As stated in the answer to Question 121903 the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) does not centrally hold a snapshot of the total number of driving examiner vacancies by calendar month but continually reviews its workforce requirements in response to customer demand and operational need. Recruitment is managed through ongoing national and regional campaigns rather than fixed monthly vacancy totals.

Monthly driving examiner vacancy figures have limited value because numbers change frequently due to demand, training, turnover and capacity. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency manages its workforce flexibly, matching examiner numbers to demand and using a test centre level view to support recruitment and deployment.

The Department works with DFT Operator to ensure all operators have the appropriate resource to deliver timetabled services robustly, including train drivers. All train operating companies have been asked to complete a 7-point traincrew resourcing proposal as part of their annual business plan. These plans cover staffing levels, recruitment, training, overtime and planning efficiency to improve reliability, including revising target establishment levels to support effective workforce planning. When we assessed train operating companies’ levels of driver resource in 2024 we found shortages and excessive reliance on rest day working.

The Department is also taking forward several measures to help the rail industry recruit new train drivers into the industry, including lowering the minimum age to be a train driver from 20 to 18 and working with Skills England and the rail industry to strengthen pathways for school leavers into train driving. This includes updating the Train Driving Level 3 Apprenticeship and developing a Rail Foundation Apprenticeship to be offered from the age of 16.

The table below shows the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) driving examiners (DE) who left the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) in each month from July 2024 to February 2026. This data includes all DEs who have left including, for example, new DEs that were unsuccessful in completing the training process.

The above figures of course do not account for the number of driving examiners who have joined in the same time period.

Examiner capacity is rising, with 1,556 FTE examiners now in post supported by ongoing recruitment and training changes. The 1,556 FTE DEs in February 2026 is an increase of 108 when compared to the number of DEs in February 2025 (1,448 FTEs). These figures do not include potential new DEs who are currently in training.

A total of 85 customers were referred by DWP to DVSA Test Centres across the six priority locations. From this number, 37 passed the assessment and have been offered roles. DVSA provided feedback on a further 26 who were unsuccessful but showed clear potential and stated it would like to support these customers with a further test if DWP can provide refresher training. The remaining 22 customers were unsuccessful.

As stated in the answer to Question 117906 the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) does not hold centrally a snapshot of the total number of driving examiner vacancies by calendar month but continually reviews its workforce requirements in response to customer demand and operational need. Recruitment is managed through ongoing and periodic national and regional campaigns rather than fixed monthly vacancy totals.

All driving examiner vacancies are publicly advertised on Civil Service Jobs on the GOV.UK website and DVSA also publishes information about available career opportunities through its “Working for DVSA” pages on GOV.UK.

As part of this approach, DVSA has continued to run national recruitment campaigns for driving examiners, including a campaign launched in February 2026 advertising multiple driving examiner posts across the country. These campaigns are intended to address recruitment pressures and improve driving test capacity, particularly in areas with the greatest demand.

DVSA identified priority locations that had 5 or more live vacancies and provided the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) with a list. Following their external recruitment drive in January 2026, DVSA advised DWP that some of the locations initially identified were no longer considered high priority due to roles being filled. From the remaining sites on the list those chosen were where DVSA have managers with the flexibility to carry out assessments as part of the Driving Examiner recruitment pilot.

We are currently in the process of making referrals for these roles. Each location has the capacity to have 16 customers referred. Assessments will take place on 16 March (Slough & Southampton), 17 March (Tottenham & Bletchley) and 19 March (Bedford & Bromley).

As stated in the answer to Question 113159 the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) keeps its recruitment activity under regular review to ensure it attracts applications from as wide a pool as possible, and not just from those who may have a driving instructor background.

The use of the GOV.UK instructor page is primarily intended to provide information and services for approved driving instructors, however, all driving examiner vacancies are publicly advertised on Civil Service Jobs on the GOV.UK website and DVSA also publishes information about available career opportunities through its “Working for DVSA” pages on GOV.UK.

DVSA does not hold centrally a snapshot of the total number of driving examiner vacancies by calendar month but continually reviews its workforce requirements in response to customer demand and operational need. Recruitment is managed through ongoing and periodic national and regional campaigns rather than fixed monthly vacancy totals.

As part of this approach, DVSA has continued to run national recruitment campaigns for driving examiners, including a campaign launched in February 2026 advertising multiple driving examiner posts across the country. These campaigns are intended to address recruitment pressures and improve driving test capacity, particularly in areas with the greatest demand.

As stated in the answer to Question 113159 the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) keeps its recruitment activity under regular review to ensure it attracts applications from as wide a pool as possible, and not just from those who may have a driving instructor background.

The use of the GOV.UK instructor page is primarily intended to provide information and services for approved driving instructors, however, all driving examiner vacancies are publicly advertised on Civil Service Jobs on the GOV.UK website and DVSA also publishes information about available career opportunities through its “Working for DVSA” pages on GOV.UK.

DVSA does not hold centrally a snapshot of the total number of driving examiner vacancies by calendar month but continually reviews its workforce requirements in response to customer demand and operational need. Recruitment is managed through ongoing and periodic national and regional campaigns rather than fixed monthly vacancy totals.

As part of this approach, DVSA has continued to run national recruitment campaigns for driving examiners, including a campaign launched in February 2026 advertising multiple driving examiner posts across the country. These campaigns are intended to address recruitment pressures and improve driving test capacity, particularly in areas with the greatest demand.

Since 4 July 2024, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has run seven driving examiner recruitment campaigns. The table below shows in which months these were live and the number of vacancies advertised.

All DVSA driving examiner roles are civilian posts and are open to applications from people seeking full-time, or part-time, employment. DVSA does not recruit Defence Driving Examiner posts as these are employed by the Ministry of Defence.

DVSA seeks to attract applications from as wide a pool as possible, and not just from those who may have a driving instructor background. For this reason, DVSA has not chosen to target people who may previously have been unsuccessful in alternate roles in the industry.

DVSA has a recruitment page on the GOV.UK website that provides information on how to become a driving examiner. The agency uses Government Recruitment Services, Civil Service Jobs and external recruitment organisations to support it in reaching as many interested parties as possible.

Since 4 July 2024, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has run seven driving examiner recruitment campaigns. The table below shows in which months these were live and the number of vacancies advertised.

All DVSA driving examiner roles are civilian posts and are open to applications from people seeking full-time, or part-time, employment. DVSA does not recruit Defence Driving Examiner posts as these are employed by the Ministry of Defence.

DVSA seeks to attract applications from as wide a pool as possible, and not just from those who may have a driving instructor background. For this reason, DVSA has not chosen to target people who may previously have been unsuccessful in alternate roles in the industry.

DVSA has a recruitment page on the GOV.UK website that provides information on how to become a driving examiner. The agency uses Government Recruitment Services, Civil Service Jobs and external recruitment organisations to support it in reaching as many interested parties as possible.

Jobcentre Plus (JCP) actively promotes vacancies, including roles with the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), by matching a claimant’s skills and circumstances to available roles.

The DWP’s Strategic Relationship Team is working with the DVSA to test a new recruitment approach for Driving Examiner roles in six priority locations. This work involves the introduction of a one day assessment centre under a Direct Temporary Recruitment (DTR) model to create a faster and more efficient process. Part of this process will include JCP Work Coaches identifying suitable candidates, arranging informal discussions and driving assessments.

Locations deemed as priority sites by DVSA are Bedford, Bletchley, Bromley, Slough, Southampton and Tottenham in North London. Across theses initial pilot sites there will be at least 30 vacancies and capacity for up to 96 referrals.

The pilot will help determine whether this streamlined route can support areas that have been hardest to recruit for and whether it should be expanded to additional locations in future.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Rt Hon. gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 4th February is attached.

The roles advertised are to support No10 buildings facilities team. They are replacement roles due to vacancies and upcoming retirement, which existed under the previous government – not new roles.

Whilst it is the responsibility of the sector to recruit and retain drivers, the Department for Transport regularly engages with industry to understand issues in recruiting and retaining bus and coach drivers, and how Government can help. Latest intelligence from the sector suggests that the shortage has reduced over the course of this year.

The Department for Transport and Confederation of Passenger Transport co-chaired a Bus and Coach Summit in November 2022. The summit brought together experts from industry, national and local government to look at issues facing driver recruitment and retention to bus and coach operators, and identified ideas and actions to help address these. Many of these are owned by industry, who as aforementioned, are responsible for recruiting drivers.

We are also ensuring there is sufficient access to Passenger Carrying Vehicle (PCV) practical driving tests, whether through the bus and coach industry’s network of delegated examiners, or directly through Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency test centres.

It is not possible to estimate the total number of HGV drivers currently undergoing training. This is because some haulage companies have in-house training programmes and private sector training companies also train new drivers. The Government has also invested in training for new drivers for example, £34m to train up to 11,000 HGV drivers through Skills Bootcamps and the LGV Driver and Urban Driver Apprenticeships which receive funding of up to £8,000 and £5,000 respectively. In the financial year FY21-22 there were 4,740 learner starts in HGV Skills Bootcamps and 3,247 LGV Driver and Urban Driver Apprenticeship starts.

The Office for National Statistics Annual Population Survey estimated in the year April 2022 to March 2023 34% of HGV drivers were aged 56 or older. However, it is not possible to estimate how many drivers will retire in the next 5 years as HGV drivers that continue to meet the licensing requirements, including the driver medicals, can continue to drive beyond the state pension age.

In response to the HGV driver shortage, the Government put in place 33 short, medium, and long-term interventions, such as increased driving test availability and the £34m investment from DfE to train up to 11,000 drivers through Skills Bootcamps.

These interventions have begun to take effect, with industry bodies reporting positively that the number of HGV drivers is stabilising, and there is currently no severe disruption to critical sectors due to the driver shortage which we continue to monitor.

Bus and coach driver shortages have been an issue but appear to be abating based on the latest intelligence from the sector.

The Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) estimated that almost 1 in 10 bus driver positions in the UK were vacant in September 2022. However, intelligence from the sector suggests that the shortfall has reduced significantly in recent months.

In November 2022, the Department and CPT co-chaired a Bus and Coach Driver Summit to understand and address the issues causing driver shortages. Following the Bus and Coach Driver Summit, the Department has been working with CPT to take forward the actions identified at the summit.