Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether there is a backlog of medical reviews of licenses for elderly drivers.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) aims to process all applications as quickly as possible. In the interests of road safety, the DVLA must be satisfied that the required medical standards are met before a licence is issued.

Applications that require medical investigations, regardless of the age of the applicant, can take longer to process - as the DVLA is often reliant on receiving information from third parties, including medical professionals, before a licence can be issued.

The DVLA has seen a sustained increase in both the volume and complexity of driving licence applications from people with one or more medical conditions, including those aged 70 and over. This reflects an ageing population keen to maintain independence and mobility. Unfortunately, this has led to longer waiting times for some customers. In 2024/25, the DVLA made more than 830,000 medical licensing decisions with forecasts showing that more than 925,000 medical applications and notifications will be received in 2025/26.

To meet this growing customer demand and improve the customer experience, the DVLA is enhancing its digital services, including the introduction of a new casework system and a new medical services portal. Alongside this the DVLA is recruiting additional staff to support customers.

Applicants renewing an existing licence may be able to continue driving while their application is being processed, providing they can meet specific criteria. More information on this can be found at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1180997/inf1886-can-i-drive-while-my-application-is-with-dvla.pdf