More engagement from Motability

Motability Scheme to launch customer town halls in 2027

The Motability Scheme is creating new opportunities for disabled people, their families and carers to share what matters to them, with plans to introduce customer “town halls” across the UK from 2027.

The town halls will run alongside continued online research studies and more face-to-face focus groups at Motability Scheme Live events, building on the Scheme’s existing customer listening programme of surveys, research, feedback and everyday conversations with customers.

 

A direct commitment to keep listening

The plans follow a recent commitment made by Motability Operations CEO, Andrew Miller, directly to customers, in which he said the organisation would keep listening, keep learning and keep evolving the Scheme.

Andrew Miller, CEO, Motability Operations, said:

“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.”

Customers to help set the agenda

As part of the programme, the Scheme plans to introduce customer town halls each quarter across the UK in 2027, creating more opportunities for those running the Scheme to hear directly from customers. Customers taking part will be able to help decide the issues discussed, with room to talk not only about the Scheme and its services, but about wider issues affecting their lives and mobility. Their experiences will help inform how the Scheme develops in future.

Lisa Thomas, Chief Customer Officer, 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.”

Building on face-to-face engagement already under way

The town halls will build on face-to-face engagement already taking place between customers and those running the Motability Scheme. In May, customers were invited to take part in focus groups at Motability Scheme Live in Birmingham, where they met Miller, Thomas and Nigel Fletcher, CEO of the Motability Foundation, to discuss recent Scheme changes and share their views. Next month, a further focus group will take place at Motability Scheme Live in Edinburgh, attended by Thomas and Chief Operating Officer Gavin Thomson, providing another opportunity to hear directly from customers.

 

An established programme of customer listening

This work builds on the Scheme’s ongoing listening programme, with customers sharing their experiences every day through surveys, research and conversations with the Scheme. Following last year’s Autumn Budget, this listening has been more important than ever, as the Scheme had to respond to significant additional costs. Research with customers helped shape the changes that followed, including protecting the all-inclusive package of insurance, servicing, maintenance and breakdown cover that customers said they valued most. Customer feedback on Drive Smart also led to that programme being paused.

 

Using insight to advocate for customers

Customer insight also helps the Scheme make sure disabled people’s experiences are heard externally. Through its EV Transition Tracker, the Motability Scheme hears from customers about their experiences of the transition to electric vehicles and the barriers they face. These insights inform its work with government and industry stakeholders, helping to ensure disabled customers are not left behind as the UK moves away from petrol and diesel vehicles.

 

More ways for customers to get involved

Alongside the new programme of engagement, the Scheme is expanding the ways customers, their families and carers can share their priorities:

• Quarterly customer town halls across the UK, starting in 2027, open to discussion on the Scheme and on wider mobility issues.
• Face-to-face focus groups at Motability Scheme Live events, including the upcoming session in Edinburgh.
• Headlight, the Scheme’s customer research community of around 6,000 members, which customers will soon be invited to join via Lifestyle Magazine.

Together, these different opportunities are designed to give customers more ways to share their feedback and experiences, helping to shape the Scheme as it looks to the future.

 

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Further reading and resources

The Motability Scheme: an Independent Living guide
Changes to the Motability Scheme

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