The Department for Education has confirmed plans to keep HGV driver training options it launched in 2021 running until 2023. With demand for haulage drivers running high, the government has promised funding for 4,000 trainee HGV drivers between 2022-23.
So what does the government HGV driver training funding cover, and can anyone apply?
When Did HGV Driver Training Funding Begin?
In autumn 2021, the government announced plans to get more drivers on the road to ease the pressure on the haulage industry. In other words, drivers are in demand. Once you’re in, HGV driving can be lucrative. But training up can take time and money, which is turning would-be drivers away from the career.
In a bid to get more drivers into the business, the government announced funding for 4,000 lorry drivers to train up and get started.
As part of the plan, they opened up HGV Skills Bootcamps with funding for other adult learners as well. The scheme initially offered up free training for 3,000 drivers through the Skills Bootcamp route. And on top of that, 1,000 adult education applicants would also be funded for their HGV qualifications.
How Do You Qualify as an HGV Driver?
Lorry drivers can qualify for their licence through one of four training routes:
Each HGV driver training scheme follows a different format, and some are only open to certain trainees. The government is offering up funding for two HGV training options in England, the Skills Bootcamps and vocational qualifications under the adult education budget.
What Government Funding for HGV Training Covers for 2022/23
If you’re over 19 and have a full car driving licence (that’s the category B licence) then you can apply for a government-funded Skills Bootcamp. Though it’s worth noting that they’re only available in England, and applicants need to have the right to work in the UK. Providers may have their own criteria to check off as well.
They take 16 weeks to complete but they’re free, with the government supplying funding for the provisional licence (and the HGV driver medical you need to obtain it). Skills Bootcamps also cover the costs of taking each of the 4 Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) tests. If you don’t pass first time, then you’re also covered for one re-sit per CPC test.
HGV Training Beyond the Bootcamps
HGV Skills Bootcamps are not the only government scheme you can use to get your HGV driving licence though. The Department for Education will also continue funding for 1,000 trainee haulage drivers taking eligible Level 2 Certificates.
Under the AEB adult education scheme, future lorry drivers who are taking certain qualifications can be covered for some of the costs of their HGV driver training. The government will also fund trainees’ first attempts at the HGV licence and their D4 medical.
For HGV drivers making the jump to articulated lorry driving under the AEB scheme, the government will also offer up funding. They’ve pledged to cover the costs of upgrading from a category C to a category C and E licence.
But help isn’t just available in the form of funded qualifications. Time is also at a premium for trained drivers who want to start work. In a bid to increase driver numbers, the government has worked with the DVLA to make life easier for lorry drivers. That includes efforts to get HGV driving licence approval times down. So once you’ve completed the training, you’re not left waiting to get on the road.