The United Kingdom is among the European countries most severely affected by the lack of professional drivers. A report released in January 2025 by the Road Hauliers Association estimated that over the next five years the country will require 40,000 new drivers annually. At present there are 684,000 active drivers, based on valid Cqc certificates, though this figure also includes occasional workers and company staff or managers who maintain the qualification to step in during emergencies. Nearly half of these drivers are over the age of fifty and therefore expected to retire in the relatively near future, while those under thirty account for only around 15 per cent.
Just nine months after the report’s release, the Rha has now stated that the situation is deteriorating further, with 117,000 drivers lost in the past year, not only through retirement but also among those in their thirties and forties. “We are witnessing a shift,” the association said. “New drivers struggle to secure permanent roles, often hampered by insurance costs. Expired Cqc certificates may indicate a deeper problem: drivers are leaving because they feel the system does not work for them. Training is expensive and beyond the reach of many.”
The association stressed that “we cannot continue to rely solely on wage increases to attract and retain talent, particularly when operators are already facing rising costs across the board.” The immediate priority, it added, is to bring back into the workforce qualified drivers whose certificates have lapsed, while at the same time “investing in entry pathways that work for both new drivers and employers. And we must ensure sustainable training support that reflects the central role logistics plays in our economy.”
