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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Nigel Nelson

Motorists ripped off by firms charging over £100 for driving licences amid DVLA delays

Websites that charge more than £100 for a ­driving licence are making a killing because of the huge backlog at DVLA.

The Swansea agency issued 2.4 million fewer licences in the first year of the pandemic.

Staff social distancing and strike action has meant delays of up to 10 weeks.

So people are turning to firms which claim they will speed up applications by checking them before sending the forms on for processing with the DVLA.

One charges £114 for a provisional licence, normally £34.

The firm, based in Estonia, wants £100 for a replacement licence that usually costs £20.

A change of address is free with DVLA but £80 on the site.

The AA said: “People think they are paying £80 to jump the queue. They’re not.

“They’re paying to be conned out of eighty quid.”

Such services are legal but MPs demanded a crackdown.

Shadow transport secretary Jim McMahon said: “Ministers should be taking concrete action to tackle the DVLA backlog.”

DVLA say fewer licences were issued last year because motorists were given an 11 month extension on existing ones due to Covid.

DVLA said: “Those applying for or renewing a licence should only use gov.uk to ensure they are dealing with DVLA directly.”

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