Major UK logistics training partner Insite is warning of a looming catastrophe for UK businesses as a growing HGV driver shortage emerges following the loss of crucial driver training funding.
The company said that in the past 12 months, hundreds of Insite clients have contacted them to express fears about the concerning driver shortage, with many fearing that it could exceed the driver shortage experienced by the UK during the pandemic. This shortage peaked in 2021 and caused profound disruption to supply chains.
At the time, in response to the situation, the Department for Education (DfE) launched its Skills Bootcamps in HGV Driving initiative, offering business affordable access to driver training. Centralised funding for this scheme ended last year.
According to RHA, the UK must recruit and train 60,000 HGV drivers every year to meet demand.
Insite said this week it is the largest provider of HGV Skills Bootcamps for businesses and is witnessing firsthand the impact on UK businesses that have been reliant on Skills Bootcamp funding.
James Clifford, Insite chief executive, said: “In the last 12 months alone, we have been contacted by over 200 businesses with serious concerns about securing enough HGV Drivers to continue operations. The situation is so bad that it looks like it will eclipse the 2021 driver shortage in terms of scale and impact.
“The Skills Bootcamps in HGV Driving worked because they were designed to be accessible, cost-effective and time-efficient. The results speak for themselves. Insite alone trained more than 4,500 new HGV drivers over 1,100 different UK organisations through Skills Bootcamps.
Of these, more than 85% immediately entered the workforce. But these numbers have to be sustained. Now that the supply of newly trained or upskilled drivers has dried up, businesses are already seeing the impact. It’s an alarming picture.”
Earlier this year, Insite published its Skills Bootcamps in HGV Driving pass rate data for 2025, revealing that 89% of candidates on Insite run courses passed the practical test module. This figure compared to a national pass rate of 61.1% for the 2025-26 financial year to date. This data covers all LGV training formats, not just Skills Bootcamps.
All pass rates were achieved within the two attempts allowed in the Skills Bootcamp model, with no additional self-funded attempts required.
In June 2025, Insite launched an expanded training service. It continues to offer an end-to-end licence acquisition service, but now also provides a fully managed warehouse training, including forklift driver training, introduction to warehousing, and first aid courses.
Construction training is also provided, including CPCS & NPORS accredited plant training to ensure safe and effective operations on all construction sites.
Insite added that many former Skills Bootcamp clients – including Biffa, Vinci Construction, Clear Channel, DX Group – continue to access broader training support from the company, reflecting the growing demand for fully-managed training solutions.
