Accessible Vehicle and Equipment Scheme quarterly meeting group minutes: March 2022

Attendees and apologies

Scottish Government attendees 

• Nikola Plunkett, Unit head, Disability Benefits Policy 
• Margaret Grigor, Disability Benefits Service Manager, Social Security programme
• Gordon Dawson, Accessible Vehicle and Equipment Scheme Product Lead, Programme Management and Delivery, Social Security Programme
• Shonagh Martin, Disability Benefits Policy Officer, Disability Benefits Policy

Motability attendees

• Barry Le Grys
• Rachael Badger
• Ian Goswell (Motability Opertations Limited)
• Michelle Vellacot (Motability Opertations Limited) 

Items and actions

Welcome

The Chair welcomed members to the second Motability quarterly meeting.

Brief discussion of terms of reference for quarterly meetings with reference to accompanying meeting paper 1 of 1 - “Terms of Reference”

Members agreed that a review date should be included, which should be in one year or when new members join the scheme.

Members agreed that the meetings would alternate between a policy and delivery focus. This will be reflected in the updated terms of reference, to be circulated soon after the second quarterly meeting.

It was agreed that minutes and papers will ordinarily be published, with sections relating to policy under development or commercially sensitive information redacted if required Motability colleagues would be given the opportunity to comment on minutes and papers before they are published.

Action one: SG officials to update the terms of reference paper with agreed changes.

Reflections on how AVE scheme is serving CDP clients and ADP readiness update

Scottish Government gave Motability colleagues an update on this.

Child Disability Payment (CDP) successfully launched on 22 November 2021. At the same time, the Scottish Government also launched the Accessible Vehicle and Equipment (AVE) Scheme, and the interface (7G), which automates client verification within the dealership.

Since the national launch of CDP, three clients have entered into the AVE Scheme and there have been 26 successful case transfers of cases with a Motability lease. By the end of March, the number of case transfers should increase to over 500.

Adult Disability Payment (ADP) Pilot launches on 21 March 2022 ahead of the national launch in August. Scottish Government officials expect case transfers for Personal Independence Payment Awards to begin in June. Customers transitioning from Disability Living Allowance to ADP will be eligible for the Motability’s transition support package, subject to annual review by Motability governors. Scottish Government officials also welcomed the offer to extend the support package to Scottish clients moving from CDP to ADP. Motability agreed to give reasonable notice to the Scottish Government should there be any changes to the transition support package to allow the Scottish Government to make necessary preparations.

No actions were agreed for this agenda item.

[REDACTED - this information relates to the formulation of government policy]

Completion of the contract between Motability and SG: progress update

SG officials thanked Motability colleagues for their input on this work. The completion of the contract last month was regarded by Motability and SG as a great success.

No actions were agreed for this agenda item.

Relationship with Mobility Access Committee for Scotland (MACS)

SG officials updated that the Minister for Social Security and Local Government met with the MACS Board on 25 January 2022 to discuss the AVE Scheme.

MACS raised some issues with the Minister which he will discuss with Motability next quarter.

No actions were agreed for this agenda item.

Recent parliamentary questions

SG officials updated that Ministers have received five parliamentary questions on the AVE Scheme. These have all come from two MSPs who are both members of the Social Justice and Social Security Committee.

Motability confirmed that they have seen the responses issued for these parliamentary questions and are happy to assist officials by, for example, providing up-to-date information.

No actions were agreed for this agenda item.

Data presentation

Motability asked Scottish Government officials what anonymised data they would like to receive relating to their Scottish client-base. It was agreed that Motability would provide the detail of what data they are already collating that could be adapted for SG. SG will then consider if there is anything else that would be helpful for Ministers.

Action two : Motability to clarify available data already collated.

Action three: Scottish Government Officials to consider what other data they would like to receive from Motability colleagues.

New-to-Motability clients selected for case-transfer

Scottish Government officials have recently devised a process for case transferees who are joining Motability for the first time, and wish to join during the period beginning after they have been selected for case-transfer and ending when entitlement is transferred to an award of CDP or ADP.

No actions were agreed for this agenda item.

AOB and close

Motability advised that their communications teams are working to ensure they present the AVE Scheme in the right way. At the moment, the Department of Work and Pensions use mail to make new clients aware that they are eligible for the Motability scheme. As clients get transferred over to the AVE Scheme, they are being deleted from the DWP’s mailing list

SG officials advised that when clients move over to Social Security Scotland, if they are eligible, they are made aware of the AVE Scheme. Scottish Government officials are also in the process of updating Social Security Scotland’s website with information on the scheme.

Motability raised the issue that Social Security Scotland are sometimes granting awards with a 12 month review period. The award letter-template has been changed to clarify that a condition for securing a Motability -lease is that, starting from the date that clients apply for a vehicle or equipment, there must be at least  12 months until a client’s award is due to be reviewed again.

Scottish Government officials updated that alongside the client’s award letter, the Scottish Government are sending out a separate certificate of entitlement, which informs the client that they’re in receipt of the higher rate mobility component and that they may be eligible for the AVE Scheme.

Members discussed holding an in-person or hybrid meeting in the future. 

The Chair thanked members for attending the meeting and closed.

Action four: officials to confirm the date and format of the next meeting.