Two in One Hundred Cars Untaxed

Compared to the last survey conducted by the Department of Transport (DfT) in 2019 it now estimates a further 85,000 cars are now driving on Britain's roads untaxed. 

The figure becomes a little more shocking when the jump is from 634,000 vehicles in 2019 to 719,000. Of all the rolling stock on Britain's roads, that figure equates from 1.6% to 1.9% and a £119million income loss per year.

The DfT has started to cawl back some of the lost revenue via enforcement and back tax on vehicles applying for tax. 

• 55% of the vehicles untaxed were taxed for 2 months or less. 
• 35% changed ownership since October 2020
• 9% less than two years old
• 38% older than ten years.

The increase in vehicles being untaxed may just be down to forgetful owners post the Covid-19 pandemic, where owns placed their vehicles as SORN (Statutory Off Road Notice) and innocently forgot to retax it.

During lockdowns, there were limited amounts of enforcement in place, which could subsequently increase vehicles running without tax, and equally the financial impacts of furlough and covid-19 meaning owners simply just couldn't afford the tax. 

Another key factor in figures is the switch to digital tax discs, and the abolition of the paper disc in 2014 which used to be displayed in windscreens, allowing visual enforcement of untaxed vehicles. 

One of the major advantages of car leasing is road tax is taken care of for you, the lender/finance company handle this and it can't be forgotten. Financially the cost of road tax is rolled into your monthly payments and already budgeted for. 

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