The DVSA has published the results of its survey of driving instructors, carried out in October 2025.

It reveals how the working lives of driving instructors across Great Britain are evolving.

Highlights include average prices, working hours, job satisfaction, and high service demand.

My working life

The ADI survey results have been published by the DVSA:  “Working as a Driving Instructor Survey 2025”.

It gathered responses from 3,448 approved driving instructors (ADIs), though this represents only about 8% of the 43,334 instructors currently registered in Britain.

This is half the number who participated in the previous survey conducted in 2024.

Despite the low level of collaboration among ADIs, the researchers believe it provides a statistically reliable snapshot of the industry, with 99% confidence in the findings.

Booked up

Unsurprisingly, considering the backlogs caused by the Covid lockdowns, the survey shows that instructors remain busy across the country.

More than half (56.6%) reported working at least 25 hours a week teaching, though this figure has dropped slightly from 2024.

At the same time, the availability of driving lessons for new learners appears to be improving somewhat.

Around 45.4% of instructors said they currently have space to take on new pupils, an increase of nearly nine percentage points from the previous year.

Despite this improvement in training availability, instructors say the broader driving test system’s problems are still making it difficult to plan courses and lessons leading to the driving test.

In open comments submitted to the survey, 90% referenced driving test availability and waiting times as a major challenge, making it the single most common issue raised.

Many instructors reported that learners are waiting five to six months or longer for a practical test slot, disrupting lesson planning and making it harder to maintain pupil progress.

Paying the price

Driving lesson changes are on the increase, again unsurprisingly, given the high inflation over recent years and the knock-on increases in costs to ADIs, from fuel to food.

The most common price for a one-hour lesson is now between £36 and £40, the set price for over half (50.3%) of ADIs.

Some 27.5% of instructors charge £41 to £50.

While prices have remained in this range since 2024, the proportion charging at this price has continued to increase, particularly for £36-£40 per hour, which is now the common base rate.

The southern regions of the country are clearly the pricing leaders, though variation is common across the country.

Demands and satisfaction

Despite the challenges facing the sector, most instructors still report a positive outlook on their work.

According to the survey, 91.4% of ADIs said the role gives them a sense of personal accomplishment, suggesting strong levels of job satisfaction within the profession.

Similarly, 85.8% said they intend to remain in the job for the foreseeable future, although this represents a small decline from the previous survey.

Professional development (CPD) also remains common in the industry, with 62.2% of instructors completing some form of continuing professional development in the previous 12 months.

The survey also highlights the physical demands of the job.

Around 60.8% of instructors reported experiencing musculoskeletal problems in the past year, reflecting the strain of long hours sitting in vehicles and repeated driving.

Though slightly lower than in 2024, the figure suggests health issues remain widespread within the profession.

Struggling system

Beyond test availability, instructors raised several other concerns.

Half of the comments about challenges referred to DVSA policies or management, while 40% mentioned problems caused by bots, apps or third-party resellers booking driving tests and selling them at higher prices.

Consistent with previous surveys, many respondents reported that pupils often register with another instructor purely for test preparation when their original instructor cannot accommodate the test date.

For Approved Driving Instructors (ADIs), this remains an important reminder of how learners behave in practice.

Many pupils will look elsewhere if they believe it could help them secure a test sooner or find greater flexibility in scheduling.

Rather than simply reflecting a lack of loyalty, it also underscores the value of clear communication, transparent diary management, and well-structured lesson blocks that help maintain trust, even when access to test appointments is beyond an instructor’s control. 

Success and failure

Other commonly mentioned issues included managing pupil expectations, dealing with anxious learners, scheduling difficulties and rising costs such as fuel.

When asked how the DVSA could support instructors more effectively, the most frequent suggestions included increasing test availability, improving the booking system and hiring more examiners.

Despite this, most instructors said they felt equipped to do their job.

Around 83.8% agreed they have the tools needed to work effectively, slightly lower than in previous surveys.

Many instructors also reported using resources from the DVSA’s “Ready to Pass?” campaign, including mock test materials and progress-tracking tools for pupils.

With the government consulting on minimum learning periods as part of the Road Safety Strategy, support for learning schedules and logbooks could become even more important to both ADIs and pupils.

Obstacles ahead

The DVSA says the annual survey is designed to monitor how the profession is changing and identify areas where improvements are needed.

While participation in the survey remains frustratingly low, the report still provides a window on the national picture for the industry.

Demand for driving lessons remains strong, but the testing system, under pressure, continues to fail instructors and learners. 

With a new CEO at the DVSA and public pressure on the government to improve test waiting times, the survey should play an important role in shaping the Agency’s policies going forward.

For now, the survey results paint a mixed picture: a profession that remains rewarding for many instructors, but one that continues to face operational pressures driven largely by the wider challenges within the UK driving test system.

Read the full results of the consultation here.