Which Cities Are the Best Places for Van Drivers in the UK?

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Van drivers cover billions of miles every year in the UK. Some UK cities are better to work in than others. The cost of fuel, pay, traffic, and van insurance premiums can all be different depending on where you are. These things can change the average cost of running a van. They also matter when it comes to van insurance costs for both your personal and business use. Insurance costs, van insurance premiums, and how many miles you drive in the UK may all go up or down depending on your location.

What does this ranking measure?

The list of UK cities shows where van drivers have a good or bad experience. It looks at four things that you can measure.

Measure Data source Weight
Fuel costs (diesel) Road Fuel Quarterly Update (DfT) 25%
Congestion (seconds per vehicle mile – spvm) DfT Road Congestion and Travel Time Statistics 2023 25%
Average salary for van drivers 2024–25 salary snapshots from job-board data 25%
Van insurance premiums Median insurance quotes by postcode, 2024–25 25%

The scoring shows how drivers’ money can drop because of insurance costs, fuel prices, and how late things can be. The thing is, high pay can help drivers get more money.

All cities in this UK ranking really need van drivers. This covers work for trade, couriers, delivery drivers, and small business vans.

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Which cities are the best for van drivers in the UK right now?

Ranking City Why the score is high
1 Bristol Higher salaries, lower congestion and below-average van insurance premiums
2 Cardiff Low diesel prices and competitive insurance costs
3 Sheffield Low congestion and below-average fuel spend
4 Leicester Strong salary numbers and moderate delays
5 Edinburgh Salaries above national average and manageable insurance premiums
6 Plymouth Cheaper fuel and lower insurance costs for most van drivers
7 Glasgow Competitive salaries and better-than-average premiums
8 Southampton Higher salaries and improving congestion figures
9 Leeds Balanced fuel spend and strong income potential for tradespeople
10 Coventry Cheaper van insurance premiums and low fuel spend

There is good news if you live in one of the top-ranking cities. The fuel, pay, and insurance costs all add up in a way that makes it cheaper to drive a van every day.

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Which cities are the worst for van drivers in the UK right now?

Ranking City Why the score is low
11 Nottingham Higher van insurance premiums and rising congestion
12 Sunderland Below-average salaries and rising fuel costs
13 Derby Competitive salaries but higher insurance costs
14 Wolverhampton Higher congestion and higher premiums
15 Hull Fuel spend above national average and below-average salaries
16 Manchester High insurance costs and heavy road delays
17 Liverpool Higher than average premiums and slow traffic
18 Birmingham One of the highest average premiums in England and high congestion
19 Reading Diesel prices and insurance premiums above national average
20 London Highest congestion in the whole of the UK and highest van insurance costs

London is still the toughest city for van drivers. There are more delays, and it has the highest average premiums of any postcode area.

Why are some UK cities more expensive for van drivers?

Three main things can change how much you spend on your van insurance premium and the cost to use your van.

Factor Impact on van drivers
Fuel cost High miles = higher business operating cost
Congestion Fewer jobs completed per day due to delays
Van insurance premiums Higher claim risk in urban areas increases costs

Some parts of London, Manchester, Liverpool, and Birmingham can have higher insurance costs. This is because there be higher risk of vandalism and theft in these places. In rural and coastal areas, prices are often lower. There are not as many car crashes there and fewer people claim for stolen tools.

Why are some UK cities more expensive for van drivers

Do young drivers pay more for van insurance?

Yes. Young drivers usually pay more for insurance. This is because people in the age group 17–24 often make more claims. So, the price that insurers charge is higher for them.

Driver age group Typical insurance impact
17–24 Highest premiums
25–34 Reducing premiums with clean driving record
35–49 Lowest average premium
50+ Slight rise based on risk of injury claims

Young tradespeople and drivers who deliver items can play a part in lowering the average cost if they:

  • Choose vans that be in lower groups.
  • Do not use performance vans.
  • Put strong security features in the van.
  • Make sure the mileage is good.

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Which vehicle type affects van insurance costs most?

Vehicle type Typical cost trend Reason
Small vans Lowest Low repair costs and cheap panels
Medium vans Mid-range Depends on trim, power and security
Large vans Higher premiums Expensive repairs and higher theft risk
Pickups Very high premiums Expensive to repair and insure
Electric vans Mixed High value increases premiums despite low emissions

Some vans with small engines, like the Citroën Nemo, often have lower prices. But bigger vans, such as the Ford Transit Custom or the Mercedes Sprinter, are in a group that have higher insurance costs.

Does mileage change van insurance premiums?

The miles you drive can affect if you need to make a claim or not. When you go more miles, there is more risk for something to happen.

Mileage band Typical premium trend
Under 6,000 miles per year Lowest
6,000 – 12,000 miles Standard
12,000 – 20,000 miles Higher
20,000+ miles Highest

Delivery drivers and couriers often pay more for car costs than the people who drive now and then. This is because they have to drive more miles each week.

Are van insurance prices still rising

Are van insurance prices still rising?

Van insurance premiums went up across the UK when you compare it to the previous year. This increase in insurance costs happened in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. But now, van insurance costs are not going up as fast as before.

Why premiums are still higher than before:

  • It costs more to fix things because the parts and the work are expensive.
  • You see more claims in the big cities.
  • There are more thefts from vans that have tools.

Some people who work in financial service say that premium costs might not change in 2025. This could happen if there are fewer claims.

Does a clean driving record still matter?

Yes, you can save a lot of money on your premium if you have a clean driving record. This is true even when you live in a big city postcode.

The cost of your cover goes up with:

  • Accident history
  • Driving convictions
  • Claims made
  • High-mileage use

Some financial service analysts expect premiums to stabilise across 2025 if claim volumes fall.

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Which cities have the highest van insurance premiums?

Rank City Median annual premium
1 London Highest in UK
2 Birmingham Second-highest
3 Manchester Higher than national average
4 Liverpool Higher claim rates push up premiums
5 Reading High premiums but slightly lower than large metro centres

Insurance costs tend to be lower in cities that do not have many claims. They are also lower in places where it costs less to get repairs done.

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Which cities have the lowest van insurance premiums?

Rank City Median annual premium
1 Plymouth Very low premiums
2 Cardiff Lower than UK average
3 Sheffield Low theft and fewer accident claims
4 Bristol Competitive premiums and lower repair costs
5 Coventry Cheap for many van drivers with secure parking

Drivers in these cities pay less every year than the national average.

How to reduce van insurance premiums in any city

These methods can reduce van insurance costs, even in high-risk postcodes:

Method Why it lowers the price
Choosing a lower-risk van model Vans in low insurance groups cost less
Parking securely Reduces risk of theft and vandalism
Lower mileage Fewer miles, fewer predicted claims
Adding approved security features Insurers recognise the lower risk
Avoiding unnecessary modifications Modifications can increase premiums
Increasing voluntary excess A higher voluntary excess lowers premium
Paying annually Removes interest charges from monthly instalments

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Data Disclaimer

All figures and rankings in this article are based on the latest available UK datasets at the time of publication. Fuel cost trends reference the Department for Transport (DfT) Road Fuel Updates. Congestion timings use the DfT Road Congestion and Travel Time Statistics 2023. Van-driver salary snapshots are compiled from public job-board averages for 2024–2025. Van insurance premiums are based on median postcode-level quotes collected across the UK for 2024–2025. Results may change over time as new government and industry data becomes available.

FAQs About the Best Places for Van Drivers in the UK

Bristol is the top city for people who care about pay, traffic, fuel costs, and how easy it is to get van insurance.

London is a city that costs a lot to live in. A big reason for this is the traffic all around the city. If you want van insurance in London, you will notice that the insurance premiums there are higher than other places. This is because van insurance premiums in London cost more due to busy roads and many traffic jams. If you need van insurance in this city, you should know you will have to pay more for insurance premiums.

Yes. People in the age group of 17 to 24 usually pay the most for car insurance. The reason is, the companies get more claims from this age group.

More people make claims now. They also drive more miles than before. There are also more thefts in the area. Because of these things, the average premium in these cities is higher.

Premiums are now higher than they were in the previous year. But they do not go up as quickly as they did before. The companies watch claims and repair costs closely.

Yes. The postcode you live at can change your risk. A driver with the same van could have to pay less if they live in a city that is low-risk.

Cardiff, Plymouth, and Sheffield now have some of the lowest diesel prices in the cities on the list.

Yes, it can. Vans that have small engines and fall in low insurance groups often get lower premiums. This can be good for drivers who are in the same spot.

Cities like Bristol, Cardiff, and Sheffield help people save money on fuel. The insurance costs are not as high in these cities. London, Birmingham, and Manchester are different. It costs more to own a car in these places. This is because traffic in these cities is heavy. The insurance costs are also higher in London and Manchester.

Heavy traffic often leads to more accidents and more claims. This is why cities where cars do not move fast, such as London, Manchester, and Liverpool, often have higher van insurance premiums. If you visit places with less traffic, like Plymouth or Coventry, van insurance and insurance premiums are often lower.

Page last updated on: 03/12/2025

Page reviewed by: Tim Bailey

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