Thousands of people with mild mental health conditions will lose the right to free or heavily subsidized cars under a Conservative government, Kemi Badenoch is announcing today. The £3 billion Motability scheme provides vehicles for people with long-term illnesses or disabilities, but one in three claims are from people with conditions such as ADHD, mild depression and anxiety.
Mrs Badenoch said: “Welfare isn't working. Instead of a system where those who genuinely need support can access it, we have created one where it is all too easy to abuse the generosity of hardworking people. These changes to Motability are fair, proportionate and reduce the burden on taxpayers.”
It comes as the Conservative leader prepares to announce further radical plans to cut the welfare bill in a speech this week.
Motability allows people to use the “mobility allowance” element of Personal Independence Payments (PIP), a benefit for the ill or disabled, to lease a car. But a third of awards for the mobility element are for minor mental health conditions and the number of recipients more than doubled from 730,000 in 2019 to 1.75 million in 2025.
Conservatives would make these ailments ineligible for the money, a change they say is only possible because their plan to leave the European Convention on Human Rights would prevent legal challenges.
Motability gained 170,000 new customers last year, bringing the total to 815,000. Cash is taken straight out of benefits, with some recipients paying an additional element if they choose a larger car.
The Department for Work and Pensions said £3 billion in benefit payments was spent on vehicles in 2024-25.
Last month the government announced that luxury vehicles such as BMW and Mercedes would be removed from the scheme.
Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Helen Whately said: “Ending this Motability madness is just one of many reforms the next Conservative Government to ensure welfare in this country is fair and fit for purpose.”
A Labor spokesperson said: “This Labor Government is already taking tough action to reform the Motability scheme and save taxpayers hundreds of millions every year, including by removing luxury cars. Decisions like these are vital so we can grow the economy, bring down debt, cut NHS waiting lists and cut the cost of living.”
“Kemi Badenoch's Conservatives allowed welfare and debt to spiral completely out of control across 14 years of failure in government. The Tories' message on welfare is: we broke it, now put us back in charge.”