Disabled people to get more opportunities to share their views as Motability Scheme grows engagement programme

The Motability Scheme is creating new opportunities for disabled people, their families and carers to share what matters to them next year.

The plans follow a recent commitment made by Motability Operations CEO, Andrew Miller, directly to customers in which he said the organisation would “keep listening, keep learning and keep evolving the Scheme.”

Miller continued in his message: “As the world continues to change around us, we want customers to have a real voice in the Scheme’s future. To me, that means getting even closer to our customers, hearing what matters most to them and making sure those experiences continue to shape our decisions.”

As part of the programme, the Scheme plans to introduce customer town halls each quarter across the UK in 2027, creating more opportunities for those running the Scheme to hear directly from customers. 

Customers taking part will be able to help decide the issues discussed, creating opportunities to talk not only about the Scheme and its services, but about wider issues impacting their lives and mobility. Their experiences will help inform how the Scheme develops in the future.

Lisa Thomas, Chief Customer Officer for the Motability Scheme, said: “We know how important the Scheme is to our customers and their families. Listening to them - not just about the Scheme, but about the things that matter in their lives - will help ensure it continues to meet their needs now and in the future.”

The town halls will build on face-to-face engagement already taking place between customers and those running the Motability Scheme. In May, customers were invited to take part in focus groups at Motability Scheme Live in Birmingham, where they met with Miller, Thomas and Nigel Fletcher, CEO of the Motability Foundation to discuss the recent Scheme changes and share their views.

Next month, a further focus group will take place at Motability Scheme Live in Edinburgh, attended by Thomas and Chief Operating Officer, Gavin Thomson, providing another opportunity to hear directly from customers.

Building on an established programme of customer listening 

This work builds on the Scheme’s ongoing listening programme, with customers sharing their experiences every day through surveys, research and conversations with the Scheme.

Following last year’s Autumn Budget, this listening has been more important than ever as the Scheme had to respond to significant additional costs. Research with customers helped shape the changes, including protecting the all-inclusive package of insurance, servicing, maintenance and breakdown cover that customers said they valued most.

Similarly, customer feedback on Drive Smart led to the programme being paused.

Using insight to advocate for customers

Customer insight also helps the Scheme make sure disabled people’s experiences are heard externally. Through its EV Transition Tracker, the Motability Scheme hears from customers about their experiences of the transition to electric vehicles and the barriers they face. These insights inform its work with government and industry stakeholders, helping to ensure disabled customers aren’t left behind as the UK moves away from petrol and diesel vehicles.

More opportunities for customers to get involved

In Lifestyle Magazine, customers will soon be invited to register their interest in joining Headlight - the Scheme’s customer research community, which brings together around 6,000 customers to share their experiences and help shape the Scheme.

Alongside the new town halls and face-to-face sessions, Headlight provides another way for customers, their families and carers to share their priorities as the Scheme continues to evolve.

Together, the different opportunities are designed to give customers more ways to share their feedback and experiences, helping to shape the Scheme as it looks to the future.