DVLA Hitting the Breaks Older Cars Face Car Tax Hike this Spring

Get ready to pay more to keep your classic clunker on the road. Spring brings a fresh set of challenges for British drivers, particularly those behind the wheel of cars manufactured before the turn of the millennium. Come April 1st, 2024, the Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) – commonly known as car tax – will rise across the board, with older vehicles facing the brunt of the increase.

The hikes, justified by inflation adjustments, will see some engine sizes bear a modest £10 bump, while others could climb by as much as £20. For example, owners of pre-2001 cars with engines under 1550cc can expect their annual tax bill to jump from £200 to £210. While this might seem like a small change, it adds up over time, particularly for those already struggling with rising fuel costs and the general cost-of-living crisis.

But the burden doesn't stop there. Newer, supposedly greener cars won't escape unscathed either. Owners of vehicles pumping out over 255g/km of CO2 will get slapped with an additional £140 first-year tax fee, bringing the total to a whopping £2,745. This move, while aimed at encouraging environmentally friendly choices, stings even more considering the current affordability crisis faced by many households.

The government defends the tax increases, citing the need to generate revenue for road maintenance and air quality initiatives. However, critics argue that it disproportionately penalizes low-income drivers who rely on older vehicles due to budget constraints. They point out that many of these cars lack newer emissions technology, making them easy targets for tax hikes despite often being essential for daily commutes or running errands.

The looming price hike raises several questions. Will it prompt a shift towards smaller, fuel-efficient cars, even if it means abandoning beloved classics? Will it push some drivers off the road entirely, further crippling those who depend on cars for work or accessing essential services? These are concerns that the government needs to address with more support measures for financially vulnerable motorists.

While the future remains uncertain, one thing is clear: the spring breeze will carry not just floral scents, but also the chill of an increased car tax burden for many British drivers. Whether it becomes a gentle nudge towards greener driving or a financial hardship for those clinging to older vehicles remains to be seen.

So what are the top selling number plates in the UK? The DVLA has been selling private plates to UK motorists since 1989. During this time, there have been a number of records set, but most of the top 10 have been bought in the past 15 years. Here’s what currently makes the list:

25 0 – A Ferrari dealer bought this for £518k in 2014. It is now on a £10 million Ferrari 250 SWB.
F 1 – A businessman, Afzal Khan, bought this for £440k in 2008 and put it on his McLaren-Mercedes SLR.
S 1 – This was bought in 2008 for £404k by an anonymous buyer.
1 D – Businessman Nabil Bishara bought this plate in 2009 (before One Direction was formed, so it is not a reference to the band) for £352k.
M 1 – Businessman Mike McCoomb bought this number plate in 2006 for £331k, apparently for his son, who was 10 at the time.
VIP 1 – Chelsea owner and businessman Roman Abramovich bought this plate for £285k in 2006.
51 NGH – This number plate, which looks like the surname Singh, was sold in 2006 for £254k.
1 RH – Businessman Robert Haverson bought this in 2006 for £247k.
K1 NGS – This reg plate, which looks like the word “kings”, was bought anonymously in 1993 for £231k.
1 0 – This very simple but striking number plate was bought anonymously in 2009 for £170k.

These are large amounts of money, but they are all small compared to the top-selling number plates found in other parts of the world. Abu Dhabi, in the UAE, has the record for the most expensive number plate ever sold. That number plate was a simple “1”. It was bought in 2008 by businessman Saeed Abdul Ghaffar Khouri for £7.25 million.

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