Thousands of Abandoned Vehicles Litter UK Roads
- Almost 100,000 vehicles were reported abandoned in 2024
- Abandoned vehicles increased by 18% since 2023
- Just 1 in 5 reported vehicles are retrieved by the owner
- Over 6.6 million vehicles now have a SORN – more than doubling since 2014
The UK is facing a mounting issue with unused and abandoned vehicles cluttering its roads and neighbourhoods, according to Freedom of Information data obtained by Churchill motor insurance, which reveals that nearly 100,000 vehicles were reported abandoned last year alone.1
The data shows that 99,095 vehicles were reported abandoned in 2024, a sharp increase from 84,299 vehicles in 2023 (up 18% in one year), and 73,738 in 2022 (up 34% in two years), marking a clear upward trend in vehicles being left to decay on public highways and urban streets.
If a vehicle is untaxed, uninsured, or without a valid MOT, it must be declared as off the road using a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN)2. These vehicles cannot be kept on public highways and must be stored on private land.
Only 1 in 5 vehicles reported abandoned are ever retrieved by their owners (20%).3 The majority remain unclaimed – often taking up valuable parking spaces and blocking the flow of roads – creating both an inconvenience for local authorities and an eyesore for communities.
Of the vehicles reported as abandoned, 13% end up deemed officially abandoned by councils – a designation given to vehicles that are unregistered, unclaimed, or otherwise fit for destruction.4 Of those that are officially abandoned, local councils end up scrapping 30% and 1% end up being sold or auctioned.
Vehicle sales and auctions generated minimal income for councils in 2024, with only 170 vehicles sold or auctioned across the country. The highest sale price achieved across all councils was £1,068 on average. Scrap values remain similarly low, with one council receiving £3,000 for scrapping 46 vehicles.
The rise in abandoned vehicles is mirrored by a dramatic increase in the number of cars declared off the road. The UK now has 6.68 million vehicles with a SORN – a figure that has more than doubled since 2014, when there were just 2.85 million.5 Since the introduction of Continuous Insurance Enforcement (CIE) in 2011, every vehicle in the UK must either be taxed, insured, and roadworthy, or officially declared off the road. SORN offers a legal, low-cost way to keep a vehicle without using it, often while awaiting repair, seasonal use, or a change in ownership.
Nicholas Mantel, Head of Churchill Motor Insurance, said: “The number of abandoned vehicles is rising sharply, blighting our communities, taking up valuable parking spaces, and straining council resources. It’s important to remember that vehicles without an MOT, tax, or insurance cannot be left on public highways – they must be declared SORN and kept on private property, even if they are not being driven.”
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Notes to editors:
FOI request to all councils across the United Kingdom from 13.06.25 to 18.08.25 where 160 councils responded out of 323 requests.
116 councils responded with data on vehicles retrieved by owners.
131 councils responded with data on vehicles deemed officially abandoned. Vehicles are classified as officially abandoned if they are only fit to be destroyed, have no number plates, the owner cannot be found, or the owner fails to comply with a notice to collect the vehicle.
Number of SORN vehicles in the UK (see last tab). There are 6,683,000 SORN vehicles in the UK. The number has more than doubled since 2014 (2,850,000).
For further information, please contact:
Churchill PR Manager
Unni Henry
Email: unni.henry@directlinegroup.co.uk
Churchill
Founded in 1989, Churchill is now one of the UK's leading providers of general insurance, offering car, home and pet insurance cover over the phone or on-line and is part of the Aviva Group.
Customers can find out more about Churchill products or get a quote by calling 0300 200 300 or visiting www.churchill.com