jobfacts

Heavy and large goods vehicle drivers

SOC 2020 8211

HGV and LGV drivers collect, transport and deliver goods in rigid vehicles over 7.5 tonnes, articulated lorries and lorries pulling trailers.

Also calledHGV driverLGV driverTanker driverLorry driverHaulage contractorLow loader driverand 71 more titles
Typical full-time pay£39,9002025 Provisional
People in the job273,000across the UK
Demand for workersNot high
New adverts a month8,200↑ 9.1%on last year · 16th of 412

Pay

ONS · ASHE 2025

Half of full-time heavy and large goods vehicle drivers earn between £33,700 and £46,700 a year.

What full-time heavy and large goods vehicle drivers earn, 2025
£39,900 typical£28,300lowest 10%£33,70025%£46,70075%£53,100top 10%
Middle half (£33,700–£46,700)
Show as table
Lowest 10% earn less than£28,300
Lowest 20% earn less than£32,300
25%£33,700
Median£39,900
75%£46,700
Top 20% earn more than£48,600
Top 10% earn more than£53,100
Typical pay by regionUK median £39,900
London£44,200
East Midlands!£41,000
East of England£41,000
South West£40,100
South East£39,900
West Midlands£39,500
Yorkshire and The Humber£39,100
Scotland£38,800
North West£38,700
Wales£38,700
North East!£37,700
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
UK median, £39,900
London£44,200
East Midlands£41,000 (small sample)
East of England£41,000
South West£40,100
South East£39,900
West Midlands£39,500
Yorkshire and The Humber£39,100
Scotland£38,800
North West£38,700
Wales£38,700
North East£37,700 (small sample)
Typical pay over 3 years
  • 2023 £37,300
  • 2024 £38,800
  • 2025 Provisional£39,900
↑ 6.9% since 2023Provisional figures are revised when ONS publishes the next year’s survey.

Jobs and demand

ONS · Textkernel adverts · DfE

About 8,200 jobs for heavy and large goods vehicle drivers are advertised each month. The Department for Education rates demand for workers as not high.

New job adverts a month, Jan 2017 to Aug 2026
New advertsMonth not published by ONS (2 in all)
Show as table
Aug 20269,271
Jul 202610,280
Jun 2026Not published
May 20268,239
Apr 20268,486
Mar 2026Not published
Feb 20266,329
Jan 20266,340
Dec 20252,929
Nov 202510,712
Oct 20259,371
Sept 20259,597
Aug 20259,950
Jul 202510,505
Jun 20259,619
May 20259,905
Apr 20257,606
Mar 20257,525
Feb 20256,356
Jan 20255,346
Dec 20243,279
Nov 20246,236
Oct 20247,455
Sept 20248,090
Aug 20248,367
Jul 20248,847
Jun 20247,662
May 20247,544
Apr 20245,696
Mar 20244,007
Feb 20243,462
Jan 20243,567
Dec 20232,221
Nov 20232,942
Oct 20233,074
Sept 20233,348
Aug 20234,366
Jul 20234,108
Jun 20235,711
May 20234,913
Apr 20233,414
Mar 20233,743
Feb 20233,311
Jan 20234,037
Dec 20223,760
Nov 20225,119
Oct 20226,134
Sept 20227,150
Aug 20228,556
Jul 20227,282
Jun 20226,481
May 20227,426
Apr 20225,265
Mar 20226,429
Feb 20225,381
Jan 20225,812
Dec 20214,708
Nov 20217,076
Oct 20217,034
Sept 20217,077
Aug 20217,455
Jul 202110,288
Jun 20219,655
May 20219,816
Apr 20218,632
Mar 20219,737
Feb 20214,755
Jan 20215,355
Dec 20205,023
Nov 20206,914
Oct 202010,016
Sept 20209,076
Aug 20208,470
Jul 20205,649
Jun 20203,295
May 20202,058
Apr 20202,748
Mar 20205,972
Feb 20206,137
Jan 20206,482
Dec 20196,936
Nov 20197,386
Oct 20198,718
Sept 20196,577
Aug 20197,342
Jul 20198,065
Jun 20196,737
May 20197,491
Apr 20195,585
Mar 20195,438
Feb 20195,212
Jan 20196,306
Dec 20184,131
Nov 20187,045
Oct 20187,777
Sept 20188,642
Aug 20187,901
Jul 20186,914
Jun 20187,319
May 20186,373
Apr 20185,013
Mar 20185,050
Feb 20184,411
Jan 20185,878
Dec 20174,719
Nov 20176,311
Oct 20176,323
Sept 20176,647
Aug 20177,740
Jul 20176,653
Jun 20178,750
May 20176,648
Apr 20175,457
Mar 20176,254
Feb 20174,316
Jan 20175,843
Is there a shortage of heavy and large goods vehicle drivers?
Not high

The Department for Education rates demand as not high, elevated or critical, using five indicators. This is its 2025 assessment.

  • Visas grantedUsual
  • Online job advertsAbove usual
  • Wage growthUsual
  • Pay against similar jobsAbove usual
  • Hours workedUsual
Note: uncertain in multiple indicators: change in hourly wage, visa density.
Vacancies hard to fill because of skills
24%against 27% for all jobs
DfE Employer Skills Survey 2024.
Where the most jobs are advertisedadverts a quarter
London1,594
North Northamptonshire414
Bristol, City of373
Thurrock362
West Northamptonshire357
Leeds344
Manchester336
Somerset335
Wakefield321
Warrington308
London is published as one area. Averages leave out quarters ONS withheld.
Where heavy and large goods vehicle drivers are most concentratedShare of local job adverts, compared with the UK.

Recruitment from abroad. 21 sponsored work visas were granted for this job from July 2025 to June 2026, most to people from Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, ranking it 177th of 313. Home Office

Who does it

ONS · Annual Population Survey · April 2025 to March 2026
WomenToo few in the survey to give a reliable figure
Age of heavy and large goods vehicle drivers
n/p
15%
21%
26%
29%
5.9%!
!Small sample: treat with cautionn/p: too few in the survey to publish
Show as table
16–24Not published
25–3415%
35–4421%
45–5426%
55–6429%
65+5.9% (small sample)
Highest qualification
Degree or equivalent7.8%
Higher education below degree!3.7%
A levels or equivalent22%
GCSEs or equivalent29%
Other qualifications24%
No qualifications9.7%
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
Degree or equivalent7.8%
Higher education below degree3.7% (small sample)
A levels or equivalent22%
GCSEs or equivalent29%
Other qualifications24%
No qualifications9.7%

Main employers: freight transport by road (45%), retail sale in non-specialised stores with food, beverages or tobacco predominating (3.9%), collection of non-hazardous waste (2.9%), other transportation support activities (2.8%).

How to get in

Hold a degree
7.8%
as their highest qualification
Most common qualification
GCSEs or equivalent
held by 29%
Apprenticeships
1
from level 2
Apprenticeships take
13 months
typically

Routes in

You can get into this job through:

Apprenticeship

You could do a Large Goods Vehicle (LGV) Driver C and E Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship.

This can take around 1 year to complete and combines on-the-job learning and study with a training provider.

The armed forces also offer some HGV driving apprenticeship roles.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship

Work your way up

If you're already working for a transport operator in a non-driving role, your employer might support you through training to get your HGV driving licence.

Other routes

More about this route
Course

You'll need to get a professional driving qualification called the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC).

Lots of organisations offer this course. You can find training to become a HGV driver or search for training providers through the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency.

You might find it useful to compare several providers before signing up to one.

The course will cover driving skills, basic mechanics and how to load items. At the end of your course you'll need to pass 4 parts of the CPC test which includes:

  • a driving theory test
  • online case studies
  • a test of your practical driving ability
  • a practical demonstration test

If you're going to work with hazardous goods, for example fuel oil, you'll also need an Advisory Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR) Certificate.

Refresher course

If you're returning to work, you may need to do refresher training. Find out more about returning to be a HGV driver.

Skills Bootcamp

You might be able to apply for a place on a Skills Bootcamp for HGV driving.

Skills Bootcamps are flexible courses that last up to 16 weeks.

You can apply if you:

  • are 19 or older
  • have a full (category B) driving license

The provider running your course might have extra criteria for applying.

When you pass the course, you:

  • are guaranteed a job interview with an employer near where you live
  • can drive large vehicles
  • will have a category C or category CE driving licence

What you’ll need

  • be over 18 years of age
  • have a driving licence that includes HGV for lorries or PCV for buses
  • have a Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) known as a driver CPC

To stay qualified, every 5 years you'll need to take 35 hours of driver CPC training and renew your HGV driving licence.

If you're working with hazardous goods, like chemicals, you'll also need an Advisory Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR) Certificate.

Registration and professional bodies

Career tips

You may be able to increase your income by working overtime.

Companies often need more HGV drivers at peak times. You could look for seasonal jobs on retail and delivery company websites, or with driver recruitment agencies.

Further information

You can find out more about how to become a qualified HGV driver from GOV.UK and Generation Logistics.

Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for hgv driver. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Apprenticeships

1 for this job

© Skills England 2025. This information is licensed under the Open Government Licence https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

The work

ONS · ESCO · O*NET

Typical tasks

  • checks tyres, brakes, lights, oil, water and fuel levels and general condition of the vehicle
  • drives vehicle from depot to loading/unloading point
  • agrees delivery schedule and route with transport management
  • assists with loading/unloading and ensures that load is evenly distributed and safely secured
  • drives vehicle to destination in accordance with schedule
  • maintains records of journey times, mileage and hours worked
  • undertakes minor repairs and notifies supervisor of any mechanical faults

Skills

  • operate GPS systems
  • interpret traffic signals
  • manoeuvre heavy trucks
  • read maps
  • use different communication channels
  • adhere to transportation work schedule
  • anticipate foreseeable problems on the road
  • communicate with customers
  • control the performance of the vehicle
  • drive vehicles
  • load animals for transportation
  • maintain concentration for long periods
  • operate emergency equipment
  • parallel park vehicles

Knowledge

  • mechanical components of vehicles
  • road transport legislation
  • vehicle cargo capacity
  • animal transportation vehicles
  • effective perception of transport environment
  • hazards associated with loading dangerous goods
  • health and safety measures in transportation
  • mechanics

Suits people who like

  • Practical, hands-on work
  • Organising and following procedures

Outlook

DfE · Skills Imperative 2035
Broader groupThese projections are for transport and mobile machine drivers and operatives, a group of 14 jobs that includes heavy and large goods vehicle drivers.
Change in jobs, 2020 to 2035↑ 6.7%about 80,000 more jobs
Workers needed by 2035748,000including people replacing those who retire or leave

Sources

Pay
ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2025 provisional
People in the job, who does it
ONS, Annual Population Survey, April 2025 to March 2026
Job adverts
ONS, online job adverts (Textkernel), to Aug 2026
Demand, skill shortages
Department for Education and Skills England, Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey
Outlook
The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE
Routes in
National Careers Service job profiles
Apprenticeships, qualifications
Skills England occupational maps
Skills, interests
ESCO classification of the European Commission; O*NET data, U.S. Department of Labor (CC BY 4.0, modified)
Visas
Home Office, immigration system statistics

Figures as of 10 October 2026.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey: Department for Education and Skills England. Immigration system statistics: Home Office. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

© Skills England 2025. This information is licensed under the Open Government Licence https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Source: The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE.

This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission.

This service includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This service has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. CC BY 4.0 licence.

jobfacts is independent. It is not part of, affiliated with or endorsed by the Office for National Statistics, the Department for Education, Skills England, the National Careers Service, the Home Office, the European Commission or the U.S. Department of Labor.