Can You Get a Wheelchair Accessible Motorhome or Campervan on Motability?

It's one of the first questions we hear from customers considering a wheelchair accessible motorhome or campervan: "Can I get it through Motability?"

The honest answer is no - and yes, depending on what you mean.

The Motability Scheme, which lets you exchange your mobility allowance for a leased vehicle, does not currently cover motorhomes or campervans. That's confirmed directly by Motability Operations, and it applies to all sizes and types of motorhome, including van conversions.

But that's not the end of the conversation.

There are meaningful financial benefits available to wheelchair users buying an accessible motorhome or campervan - and understanding them could save you a significant amount of money.

This guide sets out exactly what's available, who qualifies, and how the process works.

Why the Motability Scheme Doesn't Cover Motorhomes

The Motability Scheme is designed for everyday transport - cars and wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVs) used as a primary means of getting around. Because motorhomes and campervans serve a dual purpose as both transport and accommodation, they fall outside the scheme's scope.

This isn't a recent change or an oversight. It's a structural feature of how the scheme works, and it's unlikely to change.

What you can get through Motability: cars, wheelchair accessible vehicles, scooters, and powered wheelchairs. If you're looking for a WAV for daily use, the scheme is worth exploring. For leisure and travel, the routes below are what matter.

What Is Available: Your Funding Options

1. VAT Zero-Rating - the Biggest Financial Benefit

If you are a wheelchair user purchasing a new wheelchair accessible motorhome or campervan, you may be entitled to buy it completely VAT-free.

VAT zero-rating means you pay no VAT on either the base vehicle or the accessibility adaptations - a saving of 20% on the total purchase price. On a motorhome or campervan costing £70,000, that's a £14,000 saving. On a larger build, it's more.

Confirmed for 2026: The Government has confirmed that VAT zero-rating will continue to apply to wheelchair accessible vehicles. Despite broader changes to the Motability Scheme coming into effect from July 2026, the VAT exemption for wheelchair accessible vehicles remains intact.

Who qualifies:

• You must be a wheelchair user - someone who normally uses a wheelchair for mobility

• Occasional wheelchair users do not qualify, but people with conditions such as MS or lower limb amputation who rely on a wheelchair when their condition necessitates it may qualify - this is worth clarifying with HMRC if you're unsure

• The vehicle must be permanently and substantially adapted for wheelchair use - adaptations must be welded, bolted, or electrically integrated into the vehicle structure

• You must not have purchased a VAT-free vehicle in the previous three years

How it works in practice:

You don't apply in advance. You complete a self-declaration form at the point of purchase, confirming your eligibility. The supplier (that's us) then zero-rates the invoice. The declaration is your legal confirmation that you meet the criteria - keep a copy.

At Coachbuilt, we handle VAT zero-rating as a standard part of every eligible purchase. We'll walk you through the declaration, confirm what's included, and make sure nothing falls through the gap.

2. The Motability Foundation - A Common Misconception Cleared Up

The Motability Foundation is a separate charity from Motability Operations, which runs the leasing scheme. People sometimes hope the Foundation offers an alternative route to funding a motorhome or campervan - but it doesn't.

The Foundation's grants and vehicle support are exclusively for essential daily travel: cars, wheelchair accessible vehicles, scooters, and powered wheelchairs. Motorhomes and campervans fall outside their criteria entirely.

If you've been told otherwise, it's worth double-checking directly with the Foundation before factoring it into your plans.

3. Specialist Adaptations - If You Already Own a Van

If you already own a suitable base vehicle, having it converted by a specialist is an alternative route to a purpose-built new build. Independent adaptation specialists can fit wheelchair lifts, swivel seats, hand controls, and wet rooms into existing vans and campervans.

It's worth being clear-eyed about this option. An adaptation fitted into a van that wasn't designed for it will always involve compromises - in layout, in turning space, in how everything works together.

A purpose-built conversion starts from scratch with your needs at the centre. But if budget is the primary constraint, a quality specialist conversion of an existing vehicle can be a practical starting point.

4. Charity Grants for Specific Adaptations

While no single charity will fund the full cost of a motorhome or campervan, grant funding is sometimes available for specific adaptations - lifts, hand controls, hoists, and similar equipment.

Useful starting points:

• Turn2Us - a grant-finding charity that matches your situation to available funds across hundreds of organisations

• Disability Grants - a directory of grants specifically for disabled people, including mobility and transport

These won't fund a build outright. But if a particular adaptation is the cost that makes the difference between affordable and not, it's worth a search before you rule it out.

5. Try Before You Buy - Accessible Campervan Rental

If you're not yet certain a wheelchair accessible campervan is right for you - or you want to understand what layouts and features work before committing to a build - renting first is a sensible step.

Specialist rental providers offer fully converted accessible campervans equipped for wheelchair users. Spending a week in one before you design your own is one of the best decisions a first-time buyer can make.

You'll arrive at your consultation with a clear idea of what worked, what didn't, and exactly what you want your build to do differently.

6. Access to Work

If your accessible motorhome or campervan is used wholly or partly for work-related travel - getting to work, visiting clients, or similar - you may be able to apply for Access to Work funding through the DWP.

Access to Work can cover adaptations that enable you to do your job, which in some cases includes vehicle adaptations. It won't fund a leisure vehicle, but if work travel is a genuine part of how you'd use the vehicle, it's a route worth investigating.

None of these routes alone will cover the full cost of a motorhome or campervan build. But in combination with VAT zero-rating - which removes 20% of the purchase price if you qualify - they can make a meaningful difference to the total you need to find.

What the Real Conversation Usually Looks Like

Here's how funding conversations at Coachbuilt typically go.

Most customers come in thinking the only financial question is the purchase price. By the end of the consultation, they've understood that:

• VAT zero-rating removes 20% of the headline cost if they qualify

• The three-year VAT rule matters if they're already within that window from a previous purchase

• Charity grants may cover specific adaptations, reducing the overall spend

• Pre-owned options - EWVTA-certified, serviced, and in stock - can reduce the entry cost significantly without sacrificing the quality of the adaptation

We've had this conversation with hundreds of customers over 17 years. Some came in expecting to fund a purchase they couldn't afford, and left with a plan that made it work. Others came in prepared to pay full price and discovered they had options they didn't know about.

Either way, the conversation is worth having before you commit to anything.

New vs Pre-Owned: A Note on Funding and Value

VAT zero-rating applies to new vehicles only. If you're buying a pre-owned accessible motorhome or campervan, VAT zero-rating doesn't apply in the same way - though the price will already reflect this.

A pre-owned Coachbuilt vehicle is a genuine alternative for buyers who want a known-quality accessible build at a lower entry cost.

Every pre-owned vehicle in our stock has been built to Coachbuilt's specification, is EWVTA-certified, and comes with a clear service history.

We can tell you exactly what adaptations are fitted, when they were last serviced, and whether the layout suits your wheelchair.

Summary: What to Take Away

Route	Available for motorhomes/campervans?	How much?
Motability Scheme (leasing)	No	-
Motability Foundation grant	No	-
VAT zero-rating	Yes, if you qualify	20% of purchase price
Specialist adaptation of existing van	Yes	Varies by scope
Charity grants (Turn2Us, Disability Grants)	For specific adaptations only	Small, case-by-case
Access to Work	If work travel is involved	Varies
Accessible rental (try before you buy)	Yes	Cost of hire

The biggest single benefit is VAT zero-rating - straightforward to claim if you qualify, and a saving that makes a real difference to the total cost.

The next step is a conversation. We'll look at your situation, confirm what you're entitled to, and make sure you're not leaving money on the table before you make any decisions.

Talk to the Coachbuilt team about funding