I recently left the scheme, got a good deal to good to turn down and it was less than a month before i got the new car. So I had to pay for a years roadtax. Did get a refund in the end of 10 months, but dwp messed me about.
We contacted dwp on the 13th of june the 1st day my partner could call them, after we picked the car up on the 10th of june. They said it would be 7 to 10 days and nothing came.
Called them again and they said wait x amount of days it’s been sent out, Still nothing arrived so it went into another months worth of road tax.
After we called them for the 3rd time they sent another out, it came in a couple of days. As dvla charge you still for the whole month. Which imo is a pure scam as then they getting two lost of roadtax when cars exchange hands as it’s per the person not the car.
I had been on the scheme for 11 years so not had to deal with it since they change it.
So if you can I’d do it before giving the car back, depending on the tax class and amount of your current car.
The minimum you’ll have to pay is one or maybe two months roadtax (unless it’s £0 rated) depends when you giving the car back in the month.
When you pick up a new car the dealer can put it on beforhand, or if it’s used you can go straight to the p.o and put it on if you have the certificate. but like i said it depends on your current cars roadtax and the new ones costs as to which way to do it imo. Either way you gonna have to tax one of the cars.