Meet the NOCKers - Those ‘Never Owning Car Keys’ as car ownership becomes unaffordable

Car ownership is a thing of the past for many Brits

With rising bills making car ownership unaffordable for many, nearly a fifth say they will never be able to afford a car on their own, according to new research. Instead, NOCKers are exploring novel ways to get around, including car share options and taking out temporary car insurance on a ‘need-to-go’ basis

A quarter of UK adults do not own a car (24%) - with a third (36%) of them saying they never will - as rising bills make car ownership increasingly unaffordable, according to new research from temporary car insurance provider Tempcover.

This shift signals the arrival of the NOCKers - those ‘Never Owning Car Keys’.

When exploring why the NOCKers are emerging, cost plays a major role. The car’s initial price-tag is the biggest factor (34%), whereas a quarter (27%) cite the running costs - from petrol to car tax - as reasons for not having one. The increased cost of living and rising bills have made it unaffordable for one in five (22%) of them.

If prices were to come down, a third of NOCKers (31%) would consider buying a car, but for 36%, nothing would convince them to own one.

If they did decide to purchase a car, on average, NOCKers think that it would take them nearly two years to save up. But this isn’t the case for all of them - nearly a fifth (18%) admit they don’t think they’ll ever be able to afford a car on their own.

But cost isn’t the only barrier. One in ten (12%) NOCKers don’t own a car as they prefer to take more environmentally friendly methods of transport, such as cycling, to reduce emissions.

Life without car ownership also comes with bumps in the road. Over a third (36%) of NOCKers complain that using public transport means enduring longer travel times. Nearly half (49%) say their travel plans are limited as they’re bound by lifts from others, and a third (31%) find shopping a challenge, resulting in more home deliveries or smaller, frequent shops.

But going without a car also has its upsides for NOCKers - they don’t have to worry about motoring specific stresses, such as parking (57%), traffic (49%), or road rage (41%) and over one in ten (13%) have easy access to borrow a car when needed. What’s more, many NOCKers report lowering their carbon footprint and a level of financial freedom from not being tied to annual insurance policies (46%).

As a result, consumer behaviour is evolving with NOCKers exploring novel ways to travel. While 30% rely on a friend or family member to give them a lift, a growing number look to car-share options to get around (5%) or taking out temporary car insurance when they need to (5%).

Claire Wills-McKissick, a temporary car insurance expert at Tempcover said, “Attitudes toward driving and travel are shifting, with financial pressures affecting people of all ages. While some find car ownership increasingly out of reach, others are consciously choosing to opt out.

Fortunately, temporary car insurance offers a flexible alternative, letting people borrow a car and enjoy the freedom of driving on a need-to-go basis, without the long-term costs or commitments of car ownership.”