How to Save Money on Your Driving Lessons 

Since lockdown, the DVSA’s practical driving test waiting time has risen significantly. This also makes it very difficult for driving schools, where it is not only difficult to find an available driving instructor, but you can end up paying hundreds for lessons that you don’t need when you find one.

Whilst the national average amount of driving lessons taken is 48 hours, we still cover much more in an average of 31 hours. But, with long driving test waiting times, we have several students paying for lessons that they don’t need, whilst waiting for their test date. So here’s our top tips:

1/. Make sure that you have a Provisional Driving Licence 

Before you can take driving lessons, you need to have a Provisional Licence, which you need to bring with you, along with your national insurance number to your first lesson. We need these to register you, and without either, you will not be able to drive the car. Make sure that you have both, before you book your first lesson.

2/. Book your Theory Test

As soon as your instructor has you registered on our app, you can ask your instructor for free access to our Theory Test App section. This saves you buying an app, gives access to the Highway Code, and your instructor can help you remotely, if you’re struggling in a particular area. We can also guide you when to apply for your theory test, which needs completed and passed, as soon as possible. If you prefer, you can pass your theory test before you start your driving lessons.

4/. Your Driving Lessons and our App 

Using your ‘Progress’ section in our app, you will see how you are progressing in each subject. There will be a clear target that you will work towards on each lesson, so no time (or your money) is wasted. This way, you will see for yourself how you are progressing, and your instructor will ask you to apply for your driving test, when all the basic subjects have been started.

5/. Apply For Your Driving Test

When your instructor asks you to apply for your driving test, it’s really important that you do so, as soon as possible. The test waiting time is 21.3 weeks, and you don’t want to be test ready, then just go out for a drive each week, which is where you can waste hundreds of pounds In lessons you don’t need. When we ask you to apply for test, it is based on the waiting time, and that you continue regular lessons.

Q. Can I stop taking lessons until nearer my test?

A. You are free to stop taking lessons at anytime, however, please remember that all driving instructors are self employed. Therefore, if they keep a space open for 6 weeks, that’s 6 weeks that no one pays them. If your instructor does that with 5 students, that’s 30 hours of income lost. This is why ‘all’ driving schools require you to continue taking lessons until your test day, so that your place is secure.

Q. Can I just find another instructor when it’s nearer my test?

A. If you wish to stop taking lessons until nearer your test, you are free to do so. You can then check if your instructor has a space nearer your test date, or you can try other driving schools. However, 99.9% of driving instructors will not take you on just a few weeks before your test. This is because the instructor who presents you for test, is graded on your performance, and we/they simply don’t know you well enough as to your road safety habits, and ability to pass the test. If we find you need extra training, the chances are there won’t be space in the diary, So it’s not out of spite that we say ‘we can’t’.

Recap; The Cheapest Method 

This means that the cheapest method for you is:

1/. Make sure that you have a Provisional Driving Licence & your National Insurance      number for your first lesson.

2/. Apply for your theory test when you start your driving lessons, and by using our Theory      Test App, you don’t need to spend money on anything else.

3/. Apply for your driving test, as soon as you can, when your instructor asks you to.

4/. Keep consistent with your driving lessons, and if you can get practice with a friend or      relative, let your instructor know, and we will guide you with what to practice.

SCAM ALERT

5/. Follow our advice in our future post ‘Preparing For Your Test’, for your best chance to      nail it first time.

There are many websites where you can apply for your licence and tests, however, unless the website is .gov.uk it’s a scam. Only the UK government departments DVLA and DVSA can issue licences, and book real tests for you. The links you need are below;

Apply for your Provisional Licence:

https://www.gov.uk/apply-first-provisional-driving-licence

Find my National Insurance number:

https://www.gov.uk/find-national-insurance-number

Book my Theory Test:

https://www.gov.uk/book-theory-test

Book my Driving Test:

https://www.gov.uk/book-driving-test