Key takeaways
- Uber Pro benefits can typically be worth thousands of pounds a year.
- Members generally need to reach Gold level and above for the best rewards.
- UK taxi drivers can typically save hundreds of pounds a year by switching to Zego private hire insurance.
Uber launched Uber Pro UK in October 2019. The programme rewards private hire drivers for their loyalty and service through four tiers of membership: Blue, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond. Each tier offers different rewards, some of which can typically be worth thousands of pounds a year.
Uber Pro is a progressive programme. The more you put in, the more you get out. Here's what you need to know to maximise membership, and how new drivers setting up with Uber in the UK can set themselves up to climb the tiers faster.
What are Uber Pro points?
Uber Pro members join at the Blue level and automatically receive Blue rewards. However, better rewards start at Gold, stronger ones at Platinum, and the best at Diamond. Drivers must accrue points to reach these tiers.
Points, trips and hours
Next up from the entry-level Blue tier comes Gold. To reach this level, drivers must build 500 points if they work in London, or 600 if they work elsewhere in the UK. Drivers earn one point for every trip, which means 500 trips in three months to get to Gold in London. That's around 166 trips a month, or 38 trips a week over a thirteen-week period.
Is this possible? Yes, it is. If a London driver completes two trips an hour, they'd need to work around 19 hours a week to reach Gold level. Most full-time UK Uber drivers already work 30 or more hours a week, so achieving Gold status should be within reach, even when the target is 600 points outside the capital. For a sense of the earnings behind those hours, our breakdown of how much UK Uber drivers actually make walks through real hourly take-home figures once costs are stripped out.
The higher you go, the more points you need
At the higher tiers, the points targets become more challenging. A London driver needs 900 points for Platinum and 1,300 for Diamond. At two trips per hour, they'd need to work around 35 hours a week to reach Platinum and 50 hours per week for Diamond. Outside London, the required hours rise to roughly 46 and 69 per week respectively.
Uber Pro is a rolling programme. Drivers can't reach a premium tier then sit back. They must maintain their points levels each month to keep receiving the benefits.
Double or triple your points by working less
There is an easier route to the needed points with fewer hours on the road.
Uber offers double and triple points for drivers who work during special periods. In London, drivers can earn two points per trip for journeys completed between 6am and 10am Monday to Friday, and between 10pm and 4am on Friday and Saturday nights.
Three points per trip are on offer to drivers elsewhere in the UK for trips between 10pm and 4am on Friday and Saturday nights. Drivers who work exclusively in double and triple points sessions can dramatically increase their points and reach the highest tiers in less time than working the same hours in regular slots.
What do you need to qualify for Uber Pro?
On top of the points targets, Uber sets minimum service standards to stay eligible. You typically need a strong star rating (around 4.85 or above), a low cancellation rate, and an acceptance rate Uber defines per city. Drivers who fall below those service thresholds lose access to Gold, Platinum or Diamond benefits at the next status review, even if they've hit the points target.
This matters for drivers chasing the top tiers. If your rating slips below 4.85, even 1,300 Diamond points won't keep you at Diamond. Driver behaviour and car quality often end up mattering as much as raw trip volume once you're pushing for the top rewards.
Which Uber Pro rewards are worth the most?
Maximising Uber Pro also means taking full advantage of the highest-value rewards available.
Fuel card
The Shell Go+ fuel card gives a discount on every litre of fuel purchased. The saving ranges from 1.5% at Blue up to 5% at Diamond level, which is typically higher than the 1% reward most supermarket loyalty cards offer.
Open University
Reach Gold level and above and the doors to Open University open. Uber Pro covers 100% of tuition costs for drivers or an eligible family member. Many people assume Open University is free. It isn't. Open University currently indicates that a typical 360-credit honours degree costs around £3,228 per year, for six years. On that basis, the total value of Uber Pro's 100% tuition cover sits at roughly £19,368.
Breakdown assistance
Uber Pro gives Gold and above members free AA breakdown recovery, including roadside assistance, home start, and towing recovery. Comparable cover bought directly typically costs from around £99 a year upwards, depending on provider and level.
Is Uber Pro worth it?
Uber Pro is worth it, but drivers need to reach the upper tiers to get the full benefit. Based on the three rewards above, a Diamond member who spends around £1,000 a month on fuel, enrols themselves or a family member at Open University, and makes use of the AA, could typically benefit by up to £3,377 a year.
How UK private hire drivers can save even more
Even if you never reach the highest levels of Uber Pro, UK taxi drivers can typically save hundreds of pounds every year by switching to Zego's Uber driver insurance. Choose third party or fully comprehensive cover, buy all-in-one policies that work across private hire, food delivery and personal vehicle use, and drive with any firm, including Uber. Pick 30-day or annual terms, or choose Zego Sense, the telematics policy that rewards good drivers with lower prices – the safer you drive, the more you typically save.
Get an Uber insurance quote with Zego – it only takes a minute.