Motability cars available for less than the weekly disability allowance
If you're eligible to exchange your weekly DLA/PIP allowance, here are the cars you can get through the Motability Scheme for up to £62.25 a week...
For those who are eligible for disability living allowance (DLA) in the UK, the Motability Scheme is an excellent way to use that towards leasing a brand new car, maintained and managed by the scheme, and offering a selection of accessibility adaptations included in the price.
There’s a huge wealth of cars available through Motability, with most requiring an upfront payment and all of your weekly DLA/PIP allowance (Personal Independence Payment) going towards the lease. However, there are a selection of cars available that require no upfront payment, and a few will even leave you with a couple of pounds left.
The allowances currently accepted by Motability include the Higher Rate Mobility Component of Disability Living Allowance (HRMC DLA), Enhanced Rate of the Mobility Component of Personal Independence Payment (ERMC PIP), Mobility element of the Armed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP), or the War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement (WPMS). In 2020, the maximum amount given under these allowances is £62.25 per week (£69.50 for the WPMS), and all of the cars below can be leased for less than that, guaranteed for the length of the contract.
Bear in mind, though, that a lot of the models available under those terms are basic or entry-level trims, so may miss out on more sophisticated tech and features. If you’re able, it may be worth exploring higher levels of trim for a slightly higher price if you’re looking for a particular feature. You’re also limited in terms of the automatic models available for this price, which is worth considering if you require mobility adaptations for driving.
Here are our recommended models available through the Motability Scheme for those needing to consider their budget.
Fiat 500
Model Fiat 500 1.0 POP (mild-hybrid)
Weekly lease £57.50
We wouldn’t necessarily recommend the Fiat 500 as a cash purchase, mostly because there are larger, more practical and more comfortable city cars available for less money. That said, there’s no denying that the Fiat 500 is a hugely popular car, and it's great news that Motability customers can one for less than their full allowance.
The 500 only comes in two-door form, and it will come as no surprise that access to both the front and rear seats will be a struggle if you have issues with your movement. Within the weekly allowance, the Motability Scheme also offers the Fiat 500L and Fiat 500X SUVs, both of which have more interior space, and even the Fiat 500C convertible for a bit of roof-down fun.
Read our full Fiat 500 review >>
Dacia Duster
Model Dacia Duster 1.0 TCE 100 Access
Weekly lease £59.75
The Dacia Duster offers incredible value for money. Its starting price is far lower than any other family SUV rival and it is easily the biggest and most spacious car available for less than your weekly allowance. It has a comfortable ride and is even available with four-wheel drive if you need a bit more grip in wintery conditions. However, the Access trim level available at this price point is the most basic, and doesn’t even provide air conditioning, while the 1.0-litre engine with 99bhp has to work hard in a car of this size. Our recommended Duster is the higher-powered TCe 130 in Comfort trim.
Read our full Dacia Duster review >>
Hyundai i20
Model Hyundai i20 1.0 T-GDI SE automatic
Weekly lease £60.00
Despite its small size, the Hyundai i20 has one of the biggest boots in the class, with a handy height-adjustable boot floor from this SE trim and above. In the highest position, it removes the step created by the folded rear seats to help you load and slide heavy items along the floor. The 1.0-litre petrol engine may sound small, but it's turbocharged, so is much punchier than you might expect and it copes well on longer motorway journeys. The i20 is also available with an automatic gearbox, should you need to add driving adaptations through the Motability scheme.
Read our full Hyundai i20 review >>
Renault Captur
Model Renault Captur 1.0 TCE 100 Play
Weekly lease £61.20
The Renault Captur small SUV offers a decent amount of space, both in the boot and in its rear seats, and the rear bench slides back and forth to prioritise leg room or boot space, depending on your usage. A height-adjustable boot floor also features on all trims to help when loading and sliding bulky items. This version of the 1.0 petrol engine is fine for driving around town, but it might not be suitable if you expect to do a lot of motorway driving. This engine is also only available with a manual gearbox.
Model Volkswagen Up 1.0 Beats 5dr
Weekly lease £61.25
The Volkswagen Up is tiny, and this makes it extremely handy around town. It comes in three-door and more practical five-door forms, and both are available within the weekly allowance under Motability. However, our recommended trim level, Beats, adds niceties such as ambient lighting, a multi-function steering wheel and an upgraded Beats audio system for less than a few pounds a week on top of your allowance. It’s worth noting, though, that the Up isn’t available with an automatic gearbox and only has two seatbelts in the back.
Read our full Volkswagen Up review >>
Renault Clio
Model Renault Clio 1.0 TCE 100 Iconic [BOSE]
Weekly lease £61.50
This version of the Renault Clio is actually our recommendation of the range as a whole, not just those available through Motability. The mid-range Iconic trim gets rear parking sensors and a large, portrait touchscreen infotainment system, which has big, easy to read icons but is bit slow to respond when prodded. The Clio provides plenty of space both up front and in the rear seats, while the boot is bigger than those of some bigger family cars. A height-adjustable boot floor is also included for easy loading of heavy items.
Read our full Renault Clio review >>
Kia Ceed
Model Kia Ceed 1.0 T-GDI 3
Weekly lease £62.25
The Kia Ceed hatchback has a punchy 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine that copes well on long motorway journeys, as well as around town. It also has a large, square boot, which comes with a height-adjustable floor as standard. If you still want more space, the Kia Ceed Sportswagen estate is also available on these terms through Motability and offers acres of space with the rear seats folded. All Ceeds come well equipped, with the ‘3’ trim here offering an upgraded touchscreen infotainment screen, dual-zone climate control and automatic wipers.
Kia Picanto
Model Kia Picanto 1.25 3 automatic
Weekly lease £60.75
As our 2020 Value Car of the Year, we'd recommend the Kia Picanto to anyone looking to make the most of their budget. There are a few higher trim levels available through the Motability Scheme, but this mid-level '3' is our winner, coming with cruise control, a touchscreen infotainment system and upgraded safety kit. The 1.25-litre petrol engine is our pick of the Picanto range, being gutsy enough for motorway driving as well as nippy around town. The Picanto's boot is bigger than the Volkswagen Up's, too, and roomy enough for the fruits of a decent supermarket session. It also beats the Up by having three seats in the back and the option of an automatic gearbox.
Read our full Kia Picanto review >>
Seat Arona
Model Seat Arona 1.0 TSI 115 SE Technology automatic
Weekly lease £62.25
The Seat Arona is one of our favourites in the small SUV class, with plenty of space for both passengers and luggage. There’s a high roofline so even tall adults won’t find their hair touching the roof, while a height-adjustable boot floor is standard on all models and the boot has a wide, square opening. SE Technology trim comes with a touchscreen infotainment system and rear parking sensors, and this version of the Arona also can also be had with an automatic gearbox.
Model Seat Ibiza 1.0 TSI 115 FR
Weekly lease £62.25
The Seat Ibiza gained the top five-star rating in our road tests, so it’s impressive that it’s available for such a low price on the Motability scheme. In fact, the scheme doesn’t offer our recommended 1.0 TSI engine with 94bhp, and only the higher-powered version with 113bhp, so you’ll enjoy its briskness even more. Our favourite FR trim is available with DAB radio, cruise control, an 8.0in touchscreen infotainment system and a built-in sat-nav. The boot is quite narrow with a high load lip, though, so it's not be the easiest to load large bulky items into.
Read our full Seat Ibiza review >>
To read all of What Car?'s Motability guides click here
For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here
Best sports cars 2024 – plus the one to avoid
If you want ultimate driving thrills, you need a sports car, but the best can do more than simply go fast
