Motability Scheme to introduce UK customer town halls from 2027
The Motability Scheme has announced plans to introduce quarterly customer town halls across the UK from 2027, giving disabled people, their families and carers more opportunities to help shape the future of the Scheme.
The plans follow a recent commitment from Motability Operations CEO Andrew Miller to continue strengthening engagement with customers.
In a message to customers, Miller said the organisation would “keep listening, keep learning and keep evolving the Scheme”.
He added: “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.”
From 2027, the Motability Scheme plans to hold customer town halls every quarter in locations across the UK.
The sessions are intended to give customers direct access to those responsible for running the Scheme, while allowing participants to help determine the issues discussed.
Conversations will cover the Motability Scheme and its services, as well as wider issues affecting customers’ lives and mobility. Feedback gathered through the sessions will be used to help inform the Scheme’s future development.
Lisa Thomas, Chief Customer and Marketing 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.”
When asked how feedback gathered through the town halls would translate into practical changes, Thomas said the Scheme wanted customers to see that sharing their experiences could lead to action.
She commented: “We want our customers to know that when they share their experiences with us, we listen and, where we can, we act.
“We’ve seen that this year, with feedback on the new mileage allowance helping shape additional support, and feedback about Drive Smart leading to the programme being paused.
“Where we can’t act alone, we’ll amplify our customer voices to shape the debate, like with our EV Transition Tracker, which is shared across the automotive sector and government.”
The new town halls will build on existing face-to-face engagement with customers.
In May, customers were invited to participate in focus groups at Motability Scheme Live in Birmingham, where they met Miller, Thomas and Motability Foundation CEO Nigel Fletcher to discuss recent changes to the Scheme and share their views.
A further focus group is due to take place at Motability Scheme Live in Edinburgh, attended by Thomas and Motability Operations Chief Operating Officer Gavin Thomson.
The Scheme’s customer listening programme also gathers feedback through surveys, research and direct conversations.
Motability Operations says customer research played an important role following last year’s Autumn Budget, when the Scheme had to respond to significant additional costs.
Feedback helped shape subsequent changes, including protecting the Scheme’s all-inclusive package of insurance, servicing, maintenance and breakdown cover, which customers identified as particularly important.
Customer feedback also contributed to the decision to pause the Drive Smart programme.
Insights gathered from customers are also being shared with manufacturers and other Scheme partners, providing potentially valuable information for the development of future accessible vehicles and services.
On how this customer insight can influence the wider industry, Thomas pointed to work already undertaken with wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV) users.
She explained: “We work closely with manufacturers and our Scheme partners, and an important part of that is making sure they hear directly about what our customers need.
“Last year, for example, we brought WAV users together in a workshop to tell us more about what they needed from future electric vehicles. We took those insights to manufacturers, and they’ve already helped inform Kia’s new PV5.
“We’ll keep using our customer interactions to champion their needs with industry and make sure their experiences are part of the conversation as new products and services are developed.”
The transition to electric vehicles is one area where the Scheme believes further work is needed to improve the experience of disabled motorists.
Through its EV Transition Tracker, the Motability Scheme gathers information about customers’ experiences of moving to electric vehicles and the accessibility barriers they encounter.
When asked where the mobility industry could improve the customer experience for disabled people, Thomas highlighted both home and public charging infrastructure as particular concerns.
She said: “A particular concern for our customers is the shift to electric vehicles. Through our EV Transition Tracker, we hear directly about what makes the transition harder for disabled people – from being able to charge conveniently at home to finding public charging that is easy to use.
“We’re using those insights with the mobility industry to push for a more accessible transition and want to work with manufacturers to do whatever we can to help.
“As the UK moves away from petrol and diesel vehicles, we need to make sure disabled people aren’t left behind, and their needs are considered from the start.”
Customers will also soon be invited through Lifestyle Magazine to register their interest in joining Headlight, the Scheme’s customer research community.
Headlight brings together around 6,000 customers who share their experiences and views to help inform the development of the Scheme.
Together with the planned town halls and other face-to-face sessions, the research community is designed to give customers, families and carers a wider range of ways to share their priorities and influence how the Motability Scheme evolves.
For the mobility trade, the programme also offers a route for customers’ experiences to feed into discussions with manufacturers, Scheme partners and policymakers, potentially influencing the development of future vehicles, adaptations, services and accessible EV infrastructure.
