As costs increase and budgets get smaller, we all want to know how we can keep our expenses to a minimum wherever we can. If you are learning to drive, you may be wondering if you can get financial help with your driving lessons.
The short answer is yes; there is support available from a number of charities and councils to help pay for lessons. However, you will need to meet certain criteria to be eligible.
What are the eligibility criteria for getting financial help?
To find out if you can receive financial support towards the cost of driving lessons, it is important to check if you are entitled to receive extra financial help before applying. You may be eligible for financial support if you are receiving one of the following state benefits:
- Personal Independent Payment (PIP)
- Disability Living Allowance
- Universal Credit
- Housing Benefit
What is PIP?
Personal Independent Payment, also known as PIP for short, is money available for people who require extra support due to a disability. PIP is available for people aged 16 to 64 and is not means-tested, which means it does not matter how much income you have or how much you have saved. It has a specific component aimed at helping people improve their mobility.
I am receiving PIP – am I automatically eligible?
Receiving PIP does not automatically mean you will receive financial help with your driving lessons. However, you could be eligible, based on your circumstances, to receive funding for driving lessons through the charity Motability. Even if you are not eligible, PIP provides funding towards travel costs and other expenses, which can help you to save for driving lessons.
Am I eligible for Motability’s Driving Lessons Grant?
Disability charity Motability offers up to 40 hours of free driving lessons for some people who already receive PIP or Disability Living Allowance, through their Driving Lessons Grant.
To qualify for financial help with your driving lessons through Motability, you will need:
- To be a Motability Scheme customer. If you receive the enhanced rate of the PIP mobility component, you can lease a vehicle through the Motability Scheme. To be eligible for the grant, you will need to either already be leasing a vehicle or due to receive one within four months.
- Be on a Government-assessed means-tested benefit, such as: Universal Credit; Income Support; Employment and Support Allowance (income-related); Job-seekers Allowance (income-based); Housing Benefit; Council Tax Benefit; Pension Guarantee Credit; Working Tax Credit.
- Have your provisional licence.
You will need to pay for your theory test and your practical tests yourself, but the grant will help pay towards the cost of any driving lessons.
How can I apply?
If you think that you may qualify for financial help through Motability, you can call them on 0800 5003186 to request an application form for their Driving Lessons Grant. Once submitted, it can take up to ten weeks for your application to be processed and approved.
Sally Anne Jones, a driveJohnson’s pupil taking her driving lessons in Greenock, recently benefitted from the Grant. She said, “It took a while to hear that my application had been approved but it was worth the wait. I couldn’t have afforded to learn otherwise.”
I am a Carer. Can I get financial support towards driving lessons?
If you are caring for someone who needs help getting around, financial support may be available to help pay towards your driving lessons. This support varies widely based on where you live, the needs of the person you care for and your finances.
Where can I find out if I am eligible for financial help?
The following places are good places to search to see if you are entitled to funding as a carer for driving lessons:
- Carers Assessment. Your local social services may provide you with funding to learn to drive if you can show that this would greatly benefit the person you care for.
- The Carers Trust. Your local Carers Trust network partner may offer grants towards the cost of learning to drive and, if not, point you to other local services that can help. You can search for your local partner here.
- Turn2Us. The Turn2Us website provides information on financial support for carers across the UK. To find out the funding available for you for driving lessons, search here or contact them directly.
I am leaving care and need financial help learning to drive. Is there funding available for me?
If so, you may be able to apply for funding from the following:
- The Capstone Care Leavers Trust. The trust offers funding towards various costs for care leavers, including driving lessons. You will need to be aged 17 to 25 to apply, and be able to prove that you need to drive for a job you already have or live in a rural area where transport is poor. You will also need to have your provisional licence and have passed your theory before applying.
- Your local authority. Your council offer some support towards the costs of learning to drive. The support will vary depending on where you live and your personal circumstances, such as whether you are currently employed. To find out the eligibility criteria of your local area, check out your council’s website.
None of the above applies to me. What can I do?
If none of the above applies to you and you are struggling financially, there are always other options.
The cost of driving lessons can vary depending on where you live. Here at driveJohnson’s, we offer a range of competitive prices and deals for our learner drivers. For the latest prices in your local area, as well as details of sales and pricing packages aimed at saving you money, check out our prices and offers page.
If you are a parent looking to give financial support to your child, we have compiled a helpful list of tips for parents of learner drivers including information on the costs involved. You can also buy a gift voucher to give your child a jump start towards the cost of their all-important driving lessons.
If it is not possible to ask friends and family for help, a short-term loan with a low interest repayment rate may be an alternative. Supermarkets, such as Tesco and Sainsburys, often offer small loans at competitive prices. A small loan may help, but we always recommend shopping around and ensuring that any repayments will be fully affordable before agreeing to anything.
For further tips on how to save money towards driving costs, check out our article on how to learn to drive on a budget for more details. However you decide to move forward, know that paying for driving lessons is paying for a skill that will last you a lifetime. That is an investment worth having!
