Annual Salary
£22,000 to £40,000
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
Swap to Logistics or Transport or go back to all job sectors
Swap to Logistics or Transport or go back to all job sectors
HGV drivers transport and deliver products between suppliers and customers.
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
You could work: evenings / weekends / bank holidays; away from home
There will be
0.2% more HGV driver jobs in 2027.
As a HGV driver, you could:
You'll always need to drive safely and follow the law. You'll need to keep your vehicle tidy and safe to drive.
Your working environment may be physically active and you'll travel often.
You can get into this job through:
You could do a Large Goods Vehicle (LGV) Driver C and E Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship.
The armed forces offer some HGV driving apprenticeship roles.
You'll usually need:
If you're already working for a transport operator, your employer might support you to get your HGV driving licence.
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 National Vocational Driving Instructor Register (NVDIR).
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:
Refresher course
If you're returning to work, you might need to do refresher training. You can 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 in HGV driving.
Skills Bootcamps are free, flexible courses that last up to 16 weeks.
When you pass the course, you:
You'll need to:
Companies often need more HGV drivers at peak times. This demand for jobs can affect salaries.
You could look for seasonal opportunities on retail and delivery company websites or with driver recruitment agencies.
You can find out more about:how to become a qualified HGV driver; driver training and the licences you need from Logistics UK and the Road Haulage Association; careers in HGV driving from the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport and Generation Logistics
You can often increase your salary by working irregular shifts.
With experience, you could:do further training to get an Advisory Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR) Certificate to drive hazardous items like toxic chemicals; train to become a HGV driving instructor; become a transport planner or move into management; become self employed and work for different companies or set up your own transport company
You'll need: