Wed, 17 Dec 2025

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 Learner drivers face 24-week wait as backlog continues for two more years

The National Audit Office said there was a backlog of 1.1 million tests since the Covid-19 pandemic.

* Learner drivers face months-long delays booking practical tests due to a backlog that won't be cleared until November 2027.
* The National Audit Office (NAO) warned that around 360,000 test slots from 2020/21 were still unbooked, with an average wait time of 22 weeks in September and up to 24 weeks at 70% of test centres.
* Delays have led to learners paying third-party companies inflated prices, with some paying up to £500 for a test slot that costs £62 officially.
* The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) struggled to understand demand due to automated programmes known as bots booking available slots quickly.
* The NAO found that examiners are leaving due to uncompetitive pay and safety concerns, with only 83 new examiners hired since 2021 despite a target of 400.
* Learner drivers have been urging the government to do something about the backlog, with some facing financial difficulties due to the delays.
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