Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government why the Vehicle Excise Duty payment screen on the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency's website prompts people to pay monthly without mentioning on that screen that annual payment would be cheaper; and what assessment they have made of whether this practice is compliant with consumer protection laws and regulations.

When a vehicle is due to be taxed, the DVLA sends the registered keeper a reminder that includes information on payment options, including the amount due if the customer chooses to pay by direct debit. The DVLA’s online vehicle licensing service also includes a link to a table of vehicle excise duty rates which individuals can view before deciding on which payment option to use.

The table below shows the number of new and automatically renewed direct debit mandates for vehicle excise duty payments in 2025/26.

The DVLA keeps all services under review to ensure compliance with all relevant rules and regulations.