Suffolk's elderly and disabled drivers may soon face difficulties with taxing their vehicles and renewing driving licences at post offices, as the service will be scrapped from branches next year

The Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) will end its contract with the Post Office on March 31, 2024, which will affect millions of UK residents, including those in Suffolk. 

Currently, the Post Office handles more than 6million DVLA transactions annually, which costs the government about £3.2million per year. 

From April 2024, elderly and disabled motorists will be forced to renew their driving licences and pay vehicle tax online. 

It can cause trouble for many people, especially residents over 70 who are not experienced with technology and have to renew their driving licences every three years. 

County councillor Christopher Hudson said he is "shocked and appalled" by the changes, and added the effect of stopping the service at post offices will be "devastating" for the residents. 

East Anglian Daily Times: Councillor Christopher Hudson, Suffolk County CouncilCouncillor Christopher Hudson, Suffolk County Council (Image: Suffolk County Council)

"A lot of the elderly come in to post offices to do the re-taxing of their vehicle because they've got arthritis and other conditions, or sometimes they’re just not online. 

"For years the post office has been able to help them do the registering and paying for car tax. 

"The money the government pays the Post Office sounds like a lot, but when you put it into context with what we spend on other things, it’s not that much. 

"In the rural communities the post office is already the hub for their transactions, and if they knock it on the head and stop it, that will be a death knell for more public and civic service." 

The service that will no longer be available at local post offices also includes registering your car, replacing a stolen or lost driving licence, and applying for international driving permits.