The Mayor of London recently launched a scrappage scheme to help lower-income and disabled drivers of older cars in London replace their vehicles with newer, less polluting models. This is because many older cars and vans in London emit high levels of toxic emissions, and the city is keen to encourage drivers to use newer, cleaner vehicles or greener forms of transport.

This comes in the form of a £2,000 grant to scrap your car and a £1,000 grant to scrap your motorcycle.

Am I eligible to scrap my car with the ULEZ scrappage scheme?

In order to qualify for the scheme, you must live within one of the 32 London Boroughs or in the City of London. You must also be receiving some form of benefit from the government. This includes:

• Armed Forces Independence Payment
• Universal Credit
• Carer's Allowance
• Attendance Allowance
• Constant Attendance Allowance
• Child Tax Credit
• Employment and Support Allowance
• Disability Living Allowance
• Income Support
• Housing Benefit
• Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
• Pension Credit
• Jobseeker's Allowance
• Personal Independence Payment
• War Pensions Mobility Supplement
• Severe Disablement Allowance
• Working Tax Credit

Is my car eligible for the ULEZ scrappage scheme?

In order for your car to be accepted into the scheme, it must have valid road tax and MOT, it must be insured, and it has to have been registered to you (or somebody at your home address) for more than 12 months before 23rd October 2019.

It must also fail to meet ULEZ emissions standards.

If you’re unsure whether or not your vehicle meets ULEZ emissions standards, you can check the government website.

If your vehicle fails to meet the required emissions standards, then driving it in London will be expensive – it’ll cost you £12.50 per day on top of the usual central London congestion charge.

How do I apply for the ULEZ scrappage scheme?

In order to apply, you need a London Road User charging account and some documents to prove you are the owner of the car, that it’s registered at your address and that it is roadworthy. This means you’ll need your MOT certificate, your V5C logbook for the car and proof of insurance.

To prove you receive some form of benefit, you’ll need your most recent award letter or a screenshot to prove you are in receipt of Universal Credit.

If I’m successful, how do I scrap my car?

It’s important that you only scrap your car once you have received approval from TfL. Then you can book your collection with an Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF) to scrap your car. 

When you make this booking, you must notify the ATF that they should email you a copy of the Certificate of Destruction once the transaction is complete. This is because you will need to upload your Certificate of Destruction to TfL to ensure you receive your money from them.

It’s also important when getting a quote for your car that you tell the ATF that you will need the car destroyed, as they may quote you for salvage (which could mean the car would not be scrapped but instead might be re-marketed for sale). If you are quoted for salvage, you will not receive a Certificate of Destruction (CoD) and will not be able to claim your scrappage money.