BBC News | NORTHERN IRELAND | Drive to end Motability fraud

A fresh drive to stamp out fraud in the Motability scheme has been announced by the Northern Ireland department for social development.

The clampdown on those cheating the system will be jointly spearheaded by the department and Motability charity, it said on Tuesday.

Motability was founded almost 25 years ago as a voluntary, non-profitmaking scheme to help disabled people with access to cars and wheelchair facilities.

Those receiving the higher rate of the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) can use that payment to wholly or partly finance the lease of a vehicle.

Negotiated

They are also given preferential insurance and servicing arrangements negotiated by Motability.

Only those people in receipt of the DLA higher rate mobility component can apply for a vehicle.

We have taken steps to reduce the risk of fraud within DLA

Nigel Dodds, Social Development Minister

Among the actions to be undertaken to help safeguard the scheme are:

The removal of drivers with an unacceptable insurance claims history

An increase in the level of vetting of driver and hirer information at application stage

Additional checks on the vehicle use, to be carried out during the contract hire period

A review of dealership accreditation processes to ensure that they are as robust as practically possible.

Minister for Social Development Nigel Dodds said: "Protecting the Motability Scheme, which is very important to some of the most disadvantaged and vulnerable people in our society, is something that I and my department are fully committed to.

Nigel Dodds: "Committed"

"This final report from the Motability Task Force makes recommendations which my department will implement in partnership with Motability and other agencies.

"Customers access the Motability Scheme through the Disability Living Allowance (DLA) which is administered by the Social Security Agency.

Quality of life

"We have taken steps to reduce the risk of fraud within DLA and I am confident that the recommendations of the Taskforce report will provide Motability with the necessary measures to tackle fraud within their scheme."

The minister said the scheme provided an opportunity for people with a disability to improve their quality of life and expand their world by making them mobile.

"While preventing abuse of the scheme it is important that we also ensure those who need and deserve help through Motability obtain it," said the minister.

More than 22,000 of the 77,000 higher rate DLA recipients in Northern Ireland take advantage of the scheme.


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