The number of qualified drivers in the UK has hit record levels.

Official data was analysed by car leasing comparison website LeaseLoco.

Personal travel

The most up-to-date driving licence data from the DVLA, issued by the Department for Transport, reveals that 41,570,822 people now hold a full UK driving licence. This compares to 41,075,262 a year ago, an increase of almost half a million (495,560).

Reflecting an ageing population, the number of people aged 70 or over holding a full driving licence increased by more than 200,000 (212,432).  It means that this age group now numbers almost six million.

Drivers reaching 70 years old have to renew their licence if they want to keep on driving. They are then required to renew their licence every three years after that.

DVLA figures also show that people aged 80 or over with a full driving licence increased by almost 100,000 (94,818). The total now stands at 1,649,277.

Ageing drivers

 

Age

Number of UK drivers (2023)

Number of UK drivers (2022)

Number of UK drivers (2012)

70 or over

5,967,076

5,754,644

3,902,135

80 or over

1,649,277

1,554,459

1,059,683

90 or over

137,281

133,369

71,259

100 or over

510

505

162

 

Young people

DVLA figures reveal the impact that the cost of living crisis. Young people (aged 16-25) with full driving licences actually fell.

This is probably also a lot to do with the lack of driving tests during lockdowns. In turn, it has led to  long waiting lists to take a test or even find a driving instructor.

During Covid, the number of young people qualified to drive fell to 2.97 million, the lowest level on record (taking DVLA records dating back to 2012), down from 3.32 million in March 2020, just before Covid struck.

Post Covid, the number of young people with a full driving licence remains below three million. The latest DVLA data shows there are 2,977,624 qualified drivers aged 16 to 25, a small increase of just over 6,000 compared to two years ago.

Financial pressures, due to the higher cost of living, are also likely to be behind this stagnant growth. Many young people are reluctant, or unable to afford to run a car or pay the cost of driving lessons.

Cost of living

“The number of qualified drivers on UK roads has reached record levels,” states John Wilmot, CEO of LeaseLoco. “It shows that travelling by car continues to be the main and most convenient form of transport, particularly for older people.

“Having a car also allows many older people to feel socially connected. That’s especially true in more rural areas, where public transport can be unreliable.

“The low growth amongst younger people is not surprising when you consider the impact that the cost of living crisis is having. The rise in people working from home may also have played a role.

“However, we would expect numbers to rise substantially when costs associated with owning and running a car become more manageable.”