TikTok influencers have fuelled a 30 per cent surge in taxpayer-funded disability scheme claims over the past five years, an investigation has revealed.
Social media users have been found sharing step-by-step guides on how to obtain “basically free” luxury vehicles worth tens of thousands of pounds through the Motability programme.
The scheme, intended as a lifeline for those with severe disabilities, now has approximately 815,000 participants receiving new cars.
In one shocking case, an “influencer” with 25,000 followers demonstrated how to acquire a £31,000 car at minimal cost to the claimant.
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Drivers can claim disability allowances for car purchases according to new reports
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Critics have argued that the dramatic increase in approvals, particularly for mental health conditions, suggests the well-intentioned initiative is being exploited at taxpayers’ expense.
To qualify, claimants must prove they struggle to leave their homes or cannot plan and follow journeys without assistance.
The investigation uncovered numerous TikTok videos promoting the scheme as a way to obtain luxury vehicles with minimal personal expense.
In one example, a man wearing a balaclava provided information for followers with detailed instructions for securing Personal Independence Payment and Motability benefits.
He showcased an Abarth 695 Sport, typically priced at £31,000, which he claimed could be obtained for “basically free” with just a £599 payment.
The man boasted: “This car is an automatic with near enough 200 brake horsepower, and it does 0-60 in 6.5 seconds. Did I mention it has a full exhaust system, which absolutely sounds insane?”
The man even advised followers they could take the Government to court if their application were rejected.
The investigation revealed striking approval rates for various mental health conditions under the Motability scheme, with 51 per cent of those claiming Personal Independence Payment for depression successfully qualified for Motability benefits.
In total, 66 per cent of applicants citing agoraphobia were approved, while 35 per cent of claimants who listed “bedwetting” as their condition were accepted into the programme.
Meanwhile, the TaxPayers’ Alliance reported that approvals for ADHD have skyrocketed by 1,400 per cent over nine years. Benefits claimants in the higher mobility PIP bracket must exchange their £75-a-week allowance for a vehicle, which they lease for three years.
The investigation highlighted several examples of scheme beneficiaries showcasing their vehicles on social media. One TikTok user revealed how her four-year-old autistic daughter would be “driven around in style” after upgrading from a Vauxhall Zafira to a new Skoda Kodiaq.
The family SUV typically retails for £36,000 but was available through Motability for just £3,299. Another user posted a video of a black SUV with the caption “DLA-MOBILITY. Completed it”, celebrating their successful claim. Other videos showed claimants displaying new vehicles shortly after winning mobility tribunals.
The surge in approvals for non-physical conditions has raised questions about whether the scheme’s criteria have become too lenient. Shadow Welfare Secretary Helen Wheatley told The Sun: “The Motability scheme is a classic case of a well-intentioned initiative that has got way out of hand.”
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To obtain a disability allowance for vehicles, claimants must prove they struggle to leave their homes without access to a vehicle
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However, Nigel Fletcher, chief executive of the Motability Foundation charity, defended the programme, explaining that around one-third of people who receive a higher-rate mobility allowance choose to spend it leasing a car through the Motability Scheme “rather than receiving cash from the Government in their bank”.
A Department for Work and Pensions spokesperson insisted the scheme remains financially sound, saying: “The scheme comes at no additional cost to the taxpayer. People claiming benefits must sacrifice some of their existing payments to lease a car.”