Research and analysis

Working as a driving instructor survey: 2023 results

Published 10 August 2023

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

Introduction

This report summarises research carried out by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) about working as an approved driving instructor (ADI).

It aims to:

• find out how important things are changing over time
• get views on topical issues

This research is done regularly. Since June 2021, it’s been done about twice a year. From June 2023, this survey will be done annually in June of each year.

We sent the survey to ADIs on 1 June 2023. The survey closed on 30 June 2023.

At the end of March 2023, there were 39,550 ADIs. Overall, there were 5,795 responses to this survey - 14.7% of all ADIs.

You can read the results of previous surveys about working as an ADI.

Where the same question was asked in previous surveys, this report compares the changes over time.

Summary of findings

Weekly working hours

62.2% of ADIs spend at least 25 hours working as an ADI each week

Read more about working time.

Driving lesson prices

£31 to £35 is the most common price charged for a one-hour lesson - 46.6% of ADIs charge this

Read more about lesson prices.

Availability for driving lessons

29.8% of ADIs currently have availability to take on new pupils

Read more about lesson availability and waiting lists.

Job satisfaction

90.8% of ADIs agree the role gives them a sense of personal accomplishment

Read more about attitudes to the job.

Future plans

85.2% of ADIs intend to continue in the role for at least the next year

Read more about attitudes to the job.

Professional development

53.6% of ADIs have done some form of continuing professional development (CPD) in the last 12 months

Read more about professional development.

Health

59.3% of ADIs have experienced musculoskeletal problems in the last 12 months

Read more about health and wellbeing.

About your business

In this section:

Type of instructor

What type kind of trainer are you?

5,789 people answered this question.

Survey	Independent	Local driving school franchise	National driving school	Other	Total
June 2021	69.4%	17.4%	11.4%	1.8%	100%
January 2022	70.8%	16.9%	11.1%	1.3%	100%
October 2022	69.2%	17.4%	11.7%	1.8%	100%
2023	69.6%	16.9%	11.1%	2.4%	100%

What types of customers do you train?

5,758 people answered this question.

ADIs were asked to select all options that applied to them. This means the totals do not add up to 100%.

Response	Response rate
Learner drivers	98.4%
Fully qualified drivers of fleets of cars and vans	11.0%
Trainee driving instructors and other ADIs	9.7%

We did not ask this question in previous surveys, so we cannot compare the results.

Experience as an instructor

How long have you been an approved driving instructor (ADI)?

5,788 people answered this question.

Response	Response rate
Less than a year	7.7%
Between 1 to 4 years	19.3%
Between 5 to 8 years	15.8%
Between 9 to 12 years	8.2%
More than 12 years	49.0%

We did not ask this question in previous surveys, so we cannot compare the results.

Working time

On average, how many hours do you spend working as an ADI each week?

5,789 people answered this question.

Response	Response rate
15 hours or fewer	10.2%
16 hours to 24 hours	26.0%
25 hours to 34 hours	38.8%
35 hours or more	23.4%
Not currently working as an ADI	1.6%

We did not ask this question in previous surveys, so we cannot compare the results.

When do you offer lessons?

5,687 people answered this question.

ADIs were asked to select all options that applied to them. This means the totals do not add up to 100%.

Response	Response rate
Weekdays (7am to 4pm)	87.8%
Weekday evenings (4:01pm to 8:59pm)	44.3%
Weekends	48.4%
Bank holidays (excluding Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day)	33.4%
Other times not listed	15.2%

We did not ask this question in previous surveys, so we cannot compare the results.

Do you have any other jobs in addition to your work as an ADI?

5,667 people answered this question.

Response	Response rate
Yes	12.4%
No	87.6%

We did not ask this question in previous surveys, so we cannot compare the results.

I achieve a good balance between my work life and my private life

5,690 people answered the question about how much they agreed with this statement.

Response	Response rate
Strongly agree	21.0%
Agree	41.5%
Neither agree nor disagree	17.5%
Disagree	15.1%
Strongly disagree	4.9%

We did not ask this question in previous surveys, so we cannot compare the results.

Type of car

Which types of cars do you teach in?

5,698 people answered this question.

ADIs were asked to select all options that applied to them. This means the totals do not add up to 100%.

Type of car	October 2022	2023
Electric	3.2%	3.8%
Hybrid	10.7%	12.2%
Petrol (manual)	58.3%	59.8%
Petrol (automatic)	7.5%	8.8%
Petrol (semi-automatic)	0.3%	0.9%
Diesel (manual)	29.2%	26.3%
Diesel (automatic)	3.0%	3.8%
Diesel (semi-automatic)	0.3%	0.7%

Do you have any plans to change the vehicle type for which you offer lessons in the next 5 years?

5,693 people answered this question.

Survey	Yes	No	Maybe	Total
October 2022	37.3%	36.4%	26.2%	100%
2023	30.6%	40.5%	28.9%	100%

Lesson prices

What is the average price that you charge for a standard one-hour lesson?

5,583 people answered this question.

Average lesson price	October 2022	2023
£20 or less	0.2%	0.3%
£21 to £25	1.8%	1.3%
£26 to £30	22.5%	13.3%
£31 to £35	49.8%	46.6%
£36 to £40	21.4%	31.1%
£41 to £45	3.4%	5.8%
More than £45	0.9%	1.6%

The June 2021 and January 2022 surveys gave options in £10 price ranges rather than £5 ranges. This means we cannot provide a direct comparison with the £5 price ranges for those surveys.

This chart shows how the results compare with the previous surveys when put into £10 price ranges.

Survey	£20 or less	£21 to £30	£31 to £40	£41 or more	Total
June 2021	0.4%	64.7%	33.4%	1.5%	100%
January 2022	0.2%	52.4%	45.6%	1.7%	100%
October 2022	0.2%	24.3%	71.2%	4.3%	100%
2023	0.3%	14.6%	77.8%	7.3%	100%

This chart shows a breakdown of the 2023 survey results by region.

Region	£20 or less	£21 to £25	£26 to £30	£31 to £35	£36 to £40	£41 to £45	More than £45	Total
East of England	0.6%	0.8%	7.2%	48.5%	36.6%	5.1%	1.2%	100%
East Midlands	0.2%	1.1%	12.7%	45.9%	34.8%	4.3%	1.1%	100%
London	0.7%	3.1%	17.7%	50.7%	21.3%	5.5%	1.0%	100%
North-east	0.0%	2.9%	37.5%	53.3%	6.3%	0.0%	0.0%	100%
North-west	0.2%	2.6%	17.2%	52.6%	23.3%	2.8%	1.3%	100%
South-east	0.0%	0.8%	10.1%	37.5%	39.4%	9.9%	2.4%	100%
South-west	0.3%	0.3%	3.4%	30.4%	48.7%	12.8%	4.2%	100%
West Midlands	0.4%	1.8%	23.8%	54.3%	16.2%	3.0%	0.4%	100%
Yorkshire and the Humber	0.0%	1.5%	16.9%	62.5%	17.6%	1.5%	0.0%	100%
Scotland	0.2%	0.4%	3.7%	43.4%	44.8%	5.8%	1.7%	100%
Wales	0.0%	0.7%	15.7%	58.4%	22.5%	1.9%	0.7%	100%

To simplify the data, this chart shows a breakdown by region, but put into 3 main price ranges. The chart is ordered from highest to lowest region charging £36 or more.

Region	£30 or less	£31 to £35	£36 or more	Total
South-west	4.0%	30.4%	65.7%	100%
Scotland	4.3%	43.4%	52.3%	100%
South-east	10.9%	37.5%	51.7%	100%
East of England	8.6%	48.5%	42.9%	100%
East Midlands	14.0%	45.9%	40.2%	100%
London	21.5%	50.7%	27.8%	100%
North-west	20.0%	52.6%	27.4%	100%
Wales	16.4%	58.4%	25.1%	100%
West Midlands	26.0%	54.3%	19.6%	100%
Yorkshire and the Humber	18.4%	62.5%	19.1%	100%
North-east	40.4%	53.3%	6.3%	100%

This chart shows a breakdown of the 2023 results by how long ADIs have been qualified.

Region	£20 or less	£21 to £25	£26 to £30	£31 to £35	£36 to £40	£41 to £45	More than £45	Total
Less than a year as an ADI	0.0%	1.9%	12.3%	56.5%	25.9%	2.5%	0.9%	100%
1 to 4 years as an ADI	0.1%	0.6%	9.3%	48.2%	35.4%	5.4%	0.9%	100%
5 to 8 years as an ADI	0.3%	1.0%	10.8%	47.1%	33.3%	6.3%	1.1%	100%
9 to 12 years as an ADI	0.0%	2.0%	15.5%	46.0%	28.3%	6.3%	2.0%	100%
More than 12 years as an ADI	0.4%	1.6%	15.5%	44.3%	30.0%	6.2%	2.0%	100%

To simplify the data, this chart shows a breakdown in 3 main price ranges - £30 or less, £31 to £35 and £36 or more.

Time qualified as an ADI	£30 or less	£31 to £35	£36 or more	Total
Less than a year as an ADI	14.2%	56.5%	29.3%	100%
1 to 4 years as an ADI	10.0%	48.2%	41.7%	100%
5 to 8 years as an ADI	12.1%	47.1%	40.7%	100%
9 to 12 years as an ADI	17.5%	46.0%	36.6%	100%
More than 12 years as an ADI	17.5%	44.3%	38.2%	100%

This chart shows a breakdown of the 2023 results by the average hourly hours worked by ADIs.

It shows that those ADIs who work more hours are more likely to charge higher hourly lesson prices.

Average weekly hours worked	£20 or less	£21 to £25	£26 to £30	£31 to £35	£36 to £40	£41 to £45	More than £45	Total
15 hours or fewer	0.9%	3.6%	24.9%	43.4%	21.2%	4.4%	1.6%	100%
16 hours to 24 hours	0.2%	1.9%	14.7%	48.7%	29.5%	3.7%	1.2%	100%
25 hours to 34 hours	0.1%	0.9%	10.9%	47.3%	33.1%	6.2%	1.5%	100%
35 hours or more	0.2%	0.5%	10.7%	44.5%	34.1%	8.0%	2.0%	100%

To simplify the data, this chart shows a breakdown in 3 main price ranges - £30 or less, £31 to £35 and £36 or more.

Average weekly hours worked	£30 or less	£31 to £35	£36 or more	Total
15 hours or fewer	29.4%	43.4%	27.2%	100%
16 hours to 24 hours	16.8%	48.7%	34.4%	100%
25 hours to 34 hours	11.9%	47.3%	40.8%	100%
35 hours or more	11.4%	44.5%	44.1%	100%

Has the average price that you charge for a one-hour lesson changed over the last year?^{[footnote 1]}

5,586 people answered this question.

Average lesson price	October 2022	2023
The price has decreased	1.0%	0.8%
The price has remained the same	8.6%	29.6%
The price has increased	90.5%	68.5%
Not sure[footnote 2]	0.0%	1.0%

Managing your business

In this section:

Challenges affecting the business

Have any of the following affected your business in the last few months?

5,600 people answered this question.

ADIs were asked to select all options that applied to them. This means the totals do not add up to 100%.

Response	October 2022	2023
Increased lesson prices	43.5%	22.3%
Increased my hours working as an ADI	28.3%	19.4%
Pupils wanting less frequent lessons	45.8%	39.8%
Pupils taking extended breaks from lessons (3 or more weeks)	50.4%	46.0%
Requests from pupils I have not trained asking to be taken to a test	81.1%	75.1%
None of these	5.9%	10.7%

What are the reasons your pupils are taking extended breaks from lessons?

2,575 people answered this question.

ADIs were asked to select all options that applied to them. This means the totals do not add up to 100%.

Response	October 2022	2023
Financial constraints	64.6%	59.3%
High waiting times for a driving test	89.6%	90.4%
Caring responsibilities	3.0%	2.6%
Increased educational or work commitments	22.6%	23.3%
Health reasons	7.4%	6.6%
Holiday	13.3%	12.6%
Personal commitments (for example, house move)	6.3%	7.4%
No longer wanting to learn to drive	6.3%	6.2%
Other	5.4%	4.5%

Approximately how many requests do you receive per week from pupils you have not trained asking to be taken to a test?

4,193 answered this question.

Response	October 2022	2023
0 to 1	35.2%	33.7%
2 to 3	42.9%	44.1%
4 to 5	10.6%	12.9%
More than 5	11.2%	9.2%

What are the key challenges you are currently facing within your role as an approved driving instructor?

There were 4,915 comments for this question. We have analysed a random sample of 412 comments to understand the themes that were raised. This sample size is likely large enough to be representative of all the comments made.

Challenge	Percentage of respondents stating this challenge
Driving test availability	60%
Managing pupil and parent expectations	9%
Other road users	8%
Working with DVSA	7%
Managing pupil behaviour	6%

Comments categorised as being about driving test availability included comments that mentioned competing with bots and test booking apps.

Comments categorised as being about managing pupil behaviour included comments that mentioned nerves, poor mental health, and pupils not paying.

Number of pupils and their progress

Approximately how many learners are you actively training at this time?

5,523 people answered this question.

Survey	Number of learners
June 2021	22.3
January 2022	19.9
October 2022	20.4
2023	19.6

Thinking about the learners that you are actively training, approximately how many have passed their theory test?

5,458 people answered this question.

Survey	Number of learners
June 2021	13.0
January 2022	12.3
October 2022	13.4
2023	13.0

Thinking about the learners that you are actively training, approximately how many have a practical test booked?

5,462 people answered this question.

Survey	Number of learners
June 2021	8.0
January 2022	7.9
October 2022	9.0
2023	8.3

Can you estimate how many of your candidates you think are likely to be ready for their driving test in the next 6 months?

5,585 people answered this question.

Number of candidates	1 to 5	6 to 10	11 to 20	21 to 30	31 or more	Total
June 2021	12.4%	30.2%	38.3%	14.4%	4.6%	100%
January 2022	17.4%	33.6%	37.2%	9.7%	2.0%	100%
October 2022	15.6%	32.3%	37.1%	11.9%	3.2%	100%
2023	17.2%	34.9%	36.1%	9.3%	2.4%	100%

Lesson availability and waiting lists

Do you currently have availability to take on new pupils?

5,592 people answered this question.

Response	October 2022	2023
Yes	32.0%	29.8%
No	68.0%	70.2%

This chart shows a breakdown of the 2023 results by region. It’s ordered by the region with most to least availability to take on new pupils.

It shows that ADIs in London have the most availability and ADIs in north-east England have the least availability to take on new pupils.

Region	Has availability to take on new pupils	Does not have availability to take on new pupils	Total
London	55.9%	44.1%	100%
West Midlands	32.7%	67.3%	100%
South-east	32.0%	68.0%	100%
Wales	31.8%	68.2%	100%
East of England	30.5%	69.5%	100%
East Midlands	27.8%	72.2%	100%
Yorkshire and the Humber	26.1%	73.9%	100%
North-west	24.2%	75.8%	100%
Scotland	23.3%	76.7%	100%
South-west	23.3%	76.7%	100%
North-east	17.4%	82.6%	100%

Do you currently have a waiting list for learners?

5,600 people answered this question.

Survey	Has a waiting list	Does not have a waiting list	Total
June 2021	81.9%	18.1%	100%
January 2022	72.1%	27.9%	100%
October 2022	65.1%	34.9%	100%
2023	63.3%	36.7%	100%

How many learners do you have waiting to start lessons?

3,541 people answered this question.

Survey	1 to 5	6 to 10	11 to 20	More than 20	Total
June 2021	27.7%	30.7%	20.9%	20.8%	100%
January 2022	33.9%	34.5%	20.2%	11.4%	100%
October 2022	33.7%	34.8%	20.3%	11.2%	100%
2023	43.1%	30.8%	15.4%	10.7%	100%

How long do you expect to have a waiting list of learners?

3,540 people answered this question.

Survey	Up to 3 months	Up to 6 months	Up to 9 months	Up to a year	Over a year	Not sure	Total
June 2021	27.4%	30.0%	12.2%	10.6%	10.3%	9.4%	100%
January 2022	37.9%	26.7%	6.9%	7.5%	9.1%	11.9%	100%
October 2022	36.7%	28.8%	6.6%	7.0%	9.8%	11.0%	100%
2023	32.8%	25.6%	6.6%	7.4%	15.0%	12.6%	100%

Your work

In this section:

Attitudes towards the job

I am interested in my work as an ADI

5,684 people answered the question about how much they agreed with this statement.

Response	Response rate
Strongly agree	55.3%
Agree	35.1%
Neither agree nor disagree	6.7%
Disagree	1.8%
Strongly disagree	1.1%

We did not ask this question in previous surveys, so we cannot compare the results.

My work as an ADI gives me a sense of personal accomplishment

5,686 people answered the question about how much they agreed with this statement.

Response	Response rate
Strongly agree	54.2%
Agree	36.6%
Neither agree nor disagree	6.3%
Disagree	1.8%
Strongly disagree	1.0%

We did not ask this question in previous surveys, so we cannot compare the results.

I understand how my work as an ADI contributes to making road transport safer, cleaner and healthier

5,689 people answered the question about how much they agreed with this statement.

Response	Response rate
Strongly agree	58.3%
Agree	32.2%
Neither agree nor disagree	6.9%
Disagree	1.8%
Strongly disagree	0.9%

We did not ask this question in previous surveys, so we cannot compare the results.

I understand the voluntary ADI code of practice and what it means for my conduct and standards

The ADI code of practice sets out how ADIs should behave in their personal conduct and business dealings, including advertising their services and settling disputes.

5,682 people answered the question about how much they agreed with this statement.

Response	Response rate
Strongly agree	60.5%
Agree	32.7%
Neither agree nor disagree	5.3%
Disagree	0.9%
Strongly disagree	0.6%

We did not ask this question in previous surveys, so we cannot compare the results.

I have the opportunity to contribute my views to DVSA before decisions are made that affect me

5,684 people answered the question about how much they agreed with this statement.

Response	Response rate
Strongly agree	13.0%
Agree	22.3%
Neither agree nor disagree	29.1%
Disagree	17.8%
Strongly disagree	17.8%

We did not ask this question in previous surveys, so we cannot compare the results.

Your future as an ADI

Which of the following statements most reflects your current thoughts about working as an ADI?

5,671 people answered this question.

Response	October 2022	2023
I want to leave my role as an ADI as soon as possible	3.8%	5.3%
I want to leave my role as an ADI within the next 12 months	8.1%	9.5%
I want to stay working as an ADI for at least the next year	16.3%	16.9%
I want to stay working as an ADI for at least the next 3 years	71.8%	68.3%

Skills and resources

In this section:

Tools to do the job

I have the tools I need to do my job effectively

5,681 people answered the question about how much they agreed with this statement.

Response	Response rate
Strongly agree	39.5%
Agree	45.4%
Neither agree nor disagree	9.1%
Disagree	4.0%
Strongly disagree	2.0%

We did not ask this question in previous surveys, so we cannot compare the results.

You stated that you do not have the tools needed to do your job effectively. Why is this?

There were 332 comments for this question. We have analysed a random sample of 311 comments to understand the themes that were raised. This sample size is likely large enough to be representative of all the comments made.

Issue	Percentage of respondents stating this issue
Lack of tests stop them from doing their job effectively	58%
Would like more training and resources from DVSA	15%
Need more communication and support from DVSA	8%
Feel driving examiner behaviour undermines ADIs and learners	4%

Comments categorised as being about driving examiner behaviour included comments about inconsistent and unprofessional behaviour.

Support from DVSA

DVSA keeps me informed about matters that affect me

5,695 people answered the question about how much they agreed with this statement.

Response	Response rate
Strongly agree	19.0%
Agree	44.0%
Neither agree nor disagree	23.6%
Disagree	7.7%
Strongly disagree	5.6%

We did not ask this question in previous surveys, so we cannot compare the results.

What more can DVSA do to support you?

There were 327 comments for this question. We have analysed a random sample of 299 comments to understand the themes that were raised. This sample size is likely large enough to be representative of all the comments made.

Theme	Percentage of respondents stating this idea
Would like DVSA to improve test availability	33%
Would like DVSA to change or improve the test booking system	16%
Think DVSA should offer more support and training	13%
Think the relationship between DVSA and ADIs needs improving	11%
Would like to see more driving examiners employed to alleviate the test backlog	10%

National standard for driver and rider training

The national standard for driver and rider training sets out what you must be able to do and what you must know and understand to provide training to drivers and riders.

Within an average year, how often do you read the national standard for driver and rider training?

5,683 people answered this question.

Response	Response rate
More frequently than once a month	5.3%
Monthly	13.5%
Quarterly	21.2%
Biannually	8.1%
Annually	29.4%
Never	18.8%
Not applicable (been in the role less than a year)	3.8%

We did not ask this question in previous surveys, so we cannot compare the results.

How often do you use the national standard for driver and rider training guidance to inform your teaching?

5,684 people answered this question.

Response	Response rate
Always	15.8%
Usually	23.5%
Sometimes	28.9%
Rarely	14.1%
Never	14.2%
I have not read this guidance	3.5%

We did not ask this question in previous surveys, so we cannot compare the results.

‘Ready to Pass?’ campaign

The ‘Ready to Pass?’ campaign provides tools and resources to help your pupils prepare for their driving test and check if they are ready.

Are you aware of our ‘Ready to Pass?’ campaign resources?

5,701 people answered this question.

Survey	Yes	No	Total
October 2022	72.5%	27.5%	100%
2023	89.6%	10.4%	100%

Now you are aware of the campaign, will you use or plan to use the campaign resources to help you and your pupils to prepare for their driving tests?

This question was only asked to those who said they were not aware of the campaign resources. 588 answered the question.

Response	Response rate
I will consider using the resources	70.9%
I will not consider using the resources	11.1%
Not sure	18.0%

We did not ask this question in previous surveys, so we cannot compare the results.

How regularly do you use or plan to use the ‘Ready to Pass?’ resources to help prepare your pupils for their tests?

5,109 people answered this question.

Response	October 2022	2023
With all my pupils	27.8%	30.5%
With my pupils who have an upcoming test	45.0%	38.3%
I do not use them	27.1%	31.2%

Driving test centres

ADIs were asked how strongly they agree or disagree with the following statements when thinking about the driving test centre they visit the most.

DVSA colleagues make me feel welcome every time I visit

5,688 people answered the question about how much they agreed with this statement.

Response	Response rate
Strongly agree	33.9%
Agree	38.1%
Neither agree nor disagree	18.3%
Disagree	6.7%
Strongly disagree	3.0%

We did not ask this question in previous surveys, so we cannot compare the results.

I trust the knowledge and expertise of the DVSA colleagues at this site

5,686 people answered the question about how much they agreed with this statement.

Response	Response rate
Strongly agree	30.1%
Agree	41.8%
Neither agree nor disagree	19.4%
Disagree	6.1%
Strongly disagree	2.7%

We did not ask this question in previous surveys, so we cannot compare the results.

I feel comfortable to discuss any issues or concerns I have with DVSA colleagues at this site

5,681 people answered the question about how much they agreed with this statement.

Response	Response rate
Strongly agree	26.5%
Agree	31.9%
Neither agree nor disagree	21.5%
Disagree	13.0%
Strongly disagree	7.1%

We did not ask this question in previous surveys, so we cannot compare the results.

When thinking about the driving test centre you most frequently visit, and the relationship you have with the DVSA colleagues there, how could we improve?

There were 3,651 comments for this question. We have analysed a random sample of 484 comments to understand the themes that were raised. This sample size is likely large enough to be representative of all the comments made.

Theme	Percentage of respondents stating this idea
Would like DVSA colleagues to be friendlier and easier to communicate with (soft skills)	31%
Would like more joined up working, including meetings and workshops between ADIs and driving examiners	13%
Think driving examiners should be more consistent and fairer when marking tests	9%
Would like centres to stop closing and improve facilities	9%
Would like improved staffing, including more driving examiners and better staff retention	8%

Continuing professional development

Continuing professional development (CPD) is voluntary training you can take to keep your skills up to date. It can include things like updating your training skills, going on formal courses, carrying out online research, developing your business skills, or going to local or national meetings and events.

Taking CPD

I am able to access the right continuing professional development (CPD) opportunities when I need to

5,694 people answered this question about how much they agreed with this statement.

Response	Response rate
Strongly agree	20.2%
Agree	41.6%
Neither agree nor disagree	29.9%
Disagree	4.5%
Strongly disagree	3.7%

We did not ask this question in previous surveys, so we cannot compare the results.

This chart shows whether ADIs agreed or disagreed that they can access the right CPD opportunities when they need to, split by region. It’s ordered from the highest to lowest region agreeing with the statement.

It shows that ADIs have similar access to CPD, regardless of where they live. ADIs in south-west England are most likely to agree they can access the right CPD. ADIs in north-west England are most likely to disagree.

Region	Agree they can access the right CPD opportunities when they need to	Neither agree nor disagree	Disagree they can access the right CPD opportunities when they need to	Total
South-west	63.7%	28.8%	7.5%	100%
South-east	63.0%	31.5%	5.5%	100%
Scotland	62.7%	28.1%	9.2%	100%
West Midlands	62.5%	29.4%	8.2%	100%
North-west	62.1%	26.5%	11.5%	100%
Yorkshire and the Humber	62.0%	30.1%	7.9%	100%
East of England	61.4%	30.6%	8.0%	100%
North-east	61.1%	30.3%	8.6%	100%
London	60.9%	31.9%	7.3%	100%
East Midlands	60.3%	31.1%	8.7%	100%
Wales	60.3%	29.0%	10.7%	100%

Have you completed any continuing professional development (CPD) activities in the past 12 months?

5,701 people answered this question.

Response	Response rate
Yes	53.6%
No	40.2%
Not sure	6.3%

We did not ask this question in previous surveys, so we cannot compare the results.

This chart shows whether or not ADIs have done any CPD in the last 12 months, split by region. It’s ordered from the highest to lowest region having done CPD.

It shows that ADIs in Scotland are most likely to have taken CPD in the last 12 months, and ADIs in London are least likely to have done any.

Region	CPD done in last 12 months	No CPD done in last 12 months	Not sure if they’ve done CPD in the last 12 months	Total
Scotland	60.3%	36.3%	3.5%	100%
South-west	60.0%	35.2%	4.8%	100%
Yorkshire and the Humber	56.3%	39.9%	3.8%	100%
North-west	55.8%	38.8%	5.4%	100%
Wales	55.5%	38.6%	5.9%	100%
East of England	54.8%	38.4%	6.8%	100%
South-east	53.0%	40.0%	7.0%	100%
East Midlands	52.9%	41.4%	5.7%	100%
West Midlands	50.4%	42.9%	6.7%	100%
North-east	46.1%	48.2%	5.7%	100%
London	37.1%	50.9%	11.9%	100%

This chart shows whether or not ADIs have done any CPD in the last 12 months, split by the average hourly lesson price they charge.

It shows that ADIs who charge a higher hourly lesson prices are more likely to have taken CPD in the last 12 months.

One-hour lesson price charged	CPD done in last 12 months	No CPD done in last 12 months	Not sure if they’ve done CPD in the last 12 months	Total
£20 or less	42.9%	50.0%	7.1%	100%
£21 to £25	36.0%	50.7%	13.3%	100%
£26 to £30	39.5%	53.0%	7.4%	100%
£31 to £35	50.3%	43.4%	6.4%	100%
£36 to £40	60.6%	34.0%	5.3%	100%
£41 to £45	66.9%	26.3%	6.8%	100%
More than £45	71.3%	24.1%	4.6%	100%

This chart shows whether or not ADIs have done any CPD in the last 12 months, split by the length of time they’ve been qualified as an ADI.

It shows that ADIs who have qualified in recent years are more likely to have taken CPD in the last 12 months, compared to those who qualified more than 9 years ago.

Length of time as an ADI	CPD done in last 12 months	No CPD done in last 12 months	Not sure if they’ve done CPD in the last 12 months	Total
Less than one year as an ADI	56.9%	35.6%	7.5%	100%
1 to 4 years as an ADI	61.6%	32.0%	6.4%	100%
5 to 8 years as an ADI	56.7%	36.2%	7.1%	100%
9 to 11 years as an ADI	50.4%	41.8%	7.7%	100%
12 years or more as an ADI	49.3%	45.2%	5.5%	100%

This chart shows whether or not ADIs have done any CPD in the last 12 months, split by the average weekly hours they spend working as an ADI.

Length of time as an ADI	CPD done in last 12 months	No CPD done in last 12 months	Not sure if they’ve done CPD in the last 12 months	Total
15 hours or fewer	48.3%	45.1%	6.6%	100%
16 hours to 24 hours	51.7%	40.6%	7.7%	100%
25 hours to 34 hours	56.2%	38.3%	5.5%	100%
35 hours or more	53.7%	40.6%	5.8%	100%

This chart shows whether or not ADIs have done any CPD in the last 12 months, split whether or not they have another job in addition to being an ADI.

It shows that ADIs who have an additional job are more likely to have taken CPD in the last 12 months, compared to those who only work as an ADI.

Additional job	CPD done in last 12 months	No CPD done in last 12 months	Not sure if they’ve done CPD in the last 12 months	Total
Has another job in addition to being an ADI	60.6%	34.6%	4.9%	100%
Does not have another job in addition to being an ADI	52.6%	41.0%	6.4%	100%

This chart shows whether or not ADIs have done any CPD in the last 12 months, split by whether or not they have caring responsibilities.

Caring responsibility status	CPD done in last 12 months	No CPD done in last 12 months	Not sure if they’ve done any CPD in the last 12 months	Total
Has caring responsibilities	58.5%	36.2%	5.3%	100%
Does not have caring responsibilities	51.9%	42.2%	5.9%	100%
Prefer not to say	49.7%	35.1%	15.2%	100%

This chart shows whether or not ADIs have done any CPD in the last 12 months, split by how interested they are in their role as an ADI.

It shows that ADIs who are most interested in their role are more likely to have taken CPD in the last 12 months.

Interest in their role	CPD done in last 12 months	No CPD done in last 12 months	Not sure if they’ve done any CPD in the last 12 months	Total
Strongly agree they are interested	58.3%	35.8%	5.8%	100%
Agree they are interested	50.4%	43.0%	6.6%	100%
Neither agree nor disagree they are interested	36.9%	54.1%	9.0%	100%
Disagree they are interested	37.1%	57.1%	5.7%	100%
Strongly disagree they are interested	39.3%	60.7%	0.0%	100%

Impact of taking CPD

Continuing professional development (CPD) activities I have completed in the past 12 months have helped to improve my performance as an ADI

This question was only asked to those who said they had done CPD in the last 12 months. 3,035 people answered this question about how much they agreed with this statement.

Response	Response rate
Strongly agree	29.1%
Agree	47.8%
Neither agree nor disagree	20.2%
Disagree	2.1%
Strongly disagree	0.7%

We did not ask this question in previous surveys, so we cannot compare the results.

Health and wellbeing

In this section:

Physical health

In general, how would you rate your overall physical health now?

5,692 people answered this question.

Response	Response rate
Very good	23.2%
Good	42.6%
Fair	25.7%
Poor	7.2%
Very poor	1.3%

We did not ask this question in previous surveys, so we cannot compare the results.

In the last 12 months I have experienced musculoskeletal problems

Musculoskeletal conditions include conditions that affect joints, bones, muscles, or areas of the body (for example, back pain or neck pain).

5,685 people answered this question about how much they agreed with this statement.

Response	Response rate
Strongly agree	22.8%
Agree	36.5%
Neither agree nor disagree	13.5%
Disagree	13.9%
Strongly disagree	13.3%

We did not ask this question in previous surveys, so we cannot compare the results.

This chart shows whether ADIs agreed or disagreed that they had experienced musculoskeletal problems the last 12 months, split by how long they’ve been qualified as an ADI.

Time qualified as an ADI	Agree they have experienced musculoskeletal problems in the last 12 months	Neither agree nor disagree	Disagree they have experienced musculoskeletal problems in the last 12 months	Total
Less than a year	48.2%	15.9%	35.9%	100%
Between 1 to 4 years	57.2%	14.6%	28.2%	100%
Between 5 to 8 years	63.1%	12.6%	24.3%	100%
Between 9 to 12 years	63.1%	11.6%	25.3%	100%
More than 12 years	60.1%	13.3%	26.6%	100%

This chart shows whether ADIs agreed or disagreed that they had experienced musculoskeletal problems the last 12 months, split by how many hours they work as an ADI each week.

Average weekly hours worked as an ADI	Agree they have experienced musculoskeletal problems in the last 12 months	Neither agree nor disagree	Disagree they have experienced musculoskeletal problems in the last 12 months	Total
15 hours or fewer	60.0%	11.9%	28.1%	100%
16 hours to 24 hours	61.0%	12.3%	26.8%	100%
25 hours to 34 hours	59.3%	14.6%	26.1%	100%
35 hours or more	57.0%	14.0%	29.0%	100%

Mental health

In general, how would you rate your overall mental health at the moment?

5,694 people answered this question.

Response	Response rate
Very good	26.7%
Good	38.4%
Fair	23.7%
Poor	9.1%
Very poor	2.0%

We did not ask this question in previous surveys, so we cannot compare the results.

Caring responsibilities

Do you currently have any caring responsibilities that impact your work as an approved driving instructor?

This includes any time spent providing unpaid care to a family member, friend or child.

5,686 people answered this question.

Response	Response rate
Yes	26.7%
No	67.6%
Prefer not to say	5.7%

We did not ask this question in previous surveys, so we cannot compare the results.

1. In the October 2022 survey, ADIs were asked if they had changed the price over the last 2 years. ↩

2. The ‘Not sure’ option was added to this question for the 2023 survey. ↩