DVLA driving licence backlog for motorists with medical conditions up 65 per cent in 12 months
Mon, 23 May 2022
- The number of drivers waiting for a medical driving licence increased from 203,890 applications on 25 March 2021 to 336,759 applications 12 months later.
- Almost 40 per cent of all delayed licence applications in the UK are medical licences.
- Drivers are waiting up to six months for a new or renewed medical driving licence, research suggests.
More than 300,000 drivers with medical conditions are waiting for their driving licence application to be processed by the DVLA, according to a freedom of information request (FOI) by HonestJohn.co.uk's sister brand heycar.
The FOI found that on 25 March 2021 there were 203,890 applications awaiting a medical driving licence decision; however, by 25 March 2022 this had increased 65 per cent to 336,759 applications.
A medical driving licence is issued to a driver who suffers from a condition that needs to be declared to the DVLA. This can include diabetes, sleep apnoea, epilepsy or a heart condition.
Drivers with a notifiable medical condition account for 39 per cent of more than 800,000 people in the UK waiting for a new driving licence in March 2022.
How long are drivers waiting for their medical driving licence?
The research conducted by heycar suggests that drivers with medical conditions are waiting up to six months for their licence in some cases.
However, there are also examples of drivers waiting considerably longer.
One HonestJohn.co.uk reader, who did not wish to be named, said that his father has been waiting 15 months and has still not had his medical driving licence renewed.
His father, who is in his 80s, lives alone in rural Yorkshire and is “very dependent on his car”, the reader said.
His father had to renew his licence on medical grounds as he has glaucoma.
"His consultant believes him fit to drive, as does his GP. Nevertheless, off he went to have his eyes checked by the DVLA-approved optician,” the reader told us.
“The necessary forms were filled in and sent off to the DVLA. But then nothing from DVLA.”
His father continued to drive under Section 88 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, which allows drivers to continue driving while their licence is being processed, provided certain conditions are met.
His local police force issued him with a printed statement confirming his eligibility to drive, which he carried in his car, along with the note from his GP.
However, Section 88 only applies for 12 months so now his father can no longer drive.
“Now my father has an expensive lump of metal sat on the drive, and is, of course, paying for tax and insurance. After a couple of years of semi-isolation through Covid he is now faced with further isolation as a result of DVLA inadequacies in processing his application. His world was already small enough, without this additional restriction,” the reader said.
“We have chased and harried the DVLA as best we can - phone calls, social media and emails. We have reference numbers from the DVLA confirming the email enquiries going back 15 months, but not one response. Currently, his local MP has agreed to take up his cause, but, as yet, no joy.”
Four-month wait for disabled motorist
Disabled motorist Barry Kirby was severely impacted by a four-month wait for his driving licence.
He made a paper application for his 70 and over licence renewal in September last year and declared that he had had sleep apnoea in the past, along with neurological problem, so the DVLA sent him a medical questionnaire to complete.
He then heard nothing for two months and was left frustrated at being unable to speak to anyone at the DVLA - despite numerous attempts.
“I didn’t know what was going on,” Barry said. “I found it impossible to contact anyone at the DVLA. When I telephoned them I would get redirected and wait and wait, and nobody answered. All I could do was check on the GOV.UK website and found that my licence had been revoked.”
That led to the leasing company which Barry leases his car from telling him to “cease driving immediately” and he was left making £250 monthly payments for a vehicle that he couldn’t use.
“I live in a rural area and we only have a bus service every two hours during daylight hours so I was very restricted at home,” Barry said.
“I had to go to the hospital, which takes 10 minutes in a car. I tried to walk it and it took me an hour to walk to the next bus route and I was exhausted. And that bus never came. I ended up in the middle of the countryside ringing for a taxi.”
Towards the end of November, the DVLA wrote to Barry to inform him they had contacted his doctor and expected a delay in receiving a reply due to the ongoing situation with Coronavirus.
Barry spoke to his doctor’s surgery and had confirmation within two days of the DVLA letter that the doctor had responded to say he was medically fit to drive.
He then heard nothing from the DVLA and after a month of being unable to get through on the phone he contacted HonestJohn.co.uk for help.
Within two days of HonestJohn.co.uk contacting the DVLA on Barry’s behalf in January 2022 he was informed his driving licence had been authorised.
Barry said that it brought an end to “months of frustration”.
When will the DVLA clear the backlog?
As we reported in April 2022, the DVLA expects to reach ‘normal’ turnaround times for paper drivers licence applications (up to three weeks including some time for postage) by the end of May.
For medical applications, the target by the end of September is for 90 per cent of cases to be processed within 90 days.
Why are medical driving licences delayed?
The DVLA said that during the pandemic DVLA medical checks were “deprioritised” by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and were temporarily paused again in December 2021 and January 2022 to support the Covid-19 vaccine booster rollout, which impacted processing times for applications needing medical investigations.
It said the time taken to make a licensing decision can depend on the nature of a medical condition, particularly where a driver may have multiple medical conditions that may impact their fitness to drive. This can mean that these more complex applications are likely to take longer to process, whereas those which are less complex in nature could be processed more quickly.
To help reduce waiting times for paper applications, the DVLA said it has introduced additional online services, recruited more staff, increased overtime working and has secured extra office space in Swansea and Birmingham.
It said that it “recognises the impact on drivers who have to renew their licence more regularly and is working hard to improve the process”, and that drivers with diabetes, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, a visual impairment, a sleep condition or a heart condition can renew their licence online.
Although the DVLA said that people can apply online there are still problems with its system which means not everyone who should be able to apply online can do. HonestJohn.co.uk uncovered a problem in April 2021 that some over-70s licence renewals cannot be done online, dependent on whether they had a passport with a digital signature.
The DVLA said it was developing a new system which would allow customers to upload a signature online. That system went live in June 2021 but only applies to people making their first application for a driving licence. The DVLA is still developing a system that will incorporate the same functionality for people renewing their licence online and could not say when this would be available.
Can I still drive while my application is being processed?
While your driving licence application is with the DVLA you may be able to drive under Section 88 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, provided certain conditions are met.
The DVLA must have received your correct and complete application within the last 12 months and you must have previously held a valid driving licence and only drive vehicles you have applied for on your current application and were entitled to drive on your previous licence. Any conditions that were specified on your previous licence still apply.
You must also meet the medical standards of fitness to drive. If you have a medical condition and have been told not to drive by a doctor or healthcare professional, you cannot drive under Section 88. You also cannot drive if your last licence was revoked or refused for medical reasons.
You must not have been previously disqualified from driving as a high-risk offender (a high risk-offender is a driver convicted of a serious drink driving offence) or be currently disqualified from driving by a court.
The DVLA said that while it is completing medical investigations to decide whether a licence can be issued, it cannot tell you if Section 88 applies to you. It said that you and your doctor or healthcare professional are in the best position to consider the Section 88 criteria and to decide whether you should drive while you are waiting for a licence to be issued.
Can I drive abroad while I am waiting for my licence?
If you are driving under Section 88 this may not be accepted in other countries because it is UK legislation. The DVLA's advice is to check with the relevant licensing authority before you travel.
Been waiting nearly a year for my medical driving licence - is this normal?
When will I get my driving licence?
