Four million cars registered as being kept off the road
The number of cars registered as being kept off the road in the UK has risen by 6.3% in a year to over four million.
Department for Transport and DVLA data analysed by National Scrap Car revealed that in the first quarter of the year there were 4,067,024 cars registered as kept off the road compared to 3,825,435 at the start of 2025.
Meanwhile, customer data from National Scrap Car found that vehicles sold for salvage, allowing usable parts to be recovered, achieved an average value of £533 over the last three years compared to £171 when scrapped.
Saul Turner, end-of-life vehicle expert at National Scrap Car, said: “There are plenty of reasons for keeping a car off the road, but there will also be cars sitting on driveways that have not moved for months and that their owners know they are unlikely to use again.
“What many drivers do not realise is that a damaged or non-running car is not automatically only worth its scrap value. If it still contains parts that can be recovered and reused, it may be suitable for salvage – and that can make a considerable difference to the price.”
He continued: “If you already know you are not going to repair the car or put it back on the road, do not leave it until spring without checking what it is worth. You could be sitting on hundreds of pounds and not realise it.”
