Home News Features Compliance

🕒 Article read time: 2 minutes

Food sector HGV drivers offered temporary visas


In a further measure to ease supply chain issues, the government has made temporary visas (T5) available for food sector HGV (class 1 and class 2/C and C+E) drivers.

Of the 5,000 visas originally announced, 4,700 visas were allocated to the food sector and the remainder allocated to the fuel sector.

Expected to last for a maximum of three months from the date of issue, the visas must be applied for by 1 December 2021 at the very latest, with the first arrivals expected by the beginning of November.

At the time of writing, the eligibility criteria for the food sector visas had yet to be clarified, but members interested in utilising the scheme must be those responsible for the employment, pay and working conditions of the drivers concerned. Businesses will also be responsible for ensuring that drivers are qualified to drive the vehicles.

Alex Veitch, Deputy Director of Public Policy, Logistics UK, said: “We urge interested members to offer a strong employment package to attract the drivers, as well as to consider all the costs entailed – the visa, travel, accommodation, daily allowances etc. Employers will also be responsible for ensuring that drivers are qualified to drive the vehicles and worker welfare will also be an essential consideration.

“We will review the uptake of visas, and progress on UK drivers entering or rejoining the industry, and will press government to take further action on visas and other measures as needed to support the entire logistics sector.”

To help the fuel industry, the government has released almost 200 military tanker personnel, 100 of which are drivers, to undertake training at haulier sites. These were deployed from Monday to provide temporary support as part of the government’s wider action to further relieve pressure on petrol stations.

Logistics UK was delighted to learn earlier this week (5 October 2021) that the government has listened to its request and confirmed that the £3,000 employer incentive payment for each apprentice has been extended until 31 January 2022.

Meanwhile, to help increase the number of domestic applicants to the HGV driving profession, the Department for Education (DfE) has committed to investing up to £10 million to train 3,000 people to become HGV drivers at newly created Skills Bootcamps. These short, intensive courses will train drivers to gain a Cat C or Cat C&E licence to be road ready. Free to attend, the Bootcamps include all tests and licence acquisition costs, including the initial medical. For further information email skills.bootcamps@education.gov.uk.

*www.logistics.org.uk/skills

Published On: 07/10/2021 16:00:48

 

Comments Section

If you are a Logistics UK member login to add comments.

There are no comments yet.

In brief

BREXIT TEN MONTHS ON

The UK government is currently making final preparations for import controls on goods from the EU. At the same time political negotiations are continuing on the future arrangements for GB to NI trade. To help your business understand the plans and adapt to new trade arrangements, join Logistics UK’s annual Brexit and trade conference.

www.logistics.org.uk/brexit-conference-2021

Latest articles

Generation Logistics Case Study

Megan Charlton, HR Support Advisor (Graduate)  – GXO

Read time: 2 minutes

View article

Autonomous EV cargo vans being tested in the UK

UK-based firm Oxa has been testing SAE Level 4 vehicles in the UK since 2020, and is now testing a Ford E-Transit-based autonomous van, with the model becoming the first mass-produced vehicles to be converted with the company's proprietary Reference Autonomy Designs (RADs).

Read time: 2 minutes

View article

Felixstowe and Daventry reconnected with daily rail freight service

On 11 November GB Railfreight (GBRf) restarted a daily service between Daventry International Freight Terminal in the "Logistics Golden Triangle" and the Port of Felixstowe.

Read time: 2 minutes

View article

E-news archive

You can also view our e-news archive here.

E-news archive

Interested in Membership?

Get in contact using the Membership Enquiry Form.

Membership Enquiry Form

Logistics Magazine Portal

The hub for finding relevant and informative features, news & compliance guides from Logistics Magazine

Logistics Magazine Portal Home

Sponsorship Opportunities

Learn more about advertising on the new digital Logistics Magazine, with a variety of advert options to reach 30,000 relevant readers.

Sponsorship Opportunities

Magazine Contents

News

Logistics Magazine will cover all the latest news on stories breaking in the industry, including developments on COVID-19,  Brexit, Clean Air Zones, transport law and decarbonisation.

News

Features

Our frequent features will tackle the broader issues affecting logistics such as the COVID-19 vaccination programme, technology and innovation, the political and economic landscape, global trade and the drive to reduce emissions across all transport modes.

Features

Compliance

Each month we explore a different topic in depth in our popular Compliance section, while each week we will publish answers put to our Member Advice Centre team.

Compliance

View Supplements and Previous Printed Editions

View Supplements and previous printed editions of Logistics Magazine here.

Previous