HGV Driver Group

Industry coverage this month has put IR35 firmly back in the spotlight, with commentators pointing to it as a major and often overlooked driver of the ongoing HGV shortage. For drivers and agencies, the message is simple: getting your status and pay structure right has never mattered more. Non-compliant arrangements risk penalties, while compliant ones protect your income and your business. That is exactly the space we work in, making sure drivers are paid correctly and agencies stay firmly on the right side of HMRC. If you are unsure whether your current setup is compliant, a quick conversation now can save a lot of stress later.

Get in touch for a free consultation

There's a shift in the numbers this September that's worth knowing about. Fuel duty is set to edge up by 1p from today, then again in December and March, but the Chancellor has also announced a 12 month VED holiday for hauliers. That means road tax renewals will cost just £1, saving up to £600 on a typical heavy lorry and up to £912 on the biggest vehicles on the road.

For self employed drivers and agencies alike, that's real money back in the business at a time when every penny counts. If you're not sure how this affects your own tax position or your fleet's renewals, that's exactly what we're here for.

Get in touch for a free consultation and we'll walk you through what it means for you.

Bank holiday weekends are for switching off. Long lie-ins, longer walks, and not a spreadsheet in sight.

So while you're making the most of the extra day, let us keep an eye on the numbers. Accountancy, payroll, VAT and compliance, all quietly handled in the background, so your time off stays your time off.

That's the whole idea behind HGV Driver Group. We take care of the paperwork that comes with life on the road, so you're free to actually enjoy the moments away from it.

Have a wonderful long weekend. We've got the rest.

There's a change afoot at HMRC, and if you're new to self-employment it's worth knowing about.

The old Government Gateway is being replaced by a new system called GOV.UK One Login. In short, anyone signing up to HMRC for the first time now creates their own login with an email and password, and verifies their own identity using a passport or driving licence.

It can feel fiddly, but that's exactly where we come in. Taking the tricky bits of tax and compliance off your plate is what we do best, and if you're unsure what the change means for you, we'll walk you through it step by step.

New rules, same friendly help. Get in touch and we'll put you right.

IR35. Two little letters that cause HGV drivers no end of head-scratching.

Here's the good news. You don't have to work it out on your own.

At HGV Driver Group, keeping you compliant is the thing we do best. We handle the assessments, the working-hours rules and the ever-shifting regulations, so you can stay firmly on the right side of HMRC without losing an evening to paperwork. And with the Driversmate App, your compliance status sits right there at a glance, with a nudge before anything's due to expire.

Less worry, less admin, more road ahead. That's how it should be.

Focus on driving. We'll handle the rest.

You'll spot the name and think trucks. And you'd be half right.

At HGV Driver Group, we're the people behind the people behind the wheel. We're a dedicated business support and accountancy service built entirely around the HGV world, here to take the weight of the admin off your shoulders so you can get on with the driving.

From accountancy and payroll to VAT, compliance and IR35, we handle the numbers that keep drivers, agencies and hauliers moving. And with our own App, everything from timesheets to documents lives neatly in one place.

It comes from a real place, too. We were founded by someone raised in an HGV family, who saw first-hand the paperwork and pressures the industry faces. That's the difference. We don't just understand the numbers, we understand the road they come from.

Focus on driving. We'll handle the rest.

Remember when the driver shortage was on every front page? It may have gone quiet, but it has certainly not gone away. It has simply changed shape.

The figures still tell the story. The industry needs somewhere near 60,000 new drivers a year, and more than 117,000 drivers let their qualification lapse in a single recent year. Yet here is the part that gets missed. Plenty of newly qualified drivers cannot get started at all, because so many firms ask for two years of experience for insurance reasons. Experience you cannot gain if nobody will give you that first job.*

That is the bit worth talking about. The way in has narrowed, and the people paying the price are the ones ready and willing to work. We think the drivers coming through deserve a proper route in, not a locked door. If that is you, keep going. The road needs you.

*Source: Fleet News

The summer holidays bring busier roads and longer days for professional drivers. The last thing you need on top of that is your accounts weighing on your mind. That's where we come in: we handle the numbers so you can focus on the job. Get in touch on 01204 899333.

A tax break that's easy to miss, mainly because nobody sends you a letter about the good stuff.

Since 1 July 2026, eligible HGVs have been on a temporary Vehicle Excise Duty payment holiday. For vehicles first taxed or renewed between 1 July 2026 and 30 June 2027, the VED charge drops to £1.

Yes, one pound. For twelve months.

It applies to vehicles taxed as standard HGVs, trailer HGVs, special types, combined transport vehicles and island goods vehicles, and the DVLA applies the reduced rate automatically when the vehicle is taxed. So there's no form to fill in.

One thing to be aware of: the HGV Levy is still payable where it applies, so it's a reduction rather than a clean sweep.

Worth factoring into your cost planning for the year ahead, particularly if you've got renewals coming up.

If you want a hand working out what this means for your numbers, give us a call on 01204 899333

Summer's here, and everyone deserves a proper break, including you.

For self-employed drivers and transport businesses, switching off is easier said than done when there's admin hanging over you. Payroll, bookkeeping, IR35 questions, the lot.

Get it off your plate before you head off. Sort the paperwork now, and you can enjoy the sunshine without that nagging feeling in the back of your mind.

Give us a shout and we'll take the load. Then go enjoy your holiday.

Call us on 01204 899333