Information request and response under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002
FOI Reference: FOI/202500474484
Date received: 4 July 2025
Date responded: 31 July 2025
Information requested
Request for information 1: The cost of the Accessible Vehicles and Equipment Scheme to date.
Request for information 2: Number of people who benefit from the scheme.
Request for information 3: Analysis of the medical conditions of people who benefit from the scheme.
Request for information 4: Age of the (i) newest and (ii) oldest vehicle in the scheme.
Request for information 5: Proportion of vehicles in the scheme which are (A) hybrid and (B) fully electric.
Response
For clarity, clients who are awarded the enhanced rate of the Mobility component of Adult Disability Payment or Child Disability Payment are able to use either the whole or part of that money to access the Accessible Vehicles and Equipment scheme. The Accessible Vehicles and Equipment Scheme helps disabled people to lease a range of vehicles including cars, scooters, powered wheelchairs and specially adapted vehicles. To apply to lease a vehicle using the scheme, clients apply with our authorised provider, Motability Operations Ltd.
Further information is available on the Motability website.
Request for Information 1:
We have interpreted your request to be for the amount paid out via the Accessible Vehicles and Equipment Scheme (AVE).
An exemption under section 27(1) of FOISA applies to some of the information requested because we intend to publish that information on 16 September 2025 which is within 12 weeks of the date of your request. We consider that it is reasonable to withhold the information until that date, rather than release some of this routinely published information before the planned publication date.
This exemption is subject to the ‘public interest test’. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exemption. We recognise that there is some public interest in release because we recognise that there is some public interest in release because it aids transparency in the business of the Agency, and this will be met by our planned publication. In the meantime, there is a greater public interest in taking the time necessary to ensure the information has been properly collated and checked before it is published as planned. Also, we see no public interest in disrupting our programme of work to release the information ahead of the intended publication date.
The information within scope of your request can be found in Table 11, column L.
The information within scope of your request can be found in Table 11, column L
Request for Information 2:
An exemption under section 27(1) of FOISA applies to some of the information requested because we intend to publish that information on 16 September 2025 which is within 12 weeks of the date of your request. We consider that it is reasonable to withhold the information until that date, rather than release some of this routinely published information before the planned publication date.
This exemption is subject to the ‘public interest test’. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exemption. We recognise that there is some public interest in release because we recognise that there is some public interest in release because it aids transparency in the business of the Agency, and this will be met by our planned publication. In the meantime, there is a greater public interest in taking the time necessary to ensure the information has been properly collated and checked before it is published as planned. Also, we see no public interest in disrupting our programme of work to release the information ahead of the intended publication date.
The information within scope of your request can be found in Table 14, column J.
The information within scope of your request can be found in Table 14, column J.
It is important to note that it is not possible to report the total number of clients that have had a successful application for AVE. These statistics show the number in receipt of a mobility award who receive Accessible Vehicles and Equipment payment at a specific point in time, which can fluctuate, and not the number of approved applications per month.
Request for Information 3:
Please find the requested information on the attached document.
‘Unknown’ includes cases where the Primary Disabling Condition is not recorded, or where it is to be determined. A decision on a person’s entitlement is based on an understanding of their level of needs because of their disability or health condition rather than a diagnosis, and the condition information is collected separately for statistical purposes.
Please note that this is management information and therefore has not been quality assured to the same standard as our Official Statistics: Social Security Scotland - Statistics
Although we do not publish details of the medical conditions of people who benefit from the scheme, we do publish details of decisions by disability conditions as part of our official statistics: Social Security Scotland - Adult Disability Payment statistics to 30 April 2025 (Table 5), Social Security Scotland - Child Disability Payment: statistics to 31 March 2025 (Table 5).
Request for Information 4 and 5:
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance Social Security Scotland does not have the information you have requested. You may wish to contact Motability for this information at: https://www.motability.co.uk/get-support/contact/
This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that Social Security Scotland does not have the information you have requested.
About FOI
Social Security Scotland is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. The Scottish Government also publishes responses to requests. You can view the responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.
FOI 202500474484