The UK government is proposing new legislation that allows police and transport officials to enter private homes to verify vehicle mileage. This measure is intended to enforce a pay-per-mile road tax for electric and hybrid vehicles starting in April 2028.
The 3p-per-mile levy for electric vehicles
Under the proposed framework, the government intends to shift how road usage is taxed for low-emission vehicles . According to the report, fully electric vehicles will be taxed at 3p per mile, while hybrid motorists will face a rate of 1.5p per mile. These charges will exist in addition to the standard Vehicle Excise Duty, marking a significant shift in the financial burden for EV owners.
To ensure compliance, the government plans to implement a verification system where drivers submit their odometer readings annually. These figures will then be cross-referenced with data collected during the annual MOT test. this mechanism is designed to flag discrepancies that might indicate odometer fraud, ensuring that the state captures the full reveue promised in previous budget forecasts.
Police access to registered premises and vehicle detention
The most contentious aspect of the legislation is the granting of unprecedented enforcement powers to police officers and transport officials. As the report says, the new laws would allow officers to enter any premises where a vehicle is registered to observe, test, and potentially detain the car to verify its mileage. This includes the authority to move a vehicle to a different location for a more thorough inspection.
Furthermore, the government intends to create a new criminal offence for any motorist who fails to comply with these demands. This shift transforms a tax dispute into a potential criminal matter, granting the state a level of access to private property that has rarely been seen for the purpose of revenue collection. The ability to detain a private vehicle on a whim of suspected mileage fraud represents a significant escalation in state power.
Greg Smith and FairFuelUK's 'Big Brother' warnings
The proposals, first introduced by former Chancellor Rachel Reeves in last year's Autumn Budget, have triggered a backlash from across the political spectrum.. Tory shadow transport minister Greg Smith has described the draft law as "shockingly invasive," suggesting it creates a scenario where inspectors wield keys and clipboards in a manner reminiscent of a surveillance state. This sentiment is echoed by Josie Appleton of the Campaign for Freedom in Everyday Life and Howard Cox of FairFuelUK, who labeled the scheme as "draconian."
This friction is part of a wider, escalating "war on drivers" that has seen motorists feel increasingly targeted by urban traffic schemes and new levies. By linking tax enforcement to home visits, the government risks alienating a demographic already skeptical of the transition to electric vehicles. The debate now centers on whether the goal of revenue generation justifies the erosion of domestic privacy.
The challenge of tracking vehicles used abroad
Despite the strict domestic enforcement powers, significant gaps remain in the proposed legislation. One primary concern is how the DVLA and police will handle vehicles used abroad, as the pay-per-mile levy still applies to international mileage. It remains unclear how the government intends to verify mileage for cars that spend months outside the UK without relying on the honor system or invasive audits upon return.
Additionally, critics have raised the alarm over the potential for clerical errors. Given the high volume of digits in odometer readings, a simple typo in a yearly submission could trigger a police visit to a citizen's front door. The report notes that the government has yet to clarify the threshold for "suspected breach" or the safeguards in place to prevent innocent motorists from facing police detention due to a data entry mistake.
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