DVLA - any idea how to get them to help?

[Ridingoutonahorse]

To set the scene we as a family have had a really tough year, life limiting illness, operations, house moves……..

I sent my DD provisional licence off to the DVLA to get it updated for a new address. I applied online the same as I did for DH and mine but for some reason had to send DD existing licence back to them which I didn’t for ours.

Anyway her driving test is booked for Sept so I’ve been ringing for days to chase it, after over 50 attempts at getting through on the phone I finally managed to speak to someone today.

That person was able to acknowledge that the DVLA have received her licence but have done nothing in terms of processing it, they think it’s unlikely they’ll have done anything by late Sept when her test is so their advice is to rebook her test.

On top of everything else DD is currently shut in her room with Covid, I honestly don’t want to break this news to her as passing her test is all she’s been focussed on through some pretty tough times.

After some Googling I realise IWBU to send the licence off and expect the DVLA to actually do something with it but now I have does anyone have any suggestions as to what I can do to get them to deal with it?

Is it possible to book another test and keep the first one just in case the licence is returned in time?

Sadly not you can only have one test booked at a time and just getting a test booked is a nightmare in itself as there’s such a backlog

It's so rubbish. Slightly different but my husband reapplied in Feb as he has a medical restriction on his licence which has now run out, but he still hasn't received a new licence or any sort of update. He did call to check they actually have it!

How long after you willing to wait before admitting defeat? If the test is a whole month away, I'd wager the licence will be back in time. How long have they had it already?

@Kittensnettik all they could tell me was that they do have it but not when they’d do anything with it. It’s ridiculous isn’t it?!?

In any private business this level of customer service would be totally unacceptable.

@LubaLuca you can rearrange at no cost up to 3 days before your test so I will hold out. It just means if the licence isn’t back her revised test date will be further away and even then when picking a date she’d be chancing it that it would be back for the new date.

Oh they are appalling. Like a PP, I had a reminder about my medical licence needing a renewal about six weeks before it expired so sent it off the same day. They should have sent me the reminder in January, knowing how long they are taking with everything, not just six weeks. If kittens' husband is still waiting since February I'll be lucky to get mine by Christmas! Is there any way you can use her licence number plus a passport to allow her to take the test? Is there some sort of database where examiners can cross reference the licence? As I'm typing this I realise that I'm probably being utterly ridiculous. They are absolutely dreadful. Has any other business been so woefully inadequate 'because of covid'?

When did you send it off? It took 3 months for my sons licence to come back.

I changed my address on my licence and mine as back in a week, it came last Wednesday, I wonder what the hold up is

I applied for a replacement provisional in April, I’ve still not gotten it back despite chasing them numerous times!

I’ve had to move my driving test twice and it looks like I’ll have to change it for a third time now, it’s so unbelievably frustrating.

There is nothing you can do. My bog standard renewal took 11 weeks to come back. You will have to change the test date. Your application will be in a post bag with 800,000 others.

Your application will be in a post bag with 800,000 others.

This is likely very close to the truth. The DVLA medical team recently had a backlog of 250,000 post items, and their customer base is pretty narrow. I can't imagine how backed up the more general work streams are.

@CorrBlimeyGG a large number of the medical team have been on strike for months. The union literature says they are deliberately targeting that area. They are a disgrace.

@greyspottedgoose if you do it online it's fine. It's when you have to post it with supporting documents photos cheques etc.

I sent my marriage certificate off with new photos as it needed doing in October anyway- looking like a 12 week wait.

www.gov.uk/guidance/dvla-coronavirus-covid-19-update

This link shows the current wait times and he's they are processing. Sorry can't make it clicky.

I sent the application off for my DD's provisional licence on the 12th May . The tracking has only just been updated to say it has been approved and can take another 2 weeks to arrive. Waiting this long is completely unacceptable.

DH received his reminder for renewing his driving licence yesterday-dated September 2020

DVLA are an utter disgrace. Next time someone starts banging on about what a great idea it would be for UK to have ID cards - take a look back at this and similar experiences.

@MargaretThursday All the reminders have last year's date on it for the original expiry date.

@cherrypiepie we did ours online but they wanted further information to verify her Identity which was pointless. We'd given her NI number and passport details online. When they sent the form they asked for her passport number which we'd already provided. Then we proceeded to wait 15 weeks and still no sign of it.

There have been spates of industrial action at DVLA for months, they receive about 60,000 items of mail a day many of which it would appear are yet to be opened so the backlog is huge. They're currently saying around 10 weeks to process applications.

If you search DVLA delays and look in the new tab on google you'll see there's been a lot aobut this.

My friend works for one of the companies that administers the theory tests and she keeps getting people coming in hoping that she can somehow speed up their licence (which sadly she can't.) Apparently its worst for some foriegn nationals who have to enclose their identity documents which are then stuck in a heap at the DVLA - they are precluded from doing lots of things as as result - e.g. opening bank accounts, renting properties - anything that requires a passport basically.

I'm sorry you're stuck in the middle of it. DD has just sent off for her provisional licence so we're expecting that to take ages too :(

This is the service that the general public voted for when the tories were elected.
The DVLA staff are working under appalling conditions with an extremely high number contracting covid. The government has not listened to their concerns and so they have no option but to strike.
If you are adversely affected by this, the only solution is to write to your MP in support of DVLA staff

Julie Lennard is the Chief Executive apparently.

[email protected]

My dad got his MP on the case in the end…

[quote abeautifulday]@cherrypiepie we did ours online but they wanted further information to verify her Identity which was pointless. We'd given her NI number and passport details online. When they sent the form they asked for her passport number which we'd already provided. Then we proceeded to wait 15 weeks and still no sign of it.[/quote]
DD got exactly the same form after providing everything online. Its stupid - why ask if you only plan to ask again?