Average hourly driving lesson prices have risen by 37% over the past five years, with rates now averaging £39 per hour, adding increasing pressure on the cost of learning to drive across the UK.
While professional tuition remains the gold standard for developing technical skills, many families are increasingly stepping in to provide the high-volume road experience that is becoming harder to access through traditional channels.
When aligned with the DVSA recommendation of 45 hours of professional tuition and 22 hours of private practice[2], the cost of lessons alone can now reach an average of £1,755[3]. Combined with a shortage of Approved Driving Instructors (ADIs) and long waitlists, families are looking to stop ‘skills fade’ to keep their children’s progress on track.
In light of this, learner driver insurance experts, Tempcover, surveyed 1,000 UK parents to explore private driving practice in more detail, including potential savings and the perceived impact of parental teaching on their children’s progress behind the wheel.
Rather than replace professional expertise, parents appear to be supplementing formal lessons with additional at-home practice. More than a third (35%) say they do so to help their child progress faster – a vital factor when instructor availability is limited.
A further 30% cite building confidence as the main motivator. In practice, this can allow professional instructors to focus on core test requirements, while supervised practice at home helps learners gain additional on-road experience. Cost savings come third, with almost one in five (17%) citing it as their primary motivation.
