Number of driving licences held by young people reaches record low

End of the road for boy racers? Lowest number of young drivers behind wheel in UK ever with 350,000 fewer 16-25-year-olds than last year due to ban on lessons and tests during pandemic Just 2.97 million people in Britain aged 16 to 25 hold a full licence, DVLA shows Total is down from 3.32 million … Read more

Motorists accrued 1.5m points on driving licences in first half of 2020

Drivers racked up a staggering volume of penalty points on their licences in the first half of the year despite the country spending the much of the period in the initial coronavirus lockdown, figures have revealed. There were just under 1.5 million endorsement points put on licences in the first six months of 2020, the … Read more

Online scammers selling fake driving licences for £600

Fraudsters are targeting budding motorists who don’t want to sit – or have failed to pass – their driving tests by offering fake ‘full licences’ and supporting false certificates online for £600 each. Scammers are advertising ‘inside access to driving test centres’ on Instagram, claiming it allows them to book and pass practical driving tests … Read more

DVLA announces a further extension to driving licences to 11 MONTHS

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has today announced it has – for the second time in lockdown – extended the validity of photocard driving licences. Having introduced a seven-month extension in June, it has increased the period to 11 months as it continues to buckle under demand for renewals during the coronavirus pandemic. It … Read more

Ending free TV licences for over-75s has created a ‘bonanza’ for fraudsters

Ending free TV licences for over-75s has created a ‘bonanza’ for fraudsters targeting pensioners, campaigners warn Fraud surged during lockdown as victims are tricked into revealing bank details  Some over-75s received scam letters, emails and texts ordering them to pay up The BBC was warned that fraudsters will see the transition as an opportunity By … Read more

Government warned about anger of voters over BBC’s decision to scrap free TV licences for over-75s

Tory MPs’ backlash as they warn the Government about the ‘palpable’ anger of their voters over the BBC’s decision to scrap free TV licences for over-75s – as figures show over 90 per cent will have the perk taken away The BBC says it’s forced to limit free licences to those on pension credit  It … Read more

Thousands of hard-up pensioners ‘face food and fuel poverty’ as their free TV licences are scrapped 

Thousands of hard-up pensioners face food and fuel poverty as their free TV licences are scrapped from today, campaigners warn More than 3million UK households will be asked to pay the  £157.50 annual fee   500k pensioners could qualify for a free licence but are unaware, study finds They could be forced to choose between having … Read more

Chaos as delays from coronavirus lockdown hit passports, registering births and renewing licences

Bureaucratic backlogs caused by the lockdown are paralysing the country, campaigners said last night. Despite coronavirus restrictions being eased, lives are still on hold because of massive delays at official agencies. Thousands of elderly motorists are housebound and isolated because of chaos at the DVLA – and: More than 150,000 babies are thought to lack … Read more

MPs say BBC’s rush to axe free licences for over-75s is a mess

BBC’s rush to axe free licences for over-75s is a ‘dog’s breakfast’ that will leave many of them scared and confused, warn MPs MPs hit out at BBC’s rush to scrap free TV licences for millions of over-75s  More than three million households who do not get pension credit must now pay Over-75s have been … Read more

This shoddy decision to end free TV licences for most over-75s will haunt the BBC’s fat cat bosses

So the deed is done. But will the BBC pay a price for going ahead with its plan to end free TV licences for most over-75s after a two-month stay of execution because of the Covid-19 pandemic? The Corporation’s panjandrums evidently think they can get away with it.  They will reason that, although more than … Read more