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Driving Schools in the UK Industry Data and Analysis
Demand for driving lessons depends mainly on how many people reach driving age, how stretched household budgets are, how good local public transport is and how easily learners can get an instructor and a test slot. Car lessons generate most of the industry's revenue, while flying, sailing and boating tuition depend more on discretionary spending. Demand for car tuition continues to exceed the number of available teaching hours in many local markets. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) October 2025 survey found that 54.6% of instructors were closed to new pupils and 47.3% had a waiting list, though availability is improving. In June 2023, those figures were 70.2% and 63.3%. Prices are levelling off too. Half of instructors charge between £36 and £40 an hour, and 47.7% held their prices steady over the past year, even as fuel, insurance, vehicle finance and maintenance costs stayed high. Most instructors are self-employed and work locally, which keeps the industry fragmented. Still, franchise networks like the AA and RED driving schools are expanding through branded vehicles, instructor recruitment and theory test apps.
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What's included in this industry analysis
IBISWorld's research coverage on the Driving Schools industry in the United Kingdom includes market sizing, forecasting, data and analysis from 2016-2031. The most recent publication was released October 2026.
About this industry
What's this industry report about?
The Driving Schools industry in the United Kingdom operates under the SIC industry code P85.530. This industry is made up of driving, flying, sailing and boating schools that teach people to drive, fly or sail for personal use, such as commuting, getting to work or leisure. It covers car and motorcycle lessons as well as tuition for aircraft and boats. The industry excludes schools that train occupational drivers, like lorry, bus and coach drivers, and schools that train people for commercial qualifications, like commercial pilot licences. Related terms covered in the Driving Schools industry in the United Kingdom include private pilot licence (ppl), ultra-low emission zone (ulez) and driver and vehicle standards agency (dvsa).
What's included in this industry?
Products and services covered in Driving Schools industry in the United Kingdom include Driving lessons for passenger cars, Driving lessons for other vehicles and Flying lessons.
What companies are included in this industry?
Companies covered in the Driving Schools industry in the United Kingdom include AA Ltd, RED and Aeros Group Ltd.
Performance
What's included in the Performance chapter?
The Performance chapter covers detailed analysis, datasets, detailed current performance, sources of volatility and an outlook with forecasts for the Driving Schools industry in the United Kingdom.
Questions answered in this chapter include what's driving current industry performance, what influences industry volatility, how do successful businesses overcome volatility, what's driving the industry outlook. This analysis is supported with data and statistics on industry revenues, costs, profits, businesses and employees.
Products & Markets
What's included in the Products and Markets chapter?
The Products and Markets chapter covers detailed products and service segmentation and analysis of major markets for the for the Driving Schools industry in the United Kingdom.
Questions answered in this chapter include how are the industry's products and services performing, what are innovations in industry products and services, what products or services do successful businesses offer and what's influencing demand from the industry's markets. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by product and service segmentation and major markets.
Geographic Breakdown
What's included in the Geographic Breakdown chapter?
The Geographic Breakdown chapter covers detailed analysis and datasets on regional performance of the Driving Schools industry in the United Kingdom.
Questions answered in this chapter include where are industry businesses located and how do businesses use location to their advantage. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by location.
Competitive Forces
What's included in the Competitive Forces chapter?
The Competitive Forces chapter covers the concentration, barriers to entry and supplier and buyer profiles in the Driving Schools industry in the United Kingdom. This includes data and statistics on industry market share concentration, barriers to entry, substitute products and buyer & supplier power.
Questions answered in this chapter include what impacts the industry's market share concentration, how do successful businesses handle concentration, what challenges do potential industry entrants face, how can potential entrants overcome barriers to entry, what are substitutes for industry services, how do successful businesses compete with substitutes and what power do buyers and suppliers have over the industry and how do successful businesses manage buyer & supplier power.
Companies
What's included in the Companies chapter?
The Companies chapter covers Key Takeaways, Market Share and Companies in the Driving Schools industry in the United Kingdom. This includes data and analysis on companies operating in the industry that hold a market share greater than 5%.
Questions answered in this chapter include what companies have a meaningful market share and how each company is performing.
External Environment
What's included in the External Environment chapter?
The External Environment chapter covers Key Takeaways, External Drivers, Regulation & Policy and Assistance in the Driving Schools industry in the United Kingdom. This includes data and statistics on factors impacting industry revenue such as economic indicators, regulation, policy and assistance programs.
Questions answered in this chapter include what demographic and macroeconomic factors impact the industry, what regulations impact the industry, what assistance is available to this industry.
Financial Benchmarks
What's included in the Financial Benchmarks chapter?
The Financial Benchmarks chapter covers Key Takeaways, Cost Structure, Financial Ratios, Valuation Multiples and Key Ratios in the Driving Schools industry in the United Kingdom. This includes financial data and statistics on industry performance including key cost inputs, profitability, key financial ratios and enterprise value multiples.
Questions answered in this chapter include what trends impact industry costs and how financial ratios have changed overtime.
Industry Data
What's included in the Industry Data chapter?
The Industry Data chapter includes 10 years of historical data with 5 years of forecast data covering statistics like revenue, industry value add, establishments, enterprises, employment and wages in the Driving Schools industry in the United Kingdom.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the market size of the Driving Schools industry in the United Kingdom in 2026?
The market size of the Driving Schools industry in the United Kingdom is £588.1m in 2026.
How many businesses are there in the Driving Schools industry in the United Kingdom in 2026?
There are 1,953 businesses in the Driving Schools industry in the United Kingdom, which has grown at a CAGR of 1.2 % between 2021 and 2026.
How may import tariffs affect the Driving Schools industry in the United Kingdom?
The Driving Schools industry in the United Kingdom is unlikely to be materially impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
How may export tariffs affect the Driving Schools industry in the United Kingdom?
The Driving Schools industry in the United Kingdom is unlikely to be materially impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
Has the Driving Schools industry in the United Kingdom grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Driving Schools industry in the United Kingdom has been declining at a CAGR of 5.6 % between 2021 and 2026.
What is the forecast growth of the Driving Schools industry in the United Kingdom over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Driving Schools industry in the United Kingdom is expected to grow.
What are the biggest companies in the Driving Schools industry in the United Kingdom?
The biggest companies operating in the Driving Schools industry in the United Kingdom are AA Ltd, RED and Aeros Group Ltd
What does the Driving Schools industry in the United Kingdom include?
Driving lessons for passenger cars and Driving lessons for other vehicles are part of the Driving Schools industry in the United Kingdom.
Which companies have the highest market share in the Driving Schools industry in the United Kingdom?
The company holding the most market share in the Driving Schools industry in the United Kingdom is AA Ltd.
How competitive is the Driving Schools industry in the United Kingdom?
The level of competition is high and decreasing in the Driving Schools industry in the United Kingdom.
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