and drive the ball 250 yards without discomfort, despite having Motability cars. The £249 a month given for this is often enhanced to give them a BMW or Mercedes, if they can put down a £9,000 deposit. Often, the ‘disability’ refers to a condition they had ten years ago, but they have no shame in claiming when it is better. One told me he already had a car, so he sold it for £15,000 and took the free car: ‘a no-brainer’. Obviously, there are genuine cases for whom the Motability scheme was designed — but car manufacturers are just interested in selling cars, rather than in helping those people.

GERRY BYRNE, King’s Lynn, Norfolk.