Half a million UK drivers avoid paying VED with some ‘linked to much wider criminality’
While a rise in Vehicle Excise Duty will see motorists facing higher tax bills from April 2024, nearly half a million cars were found without tax during 2023.
As the UK’s motorists brace for an increase in Vehicle Excise Duty (VED), the Department for Transport (DfT) has highlighted that almost half a million vehicles in use on the roads are untaxed.
Whilst the figures showed a slight decrease in the number of motorists that evaded road tax during 2023, the number has increased dramatically in the past decade.
Nicholas Lyes, Director of Policy at the motoring safety organisation IAM Roadsmart, warned that untaxed drivers can be found to have committed other crimes.
He explained: “It will be hugely frustrating to the overwhelming majority of tax-paying drivers that almost half-a-million others are not paying their way. Perhaps even more worrying is that a quarter of those that are dodging vehicle excise duty have been doing so for more than six months.
“Untaxed vehicles are sometimes linked to much wider criminality, and this has implications for safety on our roads. While the trend is downwards, in large part due to the efforts of the DVLA’s enforcement teams, it is still higher than ten years ago which was when the tax disc was abolished.”
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Whilst the DfT noted that some of the vehicles affected were driving without the right type of tax, such as being SORN in place, a shocking 79 percent were spotted after their tax had been expired.
In addition, a quarter of the vehicles were found to have been without tax for more than six months, with two percent not having any record of tax at all.
The DfT also highlighted that 35 percent of the unlicenced vehicles had recently changed owners, with the possibility that the new driver was unaware the tax is no longer transferable.
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Previously used car buyers could get up to 12 months road tax with their vehicle, however it is now impossible it to be transferred.
As a result, motorists must make sure they have taxed the vehicle before getting behind the wheel to avoid expensive fines.
According to the Highway Code, driving an untaxed car could lead to fines of up to £1,000, with motorists seen using a vehicle declared as SORN facing a £2,500 fine.