People claiming benefits including Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Adult Disability Payment (ADP) and Disability Living Allowance (DLA), might not know they could get driving lessons for free through a grant offered by the Motability charity. Claimants can get grants that will be offset against the cost of learning to drive as the lessons are offered through the 'Driving Lessons Grant Programme'.
Disabled people who already have a licence but need familiarisation lessons can also benefit from grants, according to Lancs Live. This may be useful to anyone who needs to get used to new adapted vehicle.
The scheme offers up to 40 hours of driving lessons to help people pass their tests and give them more independence. But people are warned they will still be required to pay for their theory and practical driving tests themselves, reports the Daily Record.
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James Armstrong, CEO of Veygo Insurance explains the current cost of getting your driving licence: "With the average driving lesson now costing £35 per hour, and learner drivers needing around 45 hours of professional instruction to pass their tests, the cost of learning to drive is currently sitting around £1,575. This is nearly 5% of the average annual income for a UK household (£32,300 in 2022), introducing a huge cost and barrier to learning to drive for many across the country.”
The guidance states: "All grant applications are means-tested to ensure Motability supports those most in need of a charitable grant and help as many beneficiaries as possible with the charitable funds available. This means we will look at your financial situation to determine if we are able to provide a grant towards your lessons."
The Motability Driving Lessons Grant Programme currently prioritises funding for people want to learn to drive and who:
1. In receipt of one of these disability allowances:
- Enhanced Rate of the Mobility Component of PIP
Enhanced Rate Mobility Component of the Adult Disability Payment
- Higher Rate Mobility Component of Disability Living Allowance
- Higher Rate Mobility Component of Child Disability Payment
- War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
2. Receive a Government assessed means-tested benefit, including
- Universal Credit
- Income Support
- Employment and Support Allowance (income-related)
- Job Seekers Allowance (income-based)
- Housing Benefit
- Council Tax Benefit (Council Tax Support, Council Tax Reduction)
- Pension Guarantee Credit
- Working Tax Credit
- Child Tax Credit
You must also have a current lease agreement on the Motability Scheme or have a pending application for a vehicle on the Motability Scheme, with a confirmed date to take delivery of the vehicle within the next four months.
For more information about the grant, visit the Motability website, here.
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