Driving examiners told “Boxing Day is a normal working day”
Examiners on new contracts with DVSA will be expected to work as usual for their basic rate of pay.
DVSA senior management welcomed DVSA driving examiners back to work in January with an email about Christmas 2026: driving examiners on the new contracts with DVSA, where there is an expectation to work weekends regularly on single time pay, will be expected to work Boxing Day 2026, if on the rota, for single rate time.
The email said: "For colleagues in 5 in 7 contracts: Saturday 26th December 2026 is a normal working day, as the associated bank holiday falls on Monday 28th December. If you are scheduled to work on the 26th, the expectation is that you attend work as usual."
Driving examiners on new contracts already have to work regular weekends at plain time rate, and at EO grade, have a starting salary of £30,000.
There are already problems recruiting new driving examiners to DVSA because of the pay, terms and conditions, and this has been widely recognised as a factor affecting the backlog of driving tests.
In December 2025, PCS surveyed driving examiners and 91% said they would prefer not to work weekends as part of their contract. 89% said that working compulsory weekends affects their ability to spend time with their family and 83% said that compulsory weekend working would affect their commitment to stay with the agency.
The poor terms and conditions of newly recruited driving examiners has been subject to political focus. Ruth Cadbury, chair of the Transport Select Committee wrote to Simon Lightwood, the minister for roads, in October 2025, asking why there appears to be “institutional resistance” to improving the pay and conditions of examiners and to address the high turnover of driving examiners.
PCS continues to campaign for this compulsory weekend working contract to be revoked, with a return to the substantive contract where weekend working is optional, and paid at overtime rate. We believe this would attract potential driving examiners to the role, and encourage experienced staff to stay with DVSA, helping to reduce the long waiting lists for driving tests.