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Young people are unable to take up jobs because epic backlogs for driving tests mean they cannot get licences, according to a damning new analysis. A driving licence is required for more than two-thirds of plumbing jobs and a third of care roles but learners in England can face waits of around 21 weeks for a test, according to the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ).

It reports that nearly one in five unemployed people say transport problems have caused them to turn down a job or not apply. The leading think tank is calling for major employers to gain the right to conduct driving tests and award licences in a bid to clear the logjam and get people into work.

The CSJ warns that many learners are “struggling to book a test at all”. It found that last September around seven out of 10 test centres had reached the maximum 24-week wait, “meaning it was impossible to book a test”. The share of 17-to-20-year-olds holding a full car driving licence in England crashed from 48% in 1994 to just 29% in 2024.

As well as giving accredited employers the ability to conduct driving tests for staff, the CSJ wants the “creation of regional testing hubs involving employers and further education colleges”. Its analysis revealed more than one in six vacancies require applicants to be able to drive. This lands as concerns mount for the future of the more than one million young people not in education, employment or training (NEET). The delegated examiner scheme already allows companies to conduct tests for HGV licences. The think tank is pressing for employers to be able to provide tests for “category B” cars.

Ruth Cadbury, who chairs Westminster’s transport select committee, said: “As school leavers start thinking about their next step, we must remove the barriers that hold them back from work and education. In many parts of the economy, from care to the skilled trades, a driving licence can be essential to getting the job, particularly given the lack of decent bus service provision in many parts of the country. That makes tackling the driving-test backlog an integral part of restoring hope for Britain’s NEETs. The Government should examine the sensible proposals put forward by the Centre for Social Justice to expand testing capacity, including whether properly accredited employers and colleges can play a greater role. Bringing waiting times down would remove a key barrier facing young people trying to make the transition into work.”

Support also came from Labour MP Peter Swallow, who chairs the all-party parliamentary group for schools.

He said: “The driving-test backlog has become a serious barrier to work for many of our young people, particularly in sectors where being able to drive is essential. The Government is looking for practical solutions to help tackle the NEETs crisis. It should give serious consideration to the CSJ’s proposals for involving employers and colleges in expanding test capacity and bringing the backlog down. This would open up a wider range of job opportunities to school leavers and enable them to reap the rewards of the new technical education options the Government is introducing.”

The CSJ’s Daniel Lilley added: “There are many reasons for the enduring NEETs crisis, many of which feel intractable. But we should not overlook the roadblocks we can remove to help young people find work – the availability of driving tests being one of them. The driving test system has been completely overwhelmed since the pandemic, and will continue to shut young people out of job opportunities unless we find new solutions. By harnessing the capacity of employers and further education colleges we can get Britain’s NEETs on the road and into work.”

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “Our latest data shows the median driving test waiting time for Great Britain was 11.1 weeks in July 2026, and the number of tests also at its highest point since our records began. But we recognise how frustrating it is for every learner who has to wait longer for their test date. That’s why we’re continuing to put more tests into the system, with almost 305,000 extra tests carried out since June 2025.”