Uber Eats is an app-based delivery service that brings take-away food direct from the restaurant to the customer’s home. Buyers order meals via their smartphone. Drivers deliver the food by car, scooter, motorbike, or bicycle.
Uber Eats UK began in London in 2016 and it has now grown into a national business reaching more than 90% of the population. Every day, a small army of drivers carry food to homes, offices, and workplaces as the nation’s hunger for restaurant food shows no sign of easing. Some delivery drivers are part-timers, working for pocket money, while others are full-time drivers who earn the bulk of their income with Uber Eats.
The food delivery industry exploded during the pandemic, when going out to eat was banned. Thousands of drivers came into the business to satisfy demand. Now, even as the hospitality trade has re-opened, the need for drivers remains strong. This is tempting many beginners to try the job. The first thing they ask is, ‘How much do Uber Eats drivers make?’ Here are the facts:
Uber Eats pays drivers per trip. They receive a fee for pick-up between 50p and £3.00, a fee for delivery, and a fee for every mile they cover. Fees vary depending on where drivers work and the vehicle they drive.
Amounts correct as of June 2022 (reference: https://www.uber.com/gb/en/deliver/earnings/)
These figures do not include bonus payments, (called ‘Boost’) that are paid to drivers during peak demand. Nor do they include tips, which are at the customer’s discretion. Uber Eats takes a 25% cut of each delivery fee as a service charge. Because there are so many variables, it is difficult to pinpoint driver income. However, according to actual driver reports on Glassdoor, a workplace monitoring service, the average annual income is £19,268, before expenses*.
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Drivers must provide their own vehicle, and pay for fuel, repairs, and Food Delivery insurance, (you cannot deliver food for payment using standard motor cover). Successful drivers look for ways to keep a lid on these costs. Insurance prices can be high, so getting the best quote is essential. Hundreds of pounds per year could be saved.
Many drivers work with Uber Eats because they are free to choose when they work. For them, independence is most important. Others drive to make a solid income. However, whatever the reason for becoming a delivery driver, the answer to the question, ‘How much do Uber Eats drivers make?’ is about £10 per hour.
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*Earnings estimate correct as of June 2022.
