We are always on the lookout for self-employed private carers who can drive - it’s a requirement which quite a few of our clients have, meaning that as a carer you have even more opportunities for bookings. Although it is not essential, it certainly helps when you’re looking to get client bookings.
Many of our carers come from foreign countries, so it is essential to ensure you have a valid driving licence and can drive in the UK.
Can you use a foreign driving licence in the UK?
If you're from an EU country and have a full driving licence, you can use that in the UK until you're 70 years old without having to exchange it or take a test.
If you’re over the age of 17 and have a valid driving permit which was issued in your home country outside of the EU, you can drive a car in the UK for 12 months only. When your 12 months are up, some licenses can be exchanged for a full UK driving licence, some will require a UK driving test to be passed, and some may even have an extended period of use - so it’s always best to check your options!
You may want to check your driving licence and consider changing it to a UK licence as there are some interesting things to note about a UK driving licence:
Insurance companies often offer cheap car insurance for full UK driving licence holders;
You can use your UK driving licence as a form of ID - but you can’t use it instead of a passport at places like an airport so always double check where it is accepted;
If you’re eligible for exchange of your driving licence from another country, you don’t have to pass a UK driving test - simply fill in some forms and you’ll get your new licence through the post;
You will not be able to change your UK licence into a foreign one, so you’ll probably have to pass a driving test in your home country again
You won’t lose any points or records of your driving licence, which means when it comes to getting car insurance it could be cheaper if you have been driving longer without any incidents or fines.