How Many Uninsured Drivers Are in Your City? -

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It’s always good to know which parts of the UK has a higher ratio of uninsured drivers, although unless every driver is caught you obviously don’t know exact stats. Yet, as far as it goes, this data is useful and it highlights areas where the Police take a proactive approach to identifying and chasing up offenders.

New research from scrap price comparison service Scrap Car Comparison reveals the huge number of drivers who have been convicted of driving without insurance in the past year, using data gained through a Freedom of Information request to the DVLA.

In the UK it’s illegal to drive a vehicle on a road or in a public place without at least third-party insurance – though many aren’t even covering themselves at the lowest level. During the 12-month period from June 2023 to June 2024, more than 13,500 drivers in the UK received penalty points using the IN10, IN12 or IN14 endorsement codes. These codes relate to either using a vehicle uninsured against third-party risks; aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring a vehicle uninsured against third party risks, or finally, causing or permitting the use of a vehicle uninsured against third party risks. With the 13,577 number relating only to the drivers that have been caught without insurance, this huge figure is likely higher, and is a problem that could prove costly for any motorists involved in a crash with anyone driving without insurance.

Those who are found to be driving without insurance, or a related offence, can receive 6-8 points on their licence as well as a £300 fixed penalty, though this can become an unlimited fine and a driving disqualification if the case goes to court.

Manchester revealed as the city where most drivers get caught without insurance

Data from the DVLA also revealed the cities, towns and counties where drivers are receiving penalty points for these insurance-related offences, with Manchester revealed as the location with the highest number of drivers found to be guilty of these offences. More than 1,200 drivers were caught behind the wheel without insurance in the Northwest city during the 12-month period between June 2023 and June 2024.

To fairly rank where drivers are most likely to be uninsured, the researchers at Scrap Car Comparison compared the number of drivers that were awarded penalty points for driving without third party insurance in a particular location, with the city’s population size. This helped to avoid large populations and therefore high uninsured driver numbers skewing the results.

These calculations reveal that there seems to be an uninsured driver problem within the Northwest, with Manchester, Oldham and Bolton taking up the top three spots. According to the data, at least three motorists will be driving without insurance, out of every 1,000 people in Manchester.

Beyond the Northwest dominating the rankings as the capital of uninsured drivers, other northern cities also feature heavily, with Doncaster, Bradford, Rotherham and Middlesborugh all also ranking within the top ten, resulting in more than 70% of the cities in the top flight coming from the north of England.

Elsewhere, Glasgow is the top-ranking city in Scotland, and the only Scottish city in the top 25, placing 14th worst for drivers without insurance, as approximately two drivers per 1,000 of the city’s population have received points for being uninsured.

Top 25 cities for drivers receiving penalty points for a lack of insurance

Rank	City	Drivers caught without insurance (June 2023 – June 2024)	Population	Drivers caught without insurance (per 1,000 of the population)
1	Manchester	1,274	395,515	3.22
2	Oldham	275	104,782	2.62
3	Bolton	366	141,331	2.59
4	Doncaster	390	158,141	2.47
5	Northampton	510	215,963	2.36
6	Bradford	635	299,310	2.12
7	Dagenham	217	108,368	2.00
8	Rotherham	229	117,618	1.95
9	Middlesbrough	241	142,707	1.69
10	Bedford	179	106,940	1.67
11	Leeds	758	455,123	1.67
12	Leicester	845	508,916	1.66
13	Peterborough	271	163,379	1.66
14	Glasgow	950	591,620	1.61
15	Lincoln	183	114,879	1.59
16	Coventry	549	359,262	1.53
17	Huddersfield	227	149,017	1.52
18	Slough	234	163,777	1.43
19	Newcastle Upon Tyne	274	192,382	1.42
20	Birmingham	1,400	984,333	1.42
21	Croydon	240	173,314	1.38
22	Wolverhampton	343	252,791	1.36
23	Southampton	334	246,201	1.36
24	Blackburn	195	146,521	1.33
25	Luton	342	258,018	1.33

Greater London is the county with the most uninsured drivers overall

Looking at a county level, and for the total number of drivers given points for the IN10 offence (being caught while driving without insurance), Greater London is the county with the most law-breaking drivers. With 8,747 drivers in the area receiving penalty points for a lack of insurance from June 2023 to June 2024, the county is firmly in the top spot with almost 5,500 more drivers prosecuted than in the West Midlands, which ranks second.

Greater Manchester ranks in third place on a county level, which tallies up with the cities that ranked highly in the overall rankings. West Yorkshire follows in fourth place (2,544 drivers), with Kent concluding the top five (1,672).

Merseyside (6th), Lancashire (7th) and South Yorkshire (8th) also rank among the top 10 counties, further cementing the north of England as a hotspot for those driving without insurance.

At the other end of the spectrum, only 15 drivers in Wales’ Ceredigion were awarded points for driving with no insurance from 2023 to 2024, making it the county with the lowest number of drivers penalised for these offences. In fact, Welsh drivers seem to stay on the right side of the law when it comes to insurance, with Blaenau Gwent, Torfaen, Powys, Merthyr Tydfil, Anglesey, Conwy and Pembrokeshire all seeing less than 60 drivers receiving penalties for insurance offences last year.

The top 10 counties where drivers receive penalty points for a lack of insurance

Rank	County/Region	Number of drivers who received points for a lack of insurance
1	Greater London	8,747
2	West Midlands	3,323
3	Greater Manchester	2,893
4	West Yorkshire	2,544
5	Kent	1,672
6	Merseyside	1,449
7	Lancashire	1,319
8	South Yorkshire	1,291
9	Hampshire	1,219
10	Essex	1,112

David Kottaun, Operations Manager at Scrap Car Comparison comments: “Driving without insurance is a huge problem, and one that deserves to be treated severely as the implications can be incredibly costly. Unfortunately, it’s often innocent drivers that are made to pay the price for others who are uninsured, as in the event of a crash they’d be unable to claim for any damage to their vehicle, potentially leaving them hugely out of pocket!”

“However, that’s not to say that everyone who’s on the road without insurance is doing so deliberately; even the most law-abiding drivers can get caught out if they’re not careful. From missing a renewal date to forgetting to sort insurance before picking up a new car, there are many reasons why people may unintentionally be falling foul of these laws. Driving the car of a friend or family member is one common route to being penalised – many people assume that their comprehensive insurance covers them for ‘driving other cars’ when this isn’t always the case and is something that should be checked before getting behind the wheel of a borrowed vehicle. It’s also worth noting that SORN-ed vehicles must still be insured when on a public road, even if they’re not being driven”.

“Laws are there for a reason, and unfortunately whether it was an intentional rule-break or accidental, driving without insurance is both a crime and potentially very dangerous for all involved, so it’s always worth taking the time to double check policies and their dates to avoid any mishaps.”

For further information on how to check if a car is insured, take a look at our blog post here: https://www.scrapcarcomparison.co.uk/blog/how-to-check-if-a-car-is-insured/