When the SERU assessment requirement started in October 2021, TfL announced dates on when specific groups of PHV drivers would be required to complete their SERU assessment as well as the TfL Speaking and Listening test.
There were 3 specific SERU deadline dates, which related back to when a driver first applied for their PHV drivers’ licence. And also, for existing PHV drivers there was an additional factor, which was if they had already submitted proof of the English Language requirement and whether it had been accepted or not.
Deadline 1: 30 September 2023 – ENDED
The first deadline date was 30 September 2023, which was for any licensed PHV drivers who received their PHV driver’s licence on or before 30 September 2021 but failed to submit the then proof of English Language requirement (this was when TfL required drivers to submit their B1 English Language certificate). This group of drivers were required to have completed and passed both the SERU assessment and the TfL Speaking & Listening test. This group of drivers were classed as Group 1 and they all should have now completed their SERU assessment and Speaking and Listening test.
Deadline 2: 30 September 2024 – ENDED
The second deadline was a year after the first deadline on 30 September 2024. Drivers who had to follow this deadline were Group 2 & 4 drivers. They were drivers who either applied for their PHV driver’s licence on or after 1 October 2021 as well as existing drivers who did provide their proof for the English language requirement, but the evidence was rejected by TfL. These drivers have also now all taken their SERU assessment and TfL speaking and listening test.
Group 1 and 2 was made up of around 60% of existing drivers that were required to pass their SERU assessment.
Deadline 3: 31 March 2025 – UPCOMING
The final deadline will be for drivers who did provide their proof of English language test requirement and TfL accepted it. They fall into the Group 3 tier and make up the smaller 40% of existing drivers who still need to take their SERU assessment. In May 2024 TfL PHV driver statistics showed there were 106,229 PHV licensed drivers and by the end of April 2024, 76,965 had completed their SERU assessment, of which 73% passed the SERU assessment.
This would mean that the majority of the existing Private Hire Licensed Drivers have completed their SERU assessment and the remaining few are either the ones who have not yet received their invitation to take their SERU assessment or they fall into the new driver group, which is anyone who applied for their PHV drivers’ licence on or after 1 April 2023.
All drivers who applied for their PHV driver’s licence on or after 1 April 2023 will be required to take and pass both the SERU assessment and TfL Speaking and Listening test before they are issued their PHV driver’s licence.
For the existing minority of drivers who have not taken their SERU assessment, keep an eye out for your invitation from TfL, which will be both by email and a letter. If you are worried you may have missed the invitation, then we would advise you to contact TfL via email at tphdriverassessments@tfl.gov.uk.
We’ll end with some updated TfL statistics. The number of licensed PHV drivers in October 2024 is 107,809. This is an increase of 1,580 PHV licensed drivers since the earlier mentioned statistic from May 2024.
