Millions of Brits who bought cars from 37 different brands over a period of nine years could be owed compensation.
This comes after a UK court approved a plan to pay £56 million in compensation to millions of UK consumers who lost money from inflated car delivery charges between 2006 and 2015.
The Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) heard that consumers and businesses were overcharged for new vehicles.
The case follows the European Commission’s 2018 decision to fine the shipping companies MOL, K Line, NYK, WWL/EUKOR and CSAV €395 million (£340 million) for fixing prices for the transport of vehicles.
The CAT has now approved a scheme to distribute £55.87 million in compensation to those who bought or leased new cars or vans during the period.
Mark McLaren, a former consumer expert at Which?, has urged the public to sign up for the scheme.
Compensation can be paid in a variety of ways, including Nectar points, donations to charities and direct banking in the coming months.
Which car brands owe compensation to some UK motorists?
Some of the major car brands that owe UK motorists some compensation include:
- Ford
- Vauxhall
- Volkswagen
- Peugeot
- BMW
- Mercedes
- Nissan
- Toyota
- Citroen
- Renault
- Honda
- Hyundai
- Kia
Those who bought cars from them, as well as 24 other vehicle manufacturers from 2006 to 2015, are owed compensation.
Compensation starts at £25 for the first vehicle, with £5 for vehicles two to six, and at least £2.50 for each additional eligible vehicle.
Motorists can check eligibility and register for compensation at the Car Delivery Charges website.
Mr McLaren said: "Signing up now is the best way to be first in line for compensation.
"With everything now fully approved, the distribution of settlement monies can be distributed later this year.
"Those already signed up will be contacted as soon as the distribution is open and will be directed to our online claim form to get back the money you’re owed."
Mr McLaren said the process had been designed to be as simple as possible.
He added: "This settlement has been secured on behalf of consumers and businesses who were overcharged for new vehicles, because of hidden agreements between companies they’d never heard, which secretly cost them money.
"They now deserve to get that money back."
The UK's most stolen car revealed for first six months of 2026
New figures have revealed the individual car model most frequently targeted by thieves in the UK during 2026.
The data, analysed by Tempcover using information from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), covers vehicle thefts recorded between January 1 and June 30.
According to the findings, the Nissan Juke Tekna CVT was the country's most stolen car model during the first half of the year, with 197 thefts reported.
That was 37 more than the Toyota C-HR Dynamic HEV CVT, which ranked second with 160 thefts.
Jake Lambert, temporary insurance expert at Tempcover, suggested the Nissan Juke's popularity and technology may help explain its position at the top of the list.
Recommended reading:
- UK drivers divided on proposed motorway rule change in place for 59 years
- UK's top 10 stolen car models in 2026 revealed with more than 1,300 vehicles taken
- 1.5 million drivers risk fines over 10 modifications you might not have declared
He said: "High-volume crossovers like the Juke Tekna sit right at the intersection of widespread road presence and accessible technology.
"Because the Tekna is a high-spec trim, it features keyless entry and push-button start as standard, leaving it exposed to relay attacks, where thieves intercept fob signals to bypass the immobiliser."
Lambert added that the issue is not exclusive to the Juke and affects many modern vehicles fitted with keyless entry systems.
Will you be checking the eligibility of any cars purchased between 2006 and 2015? Let us know in the comments.
Share