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Learner drivers 'paying £1,300 per year'

Driving tests are leaving a massive dent in young people's finances, a new report from uSwitch suggests.

According to the price comparison site, the Driving Standards Authority (DSA) earns £14.4 million per year from licensing.

British learner drivers, over half of whom are aged under 21, were also found to be spending £1,337 per year on lessons and tests.

Included in this total is money made from theory tests - which will increase by 12.3 per cent in future, netting the DSA even more cash.

Ashton Berkhauer, insurance expert at uSwitch.com, commented: "New drivers shouldn't be under any illusions - learning to drive carries a hefty price tag.

"With the average person sitting their practical test two to three times before passing, learners must also have a contingency fund to cover the cost of initial failure."

Figures from the DSA show that 1.5 million practical tests and 1.3 million theory tests are taken each year in the UK.

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