How many cars does the average UK household own?

Britain is becoming a nation of multi-car households, with the proportion of homes owning 2 or more cars rising from 8% in 1971 to 34% in 2024.¹

Are multi-car households on the rise?

Yes, they are.

Households with 2 or more cars have more than quadrupled since 1971. The Department for Transport now counts around 12 cars for every 10 households - up from roughly 8 per 10 in the mid-1980s.¹

83% of people use a car at least once a week, with car journeys making up 59% of all trips and 76% of total distance travelled.¹

One-car households are still the most common, but multiple vehicles are now the norm for a lot of families.

How many cars does the average household own today?

Here's a breakdown of car ownership per household in England and Wales:

Source: Latest ONS Census 2021²

The percentage of households without a car is skewed by London. 42.1% of London households don't have a car or van, compared to 23.3% across England and Wales.²

But step outside the M25, and it's a different story. Around 85% of households in the East of England, South East, and South West have at least one vehicle.²

Our own data backs this up. Confused.com figures from 2026 show households with 2 vehicles bought more car insurance policies than single-car households.³

Why are more households running multiple vehicles?

For many families, having 2 working adults means separate commuting needs.

Others may have older children living at home who need their own transport for work, education or social activities.

In rural areas and smaller towns, public transport is often limited - so a second car isn't a choice, it's a necessity.

And while hybrid working has cut commuting for some people, it hasn't cut the need for a car altogether. People still need to be able to get around and often depend on having a car for shopping, school runs and leisure. 

Managing multiple vehicles under one roof

The downside to owning more than one car is it means two lots of insurance, fuel, tax, MOTs, and servicing. And with prices where they are, that second car can cost more than you expect.

Fuel alone is a costly ongoing expense. Use our fuel cost calculator to work out what you're spending - it might be more than you think.

More cars also means more to manage. Different renewal dates, multiple drivers, different levels of cover - it adds up fast. If you’re running two or more cars, compare multi-car insurance and see if you can sort it all in one go and save. 

¹Department for Transport. National Travel Survey 2024: Household car availability and trends in car trips.

²Office for National Statistics. Census 2021: Car or van availability.

³Confused.com internal data, car insurance purchase data, 1 Jan to 31 May 2026