Tipping tour guides and van transfer drivers in England

The main thing to remember is that you DON'T HAVE TO TIP in the UK, certainly don't tip to American standards. BTW a "van" in the UK is for transporting goods, what you're referring to would be a minibus or MPV.
https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/a-guide-to-tipping-in-britain-how-much-should-you-tip-and-where-does-the-money-really-go_uk_5bb1ebf5e4b027da00d4f328?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAG5HffIwpQujuFfj5g0ssNpM2cRhbocOEjMlCqvX7o2OoiRbL9UM_ts41ic0oTSlXVO4M4lXJTlCtNlHRY7uusaNWeEgHEqbZ7DXJcwhGFdL5AXJYiox9fzsE8CeRmceM7qHSGQTNqoByuJ-My6_Wkyd-Ty3pCVogyoTViWuBhjG

Note "less than it would be in the US" includes zero.
Most US guidebooks are overgenerous in their recommendations, they are based on US thinking.
Tipping for US Americans appears to be an addiction, they just cannot give it up. Even if you can't totally give up the habit immediately, try not tipping sometimes, and gradually increase the number of times you do not tip.

Thank you Chris. Actually, I am inquiring about local customs and expectations, which should indicate i am not “ addicted” to tipping. You may not be aware, that in some areas, ie the US and others, certain workers are so underpaid that they cannot make even a meager wage without tips. Example: housecleaning services and wait staff in restaurants. Far from feeding an “addiction”, I feel that as a fellow human being I have an obligation , and I do it gladly, to compensate persons in the service economy.

I appreciate Linda H's explanation, and agree. The advice to tip less that you would in the U.S. and to sometimes skip the tip altogether is not really helpful.

What I think she's asking, and what I'd like to know is: how much is customary for a tour guide or a driver? Should it be a percentage of the cost of the service? Should it be a flat amount per person or per item of luggage in the vehicle? If the customary amount is zero, so be it -- but please enlighten us.

There are no hard and fast rules for tipping. It is really up to you and each situation is different. Some people refuse to hand over an extra pence and others go way overboard.

No one expects a tip in the UK although I'm starting to see "tip" jars springing up. In fact, in restaurants, if you pay by credit card there will be no line for tip. Although some credit card machines now ask if you want to add a tip. And some restaurants are adding a 12% service charge. (You can ask to have this removed.)

I take one day tours and will watch as people leave as to whether they tip of not. Some do, some don't. If it's an all day tour, and I thought the guide did a great job, I might give him a fiver. If not, nothing.

For taxis, I usually round up to the next pound if the driver did nothing but drive. If he got out and helped me with my luggage, I might add an extra pound. In some cases, when the fare was a few pence over 5 pounds, the driver has said just to forget the extra pence.

And never tip in pubs.

You may not be aware, that in some areas, ie the US and others, certain workers are so underpaid that they cannot make even a meager wage without tips.

Linda, we're all very much aware of the practices in the US which you'll find evidenced in the numerous threads on tipping. However it's irrelevant how badly treated the service staff in the US are, in the UK and most of Europe staff are paid a living wage so there's no need for you to step in and supplement their wages. Tour guides and drivers are paid a certain amount to do their job, they don't expect or require tipping. Some Americans prefer to do so because it gives them a warm glow inside but don't feel obliged.

Thanks to everyone who responded to the question. Yes, I am well aware that it is different than in the US, WHICH IS WHY I WAS ASKING.

I'm not sure what kind of 'tour guides' are being referred to here. The ones conducting so-called 'free' / name-your-own price city tours, the ones managing a 21 day coach tour of the UK or somewhere in the range in between. However, the UK custom is in general to tip at personal discretion, if you think what you have received from an individual is worth a little more it is up to you to decide. It is not expected but welcome, although there is an argument that those tour guides in the 'free' category are being exploited by someone.

Similarly with "private transfer vans" which I interpret as private hire vehicle (PHV) / minicab operators.

I thought I did answer your question (and BTW, I am British):
Simpler: If you have paid somebody, Zero, zilch, nothing, do not tip
On past experience, many of the posters who ask this question end up ignoring the advice and tipping anyway.

There are no local customs and expectations when it comes to tipping in the UK as it's not customary nor expected.

Different philosophy about people doing their jobs.

As a Yank nothing galls me more than seeing the tip jar by the Starbucks cash register here in the states. Why is it there? Why do the barista's expect a tip for doing their job?

Yes, I do tip waitresses, and if at a hotel I will leave leave a tip for house cleaning.

In the UK I do not tip at all.

As has been advised if you feel that the service you receive is exceptional and you wish to tip the driver or guide then tip what you feel is appropriate. Choice is yours. The tip will be appreciated but not expected.

Thanks to everyone who responded to the question. Yes, I am well aware that it is different than in the US, WHICH IS WHY I WAS ASKING.

AND WE GAVE YOU THE ANSWER!!!!

yup, same answer I would have given.

slight nuance though - if I were on a so-called "Free" guided walk, the kind where the young person "giving" the tour depends on tips for any income and where the owner has required a photo of the group taken at the start so the "guide" has to pay the owner so much a head in the photo and can then keep the tips - but I never would be because I believe that the "guide" is being misused by the owner and don't want to encourage that behaviour - but if I were, then I would likely tip about what I would expect to pay for a low end, less professional tour. Maybe £5 or so. I don't know for sure because I would never have been in the situation.

If a Blue Badge tour with London Walks - an excellent group of folks - as a Brit I would likely not tip after paying the fee but would expect Americans to probably double the fee. I would expect that the guide would also expect something similar because most Americans seem to only tip with paper money, not coins.

If a true free tour put on by a TI office of, say Oxford or Cambridge, I'd never tip.

Drivers have arranged to provide a service for a particular price - no tip from me.

What type of tour guide? A walking tour with London Walks would never get a tip, although I’ve bought the guide a pint a couple times.

My two hour bus Magical Mystery Tour had a tip jar at the front, I probably put in about a pound in smaller coins, others put more, some didn’t.

At museums, there’s a donation box but guides are never tipped.

This is a French example and not English so I have no idea if the expectations or attitudes are the same. I was on an RS tour in France in May, and our French guide said that tips in France are not expected, "but if it makes you feel better about yourself, they'll gladly take your money."

I am also interested in this topic. We will be Bath, Oxford & London in less than 2 weeks. We have booked a few private all day tours (for 3 people) in Bath & Oxford to maximize our sightseeing days. I had planned to tip our guide/driver, but I guess that is not the correct thing to do.

I had planned to tip our guide/driver, but I guess that is not the correct thing to do.

It's not a matter of correct or incorrect. It is personal discretion. If you think the guide did a good job and want to give him extra, you can. If you choose not too, that's fine too.

By the way, I have seen British Nationals tip.

This here website provides some decent advice. We usually just round up if the service was decent.

https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/money/tipping-in-europe

By the way, I have seen British Nationals tip.

Of course Brits tip, we just don't do it on the scale that American's tip. You may encounter Brits that tip a tour guide, it doesn't mean that it's de rigueur, simply a matter of personal preference as you stated.

JC....I mentioned that some Brits tip at home in response to some of your countrymen here who stated they would never tip in the UK for any reason.

It is, as you say, personal preference but nowhere near the average amount in the USA.

Sorry for the misinterpretation Frank.

I tip at home but only in restaurants if I've experienced good service, typically 10%. I've walked away without leaving a tip on many occasions and almost always request the 'optional' service charge be removed before deciding whether to leave a tip or not. I may have even rounded up the fare in a taxi but that's where it stops.

I sometimes try to draw the distinction by trying to separate this into a no tipping culture and a non tipping one. In the former, such as Japan, it just isn't done at all and will only cause confusion if not real offence if you do. In the latter which includes the UK there is no legal or moral obligation or expectation in either direction and no offense is caused either, although nothing may be better than a really small tip. Down to you in other words as part of the interpersonal relationship and social interaction. The third version is a tipping culture where it is absolutely expected by the person providing a service will get at least a certain level of a tip and will feel hard done by it if not received to the extent of feeling entitled to be vocal about it, even chasing for it.

People used to one type of these cultures can feel very awkward operating in one of the others. The UK if anything is becoming a less tipping place, but hasn't got to the 'no' category in general, even if it has for some individuals (on either side).