Applies to new Motability Scheme orders in the UK; Scotland allowance customers moved to the new terms from 1 September 2026. Figures checked against the Motability Scheme mileage page on 5 November 2026.
What changed, and when
Motability Scheme confirms that the standard mileage allowance was reduced for new orders placed on or after 1 July 2026, as part of wider steps to manage rising costs following UK Government tax changes. The same change reached customers receiving their allowance from Social Security Scotland for orders from 1 September 2026, after discussions between the Scheme and the Scottish Government concluded. The headline figures are simple: 30,000 miles for a standard three-year lease, and 50,000 miles for a new five-year WAV lease. Motability notes that customers drive around 7,500 miles a year on average, so the 10,000-mile yearly average still covers most everyday use. The change only applies to new orders, so if you already hold a lease, your allowance stays exactly as agreed when you ordered.
What extra miles cost
Miles above the allowance are charged at the end of the lease. For orders placed on or after 1 July 2026, Motability lists the excess charge as 25p per mile including standard-rate VAT, or 21p per mile if the lease benefits from VAT relief. That rate applies to the total over the allowance, not per year, so a quiet year does not cancel out a busy one in the way a yearly cap would. Before signing, it is worth adding up the driving you genuinely expect: regular hospital trips, work or study travel, and family journeys all count toward the same total. If the total looks tight, the question is not whether to order, but whether to ask about additional support before you commit, because support is tied to the journeys you need to make.
Help if you need much higher mileage
Motability offers additional support for customers whose essential travel is far above the standard allowance. The support covers healthcare, education and employment journeys, not leisure or holiday travel, and you must be able to show you need more than 3,000 miles a year for those purposes. Where approved, the excess charge on the supported miles is reduced: guidance published for the scheme describes a reduced rate of 10p per mile for up to 5,000 additional miles, and no charge for miles above 5,000 within the approved amount. The exact support is assessed case by case, so treat those figures as the scheme design, not a promise for any individual order, and ask Motability to confirm your position in writing.
Lease type, allowance and excess rate at a glance
Standard three-year lease: 30,000 miles in total, averaging 10,000 miles a year. New five-year WAV lease: 50,000 miles in total. Excess miles on new orders: 25p per mile including VAT, or 21p per mile with VAT relief. Existing leases: unchanged allowance and terms. Scotland allowance customers: new terms from 1 September 2026 for new orders. Average customer driving: around 7,500 miles a year, according to Motability. Use that table against your own diary before ordering, and if your essential journeys alone pass 3,000 miles a year, raise additional mileage support with Motability at the same time as you discuss the vehicle.
