How Much Are Driving Lessons?
The cost of driving lessons has recently taken a spot in the UK news because of its post-pandemic price hike. In fact, according to experts, approximately 40% of driving instructors had to increase their fees because of how hard it was to adjust with COVID-19.
That said, it's understandable why many aspiring legal drivers are thoroughly thinking about whether it's worth availing of driving lessons in the UK. Before you back out, however, let's first see the average prices that you should expect for 2022 to see. We're going to walk you through the things that you need to know in this article.
How Much Are Driving Lessons in the UK?
To cut straight to the chase, the average cost of driving lessons in the UK ranges from £23-£27. Driving schools have full responsibility and decisions over how much they want to price their lessons. It will be up to you, as the student, to make the most out of the total fees that you will buy. That said, you should expect UK's driving lessons to start at £24, considering that you buy one lesson at a time. If you plan on fully committing to learning how to drive, then you can consider buying in bulk that will start at £19 per lesson. Note that bulk comes with ten lessons or more.
The location of where you live will be a huge factor in the final price. Typically, city driving will be more expensive due to higher demands, meaning higher costs. This isn't always the case but it's common, especially in bigger cities such as London and Manchester. Rural areas on the other hand may see a lower price due to lower demands. Like cities, this will not always be the case as many factors will come into play. Find out more about these factors lower down.
Overall, it will come down to an average of £25, so prepare at least this much for one lesson.
What Can Determine Driving Lesson Prices?
The prices of driving lessons aren't randomly generated. It is dependent on several internal and external factors like the student's needs, credibility and reputation of the driving school and instructor, required hours and classes, and the overall things that you will get after the course.
Below is a more in-depth discussion of how each factor affects the price:
- Number of Lessons
The number of lessons that you will avail of at the beginning of your session will determine the total discounts that you can get from the school. This is the main reason why availing of one lesson is comparatively pricier than the cost of a bulk-included season.
The more lessons that you avail of, the lower the price of one lesson will be. You should only go through with bulk buying if you are dedicated to finishing your whole driving course in one go.
- Quality of Instructor
Usually, the more skilled an instructor is, the higher the fees they charge. This most especially applies in the present because of the said pandemic aftershock towards driving schools and trainers. Because of this, you should expect that a lesson will cost more if you avail of it through an experienced instructor.
- Transmission Type
The difference in prices between a manual and an automatic can be staggering when looked at over time. Automatics have heavier due to the cost and maintaining prices of the transmission itself. In almost every driving school in the UK, automatics will be much more expensive than manual ones.
- Type of Course
Driving courses come in regular and intensive. Regular driving courses involve regular hourly lessons, which is the usual class type that you encounter in a driving school.
Intensive courses, however, offer students the same amount of lessons but in less time. This can range from one day to two weeks, ranging from £200-£2000. This can get a lot more expensive since it's a rush yet comprehensive kind of driving study session.
- Total Lesson Inclusions
The last factor that may affect a lesson's price points to the inclusions that come with it. If you're paying for a single lesson with nothing else involved, then chances are, you will be able to avail of lower prices. However, if a lesson includes benefits like total assistance, use of equipment, and likes, then costs are usually higher than usual.
What Are the Inclusions When You Pay for Driving Lessons in the UK?
Inclusions are one of the many things that affect a driving lesson's price. The specific inclusions that you will get will vary depending on what driving school or instructor you work with. However, here are some of the most common ones that you should expect:
- Use of rental car for training and study sessions
- Tests
- Study guides
- Training for Emergency drills
- Use of other car and driving-related equipment
Please note that some of these are very specific to few schools.
You can usually see the full list of inclusions on a driving school's website. You can also personally ask them to make sure that you're getting your money's worth.
Additional Fees Required to Finish Driving Lessons
There are some high-end driving schools that include licence and permit assistance with the lessons, but this is not always the case. If you want to save money, then this is also not recommended since higher fees are usually included if processes are done with a third party.
That said, here are some additional fees that you should prepare alongside your driving lesson costs:
- Driving License
- Theory Test
- Driving Tests
- Driver's Permit
In total, you should prepare an additional sum if you plan on availing of the permits and tests above.
Summary
To sum up, driving lessons are usually priced at around £25 in the UK.
This can be lower or higher depending on factors like the number of lessons that you will avail of, your instructor's quality, attendance hours that you need to complete, additional classes, and the total lesson inclusions you will get. Intensive courses are also priced higher.
Simply said, your needs will have a great toll on how cheap or expensive your lessons will be.
Keep in mind that you will not only be paying for the lessons. Depending on the driving school that you will go to, you will also get inclusions like the use of a rental car, manuals, and training books. Some also offer additional services like license processing and likes, but most of the time, you may need to pay for them yourself.