A quarter of households in England had no car or van in 2025, the highest proportion recorded since 2015, according to new Department for Transport figures.
The share rose to 25 per cent from 21 per cent in 2020, meaning one in four households was without access to a vehicle last year.
The National Travel Survey found that 42 per cent of households had one car, while 33 per cent had two or more. Overall, there were about 12 cars for every 10 households in England.
Car ownership was closely linked to household income. Some 44 per cent of households in the lowest income group had no access to a car, compared with 17 per cent among those in the highest income group.
The figures were published as part of the Department for Transport’s annual assessment of travel patterns in England. Officials said the survey’s questions on vehicle ownership were not affected by the introduction of a digital travel diary in 2025.
Car journeys still accounted for 58 per cent of all trips and 76 per cent of the distance travelled. However, the survey recorded fewer car journeys than in 2024, with the department warning that some types of trips may have been under-recorded after the change in data collection methods.
Of the cars owned in England, 57 per cent were petrol, 28 per cent diesel, 8 per cent hybrid, 5 per cent fully electric and 2 per cent plug-in hybrid.
