A major new policy statment is also due which could change laws around driving licence eye tests, alcohol and seat belts
As 2026 starts drivers have been warned of new laws and rules – some of which are coming in from today. As well as changes which have been implemented from January 1 there are a number which could happen – some impacting all drivers on UK roads.
A major update could come out of Labour’s delayed new Road Safety Strategy which is likely to include three key findings to change the way people drive and includes the possibility of changes to eye tests, alcohol levels and seat belt laws.
For disabled drivers there will be increased costs – on average £400 – to those because some tax reliefs are being ended.
Changes from Jan 1 2026
Driving theory tests to include new CPR questions from 2026
The DVSA has revised the first aid content in the driving theory test to equip more learner drivers with vital life-saving skills.
The driving theory test, which learner drivers must pass before they can book their practical driving test, will include enhanced first aid questions around cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillators (AEDs) from early 2026 onwards.
The DVSA hopes that with this move, more people know how to respond in emergencies to help increase the UK’s low cardiac arrest survival rates. The changes won’t affect the cost, test time, or the difficulty level of the driving test. The DVSA has already updated its official learning material to include this new content, so learner drivers will have time to familiarise themselves before the changes ahead of 2026.
Congestion charges to increase and exemption for electric vehicles ending
Starting 2026, congestion charge will be increased from £15 to £18/day if paid on or before the day of travel, and from £17.50 to £21/day if paid within 3 days after travel.
Cleaner Vehicle Discount
The existing 100% Cleaner Vehicle Discount ended on 25 December 2025. Instead, electric car drivers can get a 25% discount and electric van, HGV, and quadricycle drivers can get a 50% discount on the daily charge if they’re registered on Auto Pay. This would put the daily charge to £13.50 for electric cars, and £9 for electric vans, HGVs, and quadricycles.
Changes coming later
Motability tax relief removed
In the November Budget, Chancellor Rachel Reeves said that from July 2026 VAT will apply to Advance Payments, and Insurance Premium Tax will apply to Scheme leases. The Motability company, which administers the huge scheme that accounts for one in five cars sold in the UK, has estimated that the average Advance Payment, or upfront cost, of a vehicle will increase by around £400 over the three-year package.
The insurance premium tax will be replaced with a standard rate of 12% applied to insurance policies for most new vehicle leases in this scheme. The DWP has said that cars which are ‘substantially adapted for wheelchair users’ will not be impacted by the tax change.
Over 70s renewing driving licence changes
There is speculation that the government may soon update the process for over-70s renewing their driving licences in the Road Safety Strategy, although no changes have been announced yet. Calls have been rising for those over the age of 70 to be banned from driving if they fail a compulsory eye test. This comes after opticians expressed concern at the number of drivers they test who are not fit to be on the roads.
Currently, over 70s must renew their driving licence every three years. The system also relies of individuals reporting their own medical conditions. If these changes go ahead, eye-test could become a mandatory part of the renewal process.
Drink drive limit
Reducing the drink-drive limit could come in the Road Safety Strategy – The current limit of 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood may be reduced to 50mg alcohol per 100ml of blood to align with the stricter limit followed in Scotland.
Stricter seatbelt laws
Currently, if you’re caught not wearing a seat belt, you can be fined up to £500 in the Road Safety Strategy. With the changes, you would also receive three penalty points on your licence for not wearing your seatbelt.
All new cars and vans to meet Euro 7 emission standards from 2026
Emission standards help keep the emissions produced by vehicles in check, to help improve the air quality. Euro 6 is the latest emission standard rating introduced on 1 September 2015.
Euro 7 was adopted by the EU in April 2024 to help further reduce pollution emitted by vehicles in Europe, and is set to be implemented from 29th November 2026 onwards.
Benefit in Kind (BiK) to increase for all vehicles in 2026/27
Benefit in Kind (BiK) refers to the tax you pay when you buy a car through your company’s salary sacrifice scheme. BiK rates, like vehicle excise duty, are dependent upon your car’s CO2 emissions.
BiK rates, which had been stable since 2022, increased by 1% in April 2025, and now they are scheduled to increase again by another 1% in the 2026-27 financial year.
From 6th April 2026 onwards, electric vehicles will pay 4% BiK as opposed to the current 3%. The BiK rate keeps increasing as the level of CO2 emitted by the car increases, all the way up to 37% levied on cars producing more that 154g/km CO2.
Electric car supplement increased to £50,000 for EVs from April 2026
As announced at Budget 2025, this measure increases the VED (Vehicle Excise Duty) Expensive Car Supplement (ECS) threshold for zero-emission cars, from its current level of £40,000 to £50,000.
This means that zero-emission cars with a list price which exceeds £40,000, but does not exceed £50,000, will no longer be required to pay the ECS charge when they take out a licence which comes into effect on or after 1 April 2026 which is not a first vehicle licence. The threshold will be maintained at its current level of £40,000 for all other cars.
The change applies retrospectively, meaning that most vehicles registered from 1 April 2025 will not be required to pay the charge. Any vehicles taking out a second licence with effect before 1 April 2026 will be required to pay one year of the charge only.
Learner drivers to have more control over driving test bookings from spring 2026
A assist with a huge backlog partially caused by people block booking tests and selling them a key rule change is being brought in from Spring 2026, the DVSA has said. The new rules will mean that only learner drivers will be allowed to book their own driving test.
Electric cars and plug-in hybrids to pay per mile from 2028 onwards
The government is introducing a new electric Vehicle Excise Duty (eVED) that will charge drivers based on how many miles they drove from April 2028 onwards.
With eVED, electric cars will have to pay 3p per mile driven and plug-in hybrids will pay 1.5p per mile, rising annually in line with inflation.
eVED is set at approximately half of the fuel duty paid by petrol car drivers and will be levied on top of the standard VED that currently stands at £195/year.
The miles driven will be checked annually, typically during the MOT test, and the payment system will be integrated into the existing VED system.
