Money & Earnings

Pillar 2 – Earnings: what the money really looks like

The basics – same hours for everyone

To keep this simple, let’s assume everyone’s doing about 45–48 hours a week – a fairly typical range you’ll see in transport.

Now look at rough hourly rates:

• Baseline non-HGV job (for many people this might be a decent warehouse role): about £14/hr

• HGV driver – entry level: about £15/hr

• HGV driver – mid-range: about £17/hr

• HGV driver – specialist (for example European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR) / tankers, fuel, heavy stuff): around £22/hr+

These aren’t promises, they’re ballpark examples so you can see the steps between levels.
These are ballpark UK figures. Actual rates will vary by region, sector and employer – London and bigger hubs often pay more, some rural areas less. The point here is the step up between roles, not to quote exact local rates. If you’re already in another job, just treat that baseline row as “your current hourly rate” and compare the steps up from there.

45-hour week – side by side with a baseline job

All figures below are gross examples, assuming 52 working weeks, just so you can compare like for like. This doesn’t include tax, National Insurance (NI), nights-out money, enhancements, bonuses or overtime – all of which are common as an HGV driver and can push your actual pay higher (or vary it week to week).

Role / Tier – Example hourly rate – Weekly (45h) – Approx yearly (×52)

• Baseline non-HGV job (e.g. warehouse): £14/hr → £630/week → £32,760/year

• HGV driver – Entry level: £15/hr → £675/week → £35,100/year

• HGV driver – Mid-range: £17/hr → £765/week → £39,780/year

• HGV driver – Specialist level: £22/hr → £990/week → £51,480/year

Extra earnings compared to that baseline job, at the same 45 hours:

• Entry HGV vs baseline: about +£45/week → +£2,340/year

• Mid HGV vs baseline: about +£135/week → +£7,020/year

• Specialist HGV vs baseline: about +£360/week → +£18,720/year

So even without crazy overtime or enhancements, you can see where the extra money starts to show.

The £60–75k rumours

Let’s talk about the rumours of £60–75k HGV jobs. Do they exist? Yes – but they live in the specialist tier. Basic salaries for those roles are often more like £45–55k, with some going into the £50–60k range. You only start getting near that £60–75k bracket when you add overtime, bonuses, enhancements and unsocial hours on top.

In return, the company expects a lot from you. On paper it’s wrapped up as “reasonable” business needs, but the reality is they want serious flexibility and commitment – that’s what you’re agreeing to when you sign. These contracts aren’t common, and when you do land one they can be hard for the company to unwind, especially when drivers know their rights. They’re usually tied to fixed or rolling terms linked to big business-to-business contracts.

A quick word about “UP TO” pay rates

When companies or agencies advertise “UP TO £X per hour/day/week”, that usually isn’t the standard day-to-day money. It often means:

• There’s a lower basic rate, and

• The “up to” figure includes overtime, nights-out, night rates, weekends and you working your nuts off.

We’ve all been bullshitted at some point and this is one of the big ones. You turn up to a job and realise the “up to” number lives in fantasy land, not in your normal week. At that point you either crack on or walk away – you decide – but at least know what you’re really agreeing to.

Always ask what the basic hourly rate is, what hours that’s based on, and what you realistically have to do to get anywhere near the “up to” number. Be aware of the headline, but look at the reality.

What each tier actually looks like (real world)

Forget the titles for a second. Here’s what these roles feel like day to day.

Baseline non-HGV job (e.g. warehouse operative)
Same building, same four walls, every day. Anyone fit and willing can do this role. Targets need to be hit. Mostly manual/repetitive work. Basic health and safety, usually fewer legal hoops. Pay is steady but the ceiling is lower.

Entry-level HGV driver (new pass, 7.5T / Class 2 / Class 1)
This is where most people start once they’ve got a licence. That might be on 7.5-tonne (7.5T), then moving up into Class 2, and onwards from there into Class 1. Work is usually local or simple trunking, maybe a bit of multi-drop, and you’re still finding your feet.

If you’re lucky, you get eased in gently. In reality, a lot of new drivers get thrown in at the deep end – tight yards, awkward drops and “you’ll be fine, mate” runs. The extra pay at this level comes with:

• Tachograph rules, drivers’ hours, daily checks, accident risk.

• Responsibility for a big vehicle and whatever’s on the back.

Mid-range HGV driver (experienced, “solid all-rounder”)
You’re comfortable with nights, store work, multi-drop, tight bays, city centres. Employers pay more because:

• They can trust you on tougher runs without babysitting.

• You make fewer mistakes and keep customers happy.

• You can be dropped into most runs on the sheet and crack on.

Specialist HGV driver (ADR / tanker, fuel, bulk chemicals, heavy haulage)
Extra tickets, extra risk, tighter procedures. Pay jumps because:

• When something goes wrong, it’s bigger: environment, safety, reputation.

• Not many people are willing or able to do this properly.

• The company is trusting you with high-risk, high-value work.

Don’t forget training costs

Getting into HGV driving isn’t like walking into a baseline non-HGV job. There’s a start-up cost before you see any of this driver money.

You’ll usually have to budget for things like:

• Medical

• Theory tests and hazard perception

• Practical training and tests (Class 2 and/or Class 1)

• Initial Driver CPC modules if you’re new to professional driving

• ADR course (if you go down the dangerous goods route)

• Digital tachograph (digi tacho) card

Top tip for ADR + CPC

If you book a full 5-day ADR course, you often get your Driver CPC hours thrown in. ADR is an intense course if you’ve never seen it before – it’s pass or fail, but you can re-sit it, or just leave it until later in your career if you prefer. The same principle still applies whenever you do it. Driver CPC, on the other hand, is mostly an attendance-based course – turn up, take part, and you’ll normally pass.

The smart move is this: time it so your ADR and Driver CPC are due together. Then, when both are up in five years, you do the ADR refresher and pick up extra Driver CPC hours in one go.

Line up your card and job hunt early

Once you pass your final HGV driving test, your new HGV licence and Driver CPC card will be issued by the DVLA within a few weeks. As a rough guide, it can often take around 2–3 weeks for your entitlement to be updated and another week or two for the full licence and Driver CPC card to arrive, but times can vary depending on DVLA processing and any health or personal checks.

While you’re at it, apply for your digital tachograph card and start firing off job applications – think of it like throwing darts at a board and seeing what sticks before your test. You’ve got nothing to lose. If you do get an interview, dust off the fake moustache – having a bit of fun with it is a confidence builder. Talk to agencies and give them your expected date for getting your licence. If you’ve been under my wing, I’m backing you to pass first time – what you don’t want is to pass, and then be sat waiting for cards and job offers to catch up. Getting out there early also starts to thicken your skin for the grind ahead.

Depending on how you do it and who you train with, it can run into the low thousands. Some firms will fund or part-fund your training if you sign on with them for a period. Others expect you to pay your own way and turn up with the licence in your pocket.

The point of this comparison is to show what the money can look like once you’re in the seat, not to pretend there’s no entry cost. You need to weigh up that training bill against being £2k–£7k+ a year up compared to staying in your current non-HGV role – and potentially more if you move into specialist work.

The simple message for anyone considering HGV

In simple terms: HGV driving can pay more than many non-HGV roles (for a lot of people that means warehouse work or similar) at similar hours – but you earn it in responsibility, training and pressure.

At roughly 45–48 hours a week, moving from a general non-HGV job into HGV driving usually means:

• Even at entry level, you’re likely a bit ahead of that baseline money.

• As you move into mid-range HGV, you’re roughly £7k a year up for similar hours.

• If you push on into specialist work, you can be close to £20k a year up on that baseline job at around the same weekly hours.

The trade-off is clear:

• More rules.

• More responsibility.

• More pressure.

• More training and testing upfront.

In exchange for higher pay and a licence that you can take with you between employers, and across different types of work.

This is not legal or financial advice – it’s a rough, honest comparison so you can see the shape of the path from non-HGV work into different levels of HGV driving and decide if that trade-off feels right for you.

• Read Pillar 1 – Work environment & culture
• Read Pillar 3 – Life & Lifestyle