Crime & Safety
DWP responds to backlash over Motability scheme changes
The petition, created by Dave Walton, has already attracted more than 59,000 signatures and argues that new charges and lower mileage allowances will unfairly hit disabled people who rely on Motability vehicles every day.
Now the Department for Work and Pensions has officially responded, defending the reforms and insisting the scheme will remain accessible.
The petition can be found here.
What changes are being made to Motability?
Under changes announced alongside the Budget, disabled drivers taking out new Motability leases will face:
- VAT relief being removed from Advance Payments on some vehicles
- Insurance Premium Tax (IPT) being added to leases
- A reduced annual mileage allowance of 10,000 miles for new leases from July 1, 2026
The changes will only affect new leases and will not apply to wheelchair accessible vehicles.
The Motability Scheme currently allows eligible disabled people to exchange part of their disability benefits for a leased vehicle, scooter or powered wheelchair.
Why are people angry?
Campaigners say the changes could leave many disabled people unable to afford suitable vehicles.
The petition argues that disabled people often rely on cars for short but essential trips that quickly add up in mileage, especially in rural areas where public transport options are limited.
It warns that extra costs linked to taxes and mileage restrictions could reduce independence for some of the country’s most vulnerable people.
The petition states: “Many disabled people earn considerably less than average and a cost increase could mean they struggle to get a car.”
DWP Says Reforms Are About ‘Fairness to Taxpayers’
In its official response, the DWP said the Government and Motability had worked together to develop reforms that balance support for disabled people with “fairness to the taxpayer”.
The department said the changes are expected to save more than £1 billion by the 2030/31 financial year.
It also stressed that:
- Eligibility for disability benefits will not change
- Eligibility for the Motability Scheme will remain the same
- Insurance, servicing, maintenance and breakdown cover will still be included
The Government added that most current customers drive fewer than 10,000 miles annually.
The DWP said: “The Government and Motability have worked in partnership to develop a suite of reforms which strikes the right balance between delivering a key service for disabled people and fairness to the taxpayer, saving over £1 billion by financial year 2030/31.
“These reforms will not affect eligibility for the Motability Scheme or disability benefits.
“The VAT relief for Advanced Payments – a one-off payment made to lease more expensive vehicles – will be removed and Insurance Premium Tax (IPT) will apply to leases at the standard rate, bringing tax treatment in line with commercial leasing firms.
“These changes will only apply to customers taking out new leases with Motability and will not apply to current leases or to wheelchair accessible vehicles in recognition of the additional costs associated with these vehicles. VAT reliefs on weekly lease costs and vehicle resale will remain in place.”
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Motability said it plans to introduce an exceptions process for people who need to travel further because of their circumstances.
The petition remains open until July 15, 2026 and could still trigger a debate in Parliament if it reaches 100,000 signatures.
Meanwhile, disabled drivers and campaigners continue to raise concerns over whether the changes will disproportionately affect those who rely most heavily on their vehicles for day-to-day life.
What do you think of the changes? Tell us in the comments below.
Daniel Kaveh, 24, Justin Hughes, 25 and Kailan Chadbone, 20, were each sentenced to years in jail at Oxford Crown Court on Friday, May 29 for supplying and dealing drugs on the streets of Oxford.
Kaveh, of Lambourn Road in Oxford, and Hughes, of Woodperry Road, played ‘significant’ roles in an ‘open line’ class A drugs operation in Blackbird Leys between November 2024 and last November, the court heard.
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Kaveh was previously in court in 2021 after pulling out a ‘Rambo’ knife in a stabbing incident in Lambourn Road in Rose Hill in November 2020 which resulted in a 12 month jail sentence suspended for two years.
Between them, they supplied around 4.6kg of crack cocaine and heroin to the drugs line.
Police raids on Hughes’ home also found 232g powder cocaine and 2.338kg of cannabis, for which he was sentenced for possession with intent to supply, along with a quantity of cash, drugs paraphernalia and weapons.
Raids on Kaveh’s property found similar equipment and drugs like heroin and diamorphine, with a total street value of more than £100,000.
It was established the two dealers worked for Emman Riasat, who ran his own drug line in Oxford and wholesale supplied drugs to the line operating out of Blackbird Leys.
Hughes received a jail sentence of six years and nine months for two counts of class A drug supply and two counts of possession, while Kaveh was jailed for seven years and six months for two counts of class A drug supply.
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Also working for Riasat was Chadbone, of Bernwood Road, who worked lower down in the operation as a drugs runner.
He pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine and diamorphine between August 1 and November 19, 2025, committed while he was serving a suspended sentence for affray.
Chadbone received a total of 45 months in jail for two counts of drug supply and the breach of a previous suspended sentence.
‘Sundays in the Park’ took place in Garth Park on May 31, thanks to a collaboration between Bicester Town Council and Bicester Live.
Visitors enjoyed performances from Ukesnaile, Bicester Concert Band, and Malish, offering a variety of covers from pop to garage.
Food was provided by Garth Park Kitchen, with options like British bockwurst, halloumi buns, and wood-fired cheeseburgers, while others brought their own picnics to enjoy in the sunshine.
The council’s events team said: “We can’t wait to welcome you all for an afternoon of live music, great food, and community fun in the beautiful surroundings of Garth Park.”
The next ‘Sundays in the Park’ event will be held on June 14, featuring Hook Norton Brass Band and local soloists, starting at 12.30pm.
In a Facebook post on ‘Raise the Colours: Oxfordshire’, the principal leader of the group asked campaigners to join the demonstration for ‘justice for Henry Nowak’.
The protest follows days of demonstration outside the police station following the murder of University of Southampton student Henry Nowak.
Protesters hurled bins, chairs and bricks at police as hundreds gathered outside the station.
READ MORE: Nationalist group to protest after murder of student
Activist Tommy Robinson and former actor Laurence Fox were among those who spoke to the crowd.
Speaking to the crowd Robinson said: “I heard someone say this wasn’t about race, this is about race.
“A white boy who done nothing was handcuffed, a murderer in possession of a knife who stabbed someone five times isn’t.”
Demonstrators were heard chanting “Henry, Henry” as large group moved across town and threw object at police in riot gear.
The controversy surrounding the murder of Mr Nowak centres on the initial police response after the 18-year-old student was stabbed in Southampton in December 2025.
A trial heard that officers arriving at the scene were allegedly misled by the killer, Vickrum Digwa, 23, who claimed he had been the victim of a racist assault.
Police initially placed Mr Nowak in handcuffs.
In camera footage Nowak can be heard telling officers that he had been stabbed, with an officer on the scene replying “don’t think you have mate”.
Hampshire police’s Deputy Chief Constable Robert France said that within three minutes of interacting with Nowak they were starting to perform CPR.
He added that: “This is a complete tragedy and I am sorry that they couldn’t save Henry that night and I’m sorry that Henry was handcuffed and arrested as he lost consciousness.”
In a statement to the press outside Southampton Crown Court after Digwa was sentenced, Mark Nowak, Henry’s father, said: “We are calling on the Government to treat knife crime as the national emergency that it is.
“Henry did not die with dignity. He did not die with the care he deserved. He lost consciousness before anyone believed him.”
A group of Oxford ‘patriots’ are due to protest in Oxford this week as well.
Aiden Noble, organiser of the protests, is calling on the public to stand in ‘justice for Henry Nowak’ on Friday, June 5.
The group will gather at 6pm outside Carfax Tower to ‘demand answers, accountability, and justice for Henry Nowak’.
The protests join other demonstrations in Southampton, Birmingham, Nottingham, Blackpool, Liverpool, London, and Gloucester.
Vickrum Digwa was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 21 years served on Monday for the murder of 18-year-old Mr Nowak in Southampton.
PM accuses Farage of exploiting Nowak case to sow ‘division’ and denies ‘two-tier policing’ claim
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