Published 15 June 2026 · Last updated 22 June 2026
The Motability Foundation has changed who can apply for its grants, opening the door to far smaller organisations as part of a renewed five year strategy. The move is good news for the grassroots groups that often help disabled people access mobility scooters, wheelchairs and accessible transport in their local communities.
Under the updated rules, the Foundation will consider grant applications from organisations with an annual turnover of £50,000 and above. Previously, applicants needed a turnover of at least £150,000 sustained over three years, a threshold that locked out many smaller charities and Deaf and Disabled People’s Organisations. By lowering the bar, the Foundation says it wants funding to reach the groups closest to the people who need help most.
Charities and Deaf and Disabled People’s Organisations will be able to apply for grants of between £50,000 and £1 million across five funding rounds. The programmes focus on accessible and shared transport, community transport, and projects that help disabled people stay mobile as the way we all travel continues to change.
The Foundation says the change followed extensive consultation. In developing its strategy it spoke with more than 1,000 disabled people, MPs, partners and organisations working in accessible transport. A recurring theme was that smaller organisations, which often understand local barriers better than anyone, were being excluded by funding criteria designed for larger bodies.
It is important to separate the two sides of the Motability world. The Motability Scheme leases cars, scooters and powered wheelchairs to people who receive the higher rate mobility allowance. The Motability Foundation is the charity that sits behind it, funding wider projects and offering grants both to individuals facing hardship and to organisations. The grant changes described here relate to the Foundation’s organisational funding, not to individual lease applications.
For individuals, the Foundation continues to offer charitable grants, including transitional support for customers who leave the Scheme after a benefits reassessment. Anyone exploring funding for personal equipment may also want to look at the range of mobility aids available and compare suppliers before committing.
The wider significance is what this signals about accessible transport funding in 2026. With an ageing population and growing demand for everything from community minibuses to powered wheelchairs, smaller charities are increasingly the front line of support. Giving them access to six and seven figure grants could help close gaps that statutory services do not reach.
Organisations interested in applying can read the full criteria on the Motability Foundation website. The strategy change was reported by Civil Society, and the funding rounds were detailed by UK Fundraising.
If you run a local group that helps people get around, this is a development worth acting on, as the broadened criteria may make your work eligible for substantial support for the first time.
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Published 15 June 2026 · Last updated 22 June 2026