Britain’s
love of historic vehicles powers £7.3bn boost to the UK
economy
The Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs (FBHVC) released
its 2025 National Historic Vehicle Survey (NHVS) – the
most comprehensive study ever conducted into the UK’s world-leading
historic vehicle movement. The findings reveal a thriving and
valuable sector that continues to grow, contributing £7.3bn
to the UK economy each year, supporting tens of thousands of
skilled jobs, and attracting record numbers of enthusiasts.
Yet while interest in Britain’s motoring heritage is booming,
the survey also warns of an ageing owner base and a critical
need to fund the training of the next generation of engineers
and restorers to preserve the nation’s transport heritage.
David Whale, Chairman of the FBHVC, said: “This report
underlines just how vital the historic vehicle sector is to
Britain’s economy, culture and communities. It’s worth
a record 7.3 billion pounds a year, supports 34,500 skilled
jobs, and unites millions of people through a shared love of
our motoring heritage. But we cannot take that success for granted.
The average owner is now in their sixties, and we urgently need
to inspire and train the next generation. Programmes like our
new Youngtimer initiative and industry apprenticeships are key
to ensuring these vehicles – and the skills to maintain
them – survive for the future.”
A Living Part of Britain’s Heritage
Historic vehicles, from cars to lorries, buses and motorcycles,
represent not only engineering excellence but also cultural
and social history. The FBHVC survey highlights the sector’s
accessibility: over a third of owners earn less than £35,000
a year, showing it remains an inclusive hobby across all backgrounds.
Despite the growing number of vehicles, their limited use means
the sector’s environmental footprint remains tiny. Historic
vehicles contribute only 0.2% of all UK road mileage, yet generate
significant tourism, education and cultural value.
Key Headlines
Record
Growth in Historic Vehicles:
The number of historic vehicles registered with the DVLA has
risen again to 1,934,178, just shy of the 2 million once forecast
for 2025.
Economic powerhouse:
The historic vehicle sector now contributes £7.3 billion
annually to the UK economy, with owners spending on average
£4,567 per year maintaining and enjoying their vehicles.
Jobs and businesses:
The movement supports 2,700 specialist businesses, collectively
employing 34,500 people across restoration, maintenance, parts
supply, museums and events. Nearly half (45%) of those businesses
now offer, or plan to offer, apprenticeship programmes to
pass on vital heritage skills.
Growing enthusiasm nationwide:
The UK is home to an estimated 690,777 historic vehicle owners,
and more than 22.7 million adults regard historic vehicles
as a vital part of Britain’s heritage. Over 9.7 million
people say they would like to own one, and 4.3 million attended
a historic vehicle event in the last year – a 100% increase
since 2020.
Minimal road impact:
Despite their visibility, historic vehicles account for only
0.2% of all miles driven in the UK, with the average vehicle
covering just 837 miles annually.
Demographics and Future Generations:
The average age of an owner has risen to 66, highlighting
the importance of engaging younger enthusiasts. Encouragingly,
the under-35s now show the most significant interest in historic
vehicles, while the introduction of the ‘Youngtimer’
category (vehicles aged 20–30 years) offers an accessible
entry point for new enthusiasts.
Skills and apprenticeships:
With over 11.9 million adults agreeing that apprenticeships
focused on historic vehicle skills should be available to
young people, the FBHVC calls for continued support to sustain
these specialist trades for future generations. Businesses
echo the call, with 45% already offering or planning training
schemes to ensure vital historic skills are passed on.
About
the Survey
The
2025 National Historic Vehicle Survey was commissioned by
the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs and conducted
by Turquoise Thinking Ltd between February and May 2025, with
over 19,900 responses from owners, enthusiasts, businesses,
clubs and members of the public. The FBHVC represents over
500 member clubs across all historic vehicle types and serves
as the collective voice of the movement to the UK government
and policymakers.
Download
the survey report:
There are two formats you can download:
Page layout in spreads (best for
desktop computers)
FBHVC
2025 Survey Report as page layout
Single pages (best for tablets
and mobiles)
FBHVC
2025 Survey Report as single pages |
