“The driving test system has been completely overwhelmed"
Young Brits are being shut out of work because of lengthy waits for driving tests, with learners facing delays of up to 21 weeks, a new report warns.
The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) said the driving test backlog is creating another barrier for young people trying to enter the workforce.
The warning comes as concerns grow over the number of 18 to 24-year-olds who are not in employment, education or training, known as NEETs.
Daniel Lilley, from the CSJ, said: “There are many reasons for the enduring NEETs crisis, many of which feel intractable.
“But we should not overlook the roadblocks we can remove to help young people find work – the availability of driving tests being one of them.
“The driving test system has been completely overwhelmed since the pandemic, and will continue to shut young people out of job opportunities unless we find new solutions.”
The CSJ is calling for regional driving test hubs to be established to increase testing capacity.
It also wants spare test slots to be allocated to further education colleges and small businesses.
The think-tank said this could help employers and colleges support young people who need to drive to access work.
It has also called for colleges to be allowed to use training funding to pay for driving tests where obtaining a licence is directly linked to employment.
The need for a driving licence is particularly significant across several sectors.
More than one in six job vacancies (17.4%) require applicants to be able to drive, according to the report. That rises to 34% of vacancies in care and social work and 68% of plumbing vacancies.
At the same time, fewer young people are obtaining full driving licences.
The proportion of 17 to 20-year-olds holding a full car driving licence in England has fallen from 48% in 1994 to 29% in 2024.
Ruth Cadbury, the Labour MP who chairs the Commons Transport Committee, said:
“As school leavers start thinking about their next step, we must remove the barriers that hold them back from work and education.
“In many parts of the economy, from care to the skilled trades, a driving licence can be essential to getting the job, particularly given the lack of decent bus service provision in many parts of the UK.
“That makes tackling the driving test backlog an integral part of restoring hope for Britain’s Neets.
“The Government should examine the sensible proposals to expand testing capacity, including whether properly accredited employers and colleges can play a greater role.
“Bringing waiting times down would remove a key barrier facing young people trying to make the transition into work.”
A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “Our latest data shows the median driving test waiting time for Great Britain was 11.1 weeks in July 2026, and the number of tests also at its highest point since our records began.
“But we recognise how frustrating it is for every learner who has to wait longer for their test date.
“That’s why we’re continuing to put more tests into the system, with almost 305,000 extra tests carried out since June 2025.”
