Learner drivers face £1,300 bill to get on the road

EXPERTS from Uswitch have looked at the different cost factors while learning to drive to reveal exactly how much it costs to learn to drive in the UK.

What new driver will need to pay for: Provisional licence: £34 (£43 if done by post)

Test car: £30

Practical test: £62 (£75 on weekends) Theory test: £23

Driving lesson: £25-£45 per hour Minimum cost: £1,274

Source: RAC

How does the UK compare to other countries:

Unlike other countries, the UK has a ‘pay as you go’ method, meaning that if you fail either test, you will have to pay the full test price again until you obtain a pass. Your theory test is valid for two years, and within this time frame, you must pass your practical to avoid paying for a theory test again.

This means the minimum cost you can expect to pay to learn how to drive in the UK is around £1,274. With students needing around 45 hours of lessons (according to the RAC) before a practical test, this is the minimum you can expect to pay, and this is without car insurance.

Depending on where you live within the UK, driving lesson prices and demand can fluctuate. However, legal documents will stay the same price for all parts of the country.

Leoni Moninska, car insurance expert at Uswitch adds: ‘The main thing to remember is that if you decide to take your driving test abroad or start learning to drive in a different country, you have to obey their rules of the road.

When it comes to driving, everyone is different. Even though there are minimum costs for driving in different countries, don’t stop learning until you are fully confident to take your test. If you are driving abroad at any time, make sure your driving licence, MOT, and car insurance are valid in the country that you’re driving in, and check if you need an international driving permit.”