Fewer driving test slots will be wasted as the UK government announces an extension to the window for test cancellations to prevent last minute changes.
From 8 April 2025, learner drivers will need to give more notice when changing or cancelling their car driving test to avoid losing their fee. Currently, customers can cancel up to 3 days ahead of their test without losing their test fee.
Under the new rules, learners must give 10 full working days’ notice to change or cancel their test without losing the fee.
Extending the window will also encourage customers to be better prepared and ready to pass when they book their test – as well as encourage learners to change or cancel their test sooner if they’re not ready and so give more chance for appointments to be used by someone else.
Minister for the Future of Roads, Lilian Greenwood, said: “Driving is more than just a means of transport; it is a lifeline for many, opening doors to jobs, opportunities and ultimately contributing to the growth of our economy.
“The measures announced today are another vital step in tackling the driving test backlog and ensuring that more learners who are ready to take their test can do so without unnecessary delays.
“These new measures will ensure that driving test appointments are used efficiently, encouraging learners to make adjustments to their schedules sooner, should they not be fully prepared.”
The change announced yesterday (17 March 2025) is part of the government’s 7-point plan to help reduce driving test waiting times.
Announced in December 2024, the plan includes:
recruiting and training 450 driving examiners
reviewing and improving the rules for booking driving tests
introducing tougher terms and conditions for the service driving instructors use to book and manage car driving tests for their pupils
Loveday Ryder, DVSA’s Chief Executive, said: “Extending the short notice cancellation period for driving tests forms part of our 7-point plan to reduce driving test waiting times.
“This will encourage learners to change or cancel their test sooner so we can offer up those slots to other customers.
“We remain committed to reducing driving test waiting times and supporting learners in getting on the road when they are truly ready and safe to do so.”
To further protect motorists given continued cost-of-living pressures and potential fuel price volatility amid global uncertainty, the government has also frozen fuel duty at current levels for another year, saving the average car driver £59.
Up to 4,000 people will be trained as new HGV drivers to help tackle skills shortages and support more people to launch careers within the logistics sector.
Package of measures includes using MOD examiners to help increase immediate HGV testing capacity by thousands over the next 12 weeks.
Nearly 1 million letters to be sent to all drivers who currently hold an HGV driving licence, encouraging them back into the industry.
5,000 HGV drivers and 5,500 poultry workers added to existing visa scheme until Christmas 2021 to ease supply chain pressures in food and haulage industries during exceptional circumstances this year.
The UK Government is taking belated action to tackle the shortage of HGV drivers. Industry leaders have warned the government of an impending crisis since before Brexit.
Up to 4,000 people will soon be able to take advantage of training courses to become HGV drivers, as part of a package of measures announced yesterday by the government to ease temporary supply chain pressures in food haulage industries, brought on by the pandemic and the global economy rebounding around the world.
The Department for Education is investing up to £10 million to create new skills bootcamps to train up to 3,000 more people to become HGV drivers. The free, short, intensive courses will train drivers to be road ready and gain a category C or category C&E licence, helping to tackle the current HGV driver shortage.
An additional 1,000 people are expected to be trained through courses accessed locally and funded by the government’s adult education budget.
Fuel tanker drivers need additional safety qualifications, which the government will work with industry to ensure drivers can access as quickly as possible.
To help make sure new drivers can be road ready as quickly as possible, the Department for Transport (DfT) have also agreed to work with Driver and Vehicles Standards Agency (DVSA) to ensure that tests will be available for participants who have completed training courses as soon as possible.
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has also announced the immediate deployment of their Defence Driving Examiners (DDEs) to increase the country’s testing capacity. MOD examiners will work alongside DVSA examiners, providing thousands of extra tests over the next 12 weeks.
The letter, which will arrive on doormats over the coming days, sets out that the steps the road haulage sector is taking to improve the industry, including increased wages, flexible working and fixed hours.
Alongside this, 5,000 HGV drivers will be able to come to the UK for 3 months in the run-up to Christmas, providing short-term relief for the haulage industry. A further 5,500 visas for poultry workers will also be made available for the same short period, to avoid any potential further pressures on the food industry during this exceptional period.
Recruitment for additional short-term HGV drivers and poultry workers will begin in October and these visas will be valid until 24 December 2021. UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) are preparing to process the required visa applications, once made, in a timely manner.
However, we want to see employers make long term investments in the UK domestic workforce instead of relying on labour to build a high-wage, high-skill economy.
Visas will not be the long term solution, and reform within the industry is vital. That’s why the government continues to support the industry in solving this issue in the long term through improved testing and hiring, with better pay, working conditions and diversity.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: This package of measures builds on the important work we have already done to ease this global crisis in the UK, and this government continues to do everything we can to help the haulage and food industries contend with the HGV driver shortage.
“We are acting now but the industries must also play their part with working conditions continuing to improve and the deserved salary increases continuing to be maintained in order for companies to retain new drivers.
“After a very difficult 18 months, I know how important this Christmas is for all of us and that’s why we’re taking these steps at the earliest opportunity to ensure preparations remain on track.”
Separately, the government is also bringing in legislation to allow delegated driving examiners at the three emergency services and the MOD to be able to conduct driving tests for one another. This will give the emergency services greater flexibility and help increase the number of tests DVSA examiners can provide HGV examiners.
The government will also provide funding for both medical and HGV licences for any adult who completes an HGV driving qualification accessed through the Adult Education Budget in academic year 2021/22.
Previously, adults who took these qualifications had to pay for their own licences. This change will be backdated and applied to anyone who started one of these qualifications on or after August 1st 2021.
Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi said: “HGV drivers keep this country running. We are taking action to tackle the shortage of drivers by removing barriers to help more people to launch new well-paid careers in the industry, supporting thousands to get the training they need to be road ready.
“As we build back from the pandemic we’re committed to supporting people, no matter their background, to get the skills and training they need to get good jobs at any stage of their lives, while creating the talent pipeline businesses need for the future.”
Environment Secretary George Eustice said: “It is a top priority to ensure that there are enough workers across the country’s supply chains to make sure they remain strong and resilient.
“We have listened to concerns from the sector and we are acting to alleviate what is a very tight labour market.”
The government has been able to bring forward these solutions in response to a global issue made worse by coronavirus thanks to our existing work in this area. We have already taken a range of steps to support the industry, including streamlining the process for new HGV drivers and increasing the number of driving tests. Our measures provided a rapid increase in capacity and allow for an extra 50,000 tests to take place per year.
Progress has already been made in testing and hiring, with improving pay, working conditions and diversity. We continue to closely monitor labour supply and work with sector leaders to understand how we can best ease particular pinch points. Through our Plan for Jobs we’re helping people across the UK retrain, build new skills and get back into work.
The Food and Drink Federation’s Chief Executive, Ian Wright CBE, said: “We welcome the government’s pragmatic decision to temporarily add HGV drivers and poultry workers to the existing visa scheme.
“This is something UK food and drink manufacturers have asked for over the last few months – including in industry’s Grant Thornton report – to alleviate some of the pressure labour shortages have placed on the food supply chain.
“This is a start but we need the government to continue to collaborate with industry and seek additional long term solutions.”
Elizabeth de Jong, Logistics UK’s Director of Policy, said: “Logistics UK welcomes the government package of measures aimed at improving the ongoing driver crisis. The government’s decision to grant 5,000 temporary visas for HGV drivers to help in the short term is a huge step forward; we are so pleased the government has listened to our calls and has made this bold decision to support the UK economy.
“We are also delighted that DfT have agreed to jointly send nearly 1 million letters to all drivers who currently hold an HGV driving licence. With fantastic HGV driving opportunities available in the logistics industry, now is the perfect time to consider returning to the occupation.”
The Road Haulage Association says there is a shortage of around 100,000 drivers across the UK, with this particularly impacting the food and drink supply chain.
The Road Haulage Association’s Rod McKenzie said: “This is a major win for @RHANews in our long campaign on #lorrydriver shortage – but temp visas won’t solve it. Much more needs to be done on training, apprenticeships, testing and welfare facilities for truckers.”
British Chamber of Commerce President, Baroness Ruby McGregor-Smith CBE said:“Government has made clear its priority is to transition from a reliance on EU workers to a focus on the domestic workforce, and businesses have been ready to participate in this, but it is a long-term project.
“A managed transition, with a plan agreed between government and business, should have been in place from the outset. Instead, the supply of EU labour was turned off with no clear roadmap as to how this transition would be managed without disruption to services and supply chains.
“Now some action has been taken, but additional testing will take time and the low number of visas offered is insufficient. Even if these short-term opportunities attract the maximum amount of people allowed under the scheme, it will not be enough to address the scale of the problem that has now developed in our supply chains.
“This announcement is the equivalent of throwing a thimble of water on a bonfire.
“Government should be prepared to significantly expand the number of visas issued within this scheme and convene a summit that brings business and government together to find both immediate and longer-term solutions to the many challenges facing firms throughout the UK.
“Without further action, we now face the very real prospect of serious damage to our economic recovery, stifled growth as well as another less than happy Christmas for many businesses and their customers across the country.”
Hannah Essex, Co-Executive Director of the British Chambers of Commerce, said:“Chambers of Commerce have been warning Government about critical labour shortages for months now – not just in the food and haulage industries but in hospitality, construction, the care sector and elsewhere in the economy. Whilst businesses will welcome that government is finally taking action, this scheme does not go far enough.
“BCC data has shown that 76% of hospitality businesses, and 82% of construction firms have faced recruitment difficulties in recent months. At the same time, we found 3 out of 4 exporters reporting no growth in sales in Q2.
“Businesses are facing the most difficult environment for a generation. On top of labour shortages – border delays, increased debt and the rising cost of materials, shipping and energy are all putting huge pressure on firms struggling to recover from the pandemic. All of these issues are hitting smaller firms the hardest.
“Attempts to address the deficit of HGV drivers and poultry workers is a step forward, but these industries are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the huge impact of the current labour shortages. Without a comprehensive plan to tackle this issue across the board we are facing a winter of lost opportunities for our businesses, hampering the UK’s economic recovery.”
Highways England has drafted updated guidance for The Highway Code with the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) to help road users better understand how motorways and high-speed roads operate.
More than 3,200 people and organisations responded to a consultation on the guidance, with their comments directly leading to it being amended and improved. The amendments are expected to become part of The Highway Code later this year.
The update will include:
clearer advice on where to stop in an emergency
the importance of not driving in a lane closed by a Red X
the use of variable speed limits to manage congestion
updated guidance on key factors that contribute to safety-related incidents, including driving while tired, unroadworthy vehicles, safe towing, tailgating and driving in roadworks
Jeremy Phillips, Highways England’s Head of Road Safety, said: “The updates to The Highway Code will help everyone who uses our busiest roads.
“Thanks to the input from road users, we have been able to produce clearer guidance on how to use our motorways and major A-roads which will make journeys even safer.
“The new edition of The Highway Code can give everyone on our roads the confidence that they have the knowledge and skills to safely get from A to B.”
Among the updates to The Highway Code are clearer advice on how and where to stop in an emergency, including the importance of not driving in a lane that has been closed with a Red X sign displayed and, for the first time, emergency area signage. It includes the “Go left” messaging used in Highways England’s recent £5m advertising campaign to help people know what to do in the event of a breakdown.
There is new guidance on the use of variable speed limits to manage congestion and information on how safety cameras are used to ensure compliance with speed limits and lanes closed with a Red X, including the hard shoulder.
The improved guidance also addresses key factors that contribute to safety-related incidents, including driving while tired, unroadworthy vehicles, safe towing, tailgating and driving through roadworks.
In total, 33 existing rules will be amended and two new rules will be introduced. There will also be a number of amendments made to the additional information within The Highway Code and its annexes.
Highways England has provided the amendments to The Highway Code as part of its commitment to provide clearer information for road users to further improve safety across England’s major routes.
It is vital that all road users are aware of The Highway Code, are considerate to other road users and understand their responsibility for their own safety and that of others.
Vehicle manufacturers, dealerships, DVSA (Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency) and driving instructors should include a comprehensive lesson for motorists on how to use advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) so they are a road safety benefit and not a potential hazard, says IAM RoadSmart.
The urgent call has been made by the UK’s largest independent road safety charity following the publication of a highly influential report by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) entitled ‘How to maximize the road safety benefits of ADAS’.
Some of the most widely known ADAS – many of which will become mandatory in new vehicles from July 2022 – include adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking systems, lane keeping assist and driver monitoring for drowsiness and distraction recognition.
However, awareness and understanding of these systems is generally low among drivers. The FIA’s report finds that most users do not receive any training when first encountering ADAS but have to rely on information from the user manual, and most alarmingly by applying a ‘trial-and-error’ method.
Neil Greig, IAM RoadSmart Director of Policy & Research, said: “Advanced driver assistance systems have the potential to improve road safety, but only if used correctly.
“If used incorrectly, not least without a full understanding of what the systems are and are not capable of, they can have the opposite effect, with potentially worrying consequences for all road users.
“IAM RoadSmart therefore believes the time has now come to include a comprehensive lesson from every car dealer supplying vehicles and further, for more about ADAS to be included in the UK driving test. This is crucial as these tools begin to be supplied as standard on an increasing number of vehicles.”
Meanwhile, further recommendations from the FIA report, which IAM RoadSmart endorses, include a comprehensive explanation to end-users of the systems’ limitations, more consistently accurate functioning of ADAS in practice and the introduction of fail-safe communications to alert users if any of the systems fail, helping to mitigate any potential road safety risk.
Neil added: “There needs to be a much higher emphasis on educating drivers in the best use of technology. Vehicle manufacturers and car dealerships are key, ensuring that when a customer drives off the forecourt they understand and use the various safety systems correctly.
“Until this becomes the norm, IAM RoadSmart is exploring the potential for video tutorials that will plug the current gap.” (See below)
A test version of a new government service has launched to remind drivers by text message and email when their MOT is due.
The GOV.UK service, developed by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), makes it easy to get a reminder every year when your vehicle’s MOT is due.
When you sign up, you’ll get a reminder:
4 weeks before your MOT is due
2 weeks before your MOT is due, if you still haven’t had it tested
You’ll also get alerts that your vehicle no longer has an MOT.
You just need the vehicle’s number plate (registration number) and a mobile phone number or email address.
You’ll get a reminder every year until you unsubscribe.
The service is in ‘beta’ stage, which means it’s still being continually tested and improved by DVSA.
What email MOT reminders look like
What text message MOT reminders look like
No excuse for forgetting
Research by DVSA has revealed that around 28% of cars will be overdue at any one time. Most of these are down to drivers forgetting to get it done, rather than deliberately avoiding having the test done.
If you drive a vehicle without a valid MOT, you’re breaking the law. The only exceptions are to drive it:
to or from somewhere to be repaired
to a pre-arranged MOT test
You’re also risking your own life and the lives of your passengers and other road users.
You can be fined up to £1,000 for driving a vehicle without a valid MOT.
Transport Minister, Baroness Sugg, said: We have some of the safest roads in the world, but we are always looking at ways to make them even safer.
“Booking your next MOT is easy to overlook but it plays an important role in making sure the vehicles on our roads are safe and meeting high environmental standards. Getting a text or email will serve as a useful prompt to make sure people get their vehicle checked out time.”
DVSA Chief Executive, Gareth Llewellyn, said: “DVSA’s priority is to help you keep your vehicle safe to drive. The annual MOT checks that important parts of your vehicle meet the legal standards at the time of the test.
“Motorists should also remember that to be a safe and responsible driver, and reduce the risk of your vehicle’s condition causing an accident that kills or seriously injures someone, you need to check your vehicle all year round.”
Make sure that:
brakes work smoothly and that the vehicle doesn’t pull to one side
tyres are correctly inflated, have no cuts or bulges, and that they all have at least 1.6mm of tread
headlights and other lights work – give them a tap to check they’re not loose or damaged and check the colours are correct and match
windscreen wipers and washers work
the driver’s view of the road is clear of any obstruction, such as stickers, toys or air fresheners
A new way of building digital services
The MOT reminder service uses GOV.UK Notify, which is a platform to make it easier to keep people updated, and help government service teams send text messages, emails or letters to users.
The government is creating a set of shared components, service designs, platforms, data and hosting, that every government service can use.
This frees up teams to spend their time designing user-centric services rather than starting from scratch, so services become easier to create and cheaper to run.
The driving test will change from Monday 4 December 2017 to include following directions from a sat nav and testing different manoeuvres.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has confirmed that the driving test in England, Scotland and Wales will change from Monday 4 December 2017.
The changes are designed to make sure new drivers have the skills they’ll need to help them through a lifetime of safe driving. The changes will only apply to car driving tests to begin with.
The 4 driving test changes
1. Independent driving part of the test will increase to 20 minutes
The independent driving part of the test currently lasts around 10 minutes. During this part of the test, you have to drive without turn-by-turn directions from the driving examiner.
This part of the test will be made longer, so it’ll last around 20 minutes – roughly half of the test.
2. Following directions from a sat nav
During the independent driving part of the test, most candidates will be asked to follow directions from a sat nav.
The examiner will provide the sat nav and set it up. You won’t need to set the route – the examiner will do this for you. So, it doesn’t matter what make or model of sat nav you practise with.
You can’t follow directions from your own sat nav during the test – you have to use the one supplied by the examiner.
You’ll be able to ask the examiner for confirmation of where you’re going if you’re not sure. It won’t matter if you go the wrong way unless you make a fault while doing it.
One in 5 driving tests won’t use a sat nav. You’ll need to follow traffic signs instead.
3. Reversing manoeuvres will be changed
The ‘reverse around a corner’ and ‘turn-in-the-road’ manoeuvres will no longer be tested, but you should still be taught them by your instructor.
You’ll be asked to do one of 3 possible reversing manoeuvres:
parallel park at the side of the road
park in a bay – either driving in and reversing out, or reversing in and driving out (the examiner will tell you which you have to do)
pull up on the right-hand side of the road, reverse for 2 car lengths and rejoin the traffic
4. Answering a vehicle safety question while you’re driving
The examiner will ask you 2 vehicle safety questions during your driving test – these are known as the ‘show me, tell me’ questions.
You’ll be asked the:
‘tell me’ question (where you explain how you’d carry out a safety task) at the start of your test, before you start driving
‘show me’ question (where you show how you’d carry out a safety task) while you’re driving – for example, showing how to wash the windscreen using the car controls and wipers
Watch how the new test will work
This video shows how the test will work from 4 December 2017.
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Road collisions are the biggest killer of young people. They account for over a quarter of all deaths of those aged between 15 and 19.
DVSA wants to make sure that training and the driving test reduce the number of young people being killed in collisions.
These changes are being made because:
most fatal collisions happen on high-speed roads (not including motorways) – changing the format of the test will allow more of these types of roads to be included in driving test routes
52% of car drivers now have a sat nav – DVSA wants new drivers to be trained to use them safely
research has shown that new drivers find independent driving training valuable – they can relate it to driving once they’ve passed their test
Changes are supported by the public
The changes follow a:
public consultation that over 3,900 people took part in
trial of the changes involving over 4,300 learner drivers and over 860 driving instructors
88.2% agreed with increasing the length of the independent driving part of the test
70.8% agreed with asking candidates to follow directions from a sat nav
78.6% agreed with the plans to change how the reversing manoeuvres are test
78.4% agreed with asking the ‘show me’ question while the candidate is driving
Helping you through a lifetime of safe driving
Transport Minister, Andrew Jones, said: “Our roads are among the safest in the world. However, road collisions are the biggest killer of young people.
“These changes will help us to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads and equip new drivers with the skill they need to use our roads safely.”
DVSA Chief Executive, Gareth Llewellyn, said: “DVSA’s priority is to help you through a lifetime of safe driving.
“Making sure the driving test better assesses a driver’s ability to drive safely and independently is part of our strategy to help you stay safe on Britain’s roads.
“It’s vital that the driving test keeps up to date with new vehicle technology and the areas where new drivers face the greatest risk once they’ve passed their test.”
