Overview
- Official figures show a national average wait of about 22 weeks with 638,270 people on the forward bookings list in November.
- The National Audit Office projects the backlog will not clear until November 2027, and ministers have conceded the seven‑week target for summer 2026 will be missed.
- From spring 2026, only learners will be able to book tests, appointments can be altered only twice, and moves will be limited to nearby centres.
- The theory test will add expanded first-aid content covering CPR and defibrillators from early 2026 without changing the test’s cost or length.
- The DVSA reports just over 14,400 more tests in October year on year and plans to deploy 36 military examiners for up to 6,500 extra tests, as many learners travel long distances or pay third parties up to £500 for slots.