To think driving lesson prices have reached a ridiculous new level?

[AngeloMysterioso]

Have been learning fairly intensively for the past couple of months while DH was off work (he’s back now) and reached the point of having mock tests etc. Was originally paying £80 per 2 hour lesson- instructor didn’t offer block booking discounts.

However, no tests are available in my area for months and months - I’m lucky that via an app I managed to get a cancellation slot, but it’s not til the beginning of September (and I booked that in April!)

Practice opportunities are going to be pretty thin on the ground now DH is back at work, there’s not enough time between him finishing and the DC’s dinner/bath/bed etc to go out during the week, so I’m limited to weekends to practice.

In order to keep myself at test level I really need to keep having lessons, however my instructor has now upped the rate to £90 per two hour lesson. There is a £20 discount if you block book 10 hours, however that’s still £30 more than I was being charged previously. I simply can’t afford to pay to keep having lessons at that rate for next three months, but if I don’t have lessons and end up failing then there’s going to be another ridiculous wait for a test during which time I’ll need more lessons, and it becomes a vicious cycle.

DD1 passed today thank god!!! 3.5 years to save until the twins are 18 😲😭

Or even 17. 🙄

I’m pretty sure that’s not possible.

I remember when my son was learning four years ago and even then there was a 14 week wait for tests in our area so when we booked his test I tried to book another for shortly afterwards just in case he failed (he did) and then had another long wait for a second test and it wouldn’t allow that.
He started to learn in May 2017, was test ready in the November and booked one for February 2018, followed by his second in June and he finally passed on the third attempt at the end of September 2018.

I'm paying £70 for 2hrs. 90 does sound excessive.

As reported on BBC news

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-61265729

£25 per lesson Warwickshire

@MadisonAvenue - it's definitely possible and, unfortunately, happens. Even some unscrupulous driving instructors have done it and charged pupils exorbitant rates. The DVLA are investigating and may strip them of their badges, which means they can no longer teach for payment - which the honest driving instructors are pushing for. It's profiteering which is illegal in the UK.

It’s not possible for you or me to do it though when making an ordinary booking.

The DVSA really do need to address the problem of long waiting times for tests, perhaps by making the job of examiner more desirable. We live in a medium sized town and our test centre closed a couple of years ago which has done nothing to help with local waiting times. They couldn’t even blame the expense of having to run and maintain a building as they operated out of hired space in the community fire station.

@MadisonAvenue - we could do it. DH has witnessed it. A pupil of his was posting on a forum about difficulty booking driving tests and someone DM'd him offering a few dates & test centres - starting at £180 for later dates to £275 for nearer ones. He wasn't a DI either.

I think DVSA need to tighten up how tests are booked to prevent this AND recruit more examiners with an attractive salary. They also need to expand the times tests can be taken - and not charge more for weekends. Also, like yours used to be (and we had one) run from fire stations to give more options to book.

£40/hr or £35 if booked for a block of 20, here.

Can I take the opportunity to ask about hourly insurance if you're taking your DC out to practise in your car: how does it work and is it worth it?

(Thank you for a potential partial derail, OP!)

I assumed the selling on was people who had booked a test for themselves and selling it on.
With the wait for tests, I can totally see how someone might have booked a test back in February for July (as my dd did), then realise they can't make it/aren't going to be ready.

Dd's lessons are £35 an hour, which is a jump from her older sister who paid £25 only 3 years earlier, however dd needs an adapted car and petrol prices have gone up. You're paying for petrol, insurance, car maintenance, their expertise and time (plus danger money I always tell dd ) so it's not ridiculous. How much for an hour tennis coaching, or maths tuition?

It’s not just fuel though, insurance has gone up, I just got new tyres and the cheapest ones were £30 each more expensive than last time! Car parts are more expensive due to increases in cost of raw materials/import duties from EU that we never had to pa before/supply issues.

And of course, car prices have shot up due to shortages so that's another cost that has to be passed on. Not to mention all the overheads and the instructors own living costs.

Another thing is that lesson costs barely went up at all in the last decade or two due to competition. So, prices today, which seem high, are probably in line with 20 year ago plus 20 years' worth of inflation. Sadly, we've all just got accustomed to things being cheap, whether fuel, groceries, or driving lessons, and now we've got rampant inflation, a lot of things are going to rise steeply to make up for years of price stagnation.

If you feel test ready could you drop to 1hr lessons? Easier to fit around kids too

2hr lessons are the minimum where I am now. You can’t have 1hr lessons.

2hr lessons are the minimum where I am now. You can’t have 1hr lessons.

DH only does 1 hour lessons unless it's the first one, day of the test or if a pupil specifically asks.

Yes, probably similar, except I’m not sure about specifically asking for 1hr ones round here - maybe it’s possible. It started as a Covid thing and lots of instructors seem to have stuck with it.

I suspect many driving instructors barely make a living.

People forget how expensive their car insurance is, being accredited, maintaining their training. Most don’t work full days because their key clients are at school/college much of the time. They have slots if time with no customer and therefore no payment between lessons. Someone would do really well to teach 5-6 lessons regularly 6 days a week.

Rising prices are because some of their costs have risen. Like everyone else, they need more money because their own gas and electricity and supermarket bills have risen - so the price rise is simply like any employee asking their employer for a pay rise to partly meet inflation.

Remember too that the driving lessons market was stuarated with suppliers which kept prices from rising for many years….and actually still keeps a lid on the price. So whilst £35-40 sounds like a lot, it isn’t delivering them the standard of living some of you are thinking of, whilst forgetting insurance, tax, buying car etc etc. Petrol isn’t the key cost of their business.

People always complain about these kind of charges. Piano lessons are £25 for half an hour. A maths tutor can charge £50 per hour or often more. People will pay £30 for a trainer for half an hour. Are they all ripping people off? No, they are providing a personalised 1-2-1 service with something that requires skill and qualifications and means not everyone can do it. Driving instructors also face fairly big upfront costs in terms of the car itself, insurance. Few of these 1-2-1 services can deliver back-to-back work through a day but have void periods when zero money is earned. So actually many of them are probably working in-and-off through the day and also evenings, probably 6 days a week for what after tax isn’t actually a great income. £40 feels a lot when you’re paying it, but it doesn’t amount to much when everything’s considered.

if the car, insurance,

@WombatChocolate - you've hit the nail on the head. Thank you.

I’m sure I paid under £15 an hour in the late 90’s. I’m not looking forward to getting my eldest on the road in a few short years 😮