Nowadays, more and more people want to become an Uber driver in the UK and earn some extra dollars from this side job.
No matter you are a taxi driver or not, you may have heard about Uber once in a while in your daily life.
To put it simply, Uber is a platform where those who drive and deliver can connect with riders, eaters, and restaurants.
In cities where Uber is available, you can use the Uber app to request a ride. When a nearby Uber driver accepts your request, the app displays an estimated time of arrival for the driver heading to your pickup location. The app then will notify you when the driver is about to arrive.
The Uber app also provides info about the driver with whom you will ride, including first name, vehicle type, and license plate number. This info helps the two of you connect at your pickup location.
Immediately after a trip ends, the Uber app will prompt you to rate your driver from 1 to 5 Stars. Drivers who use the Uber app are also asked to rate riders.
In the present article, we try to give you some basic and essential information that you need to know about how to become an Uber driver in the UK.
We hope that reading this article to the end will be of good help if you have in mind to join the large Uber family and become an Uber driver in the UK.
- Why becoming an Uber driver is a great idea?
Driving with Uber offers a flexible earning opportunity. That is, you can work every day, even on off days, and at every hour, even at midnight.
It’s a great alternative to full-time driver jobs that are really boring and not well-paid. This means that besides your full-time job, you can become an Uber driver in the UK and earn some extra dollars.
When you are an Uber driver, this means you are your own boss and you can set your own schedule for work.
For these reasons and many more, becoming an Uber driver in the UK is getting more and more popular.
- What are the requirements to become an Uber driver in the UK?
To become an Uber driver in the UK, there are some basic and mandatory requirements that you need to fulfill first.
These requirements include the following:
- You need to be at least 21 years old
- You must have at least 3 years of driving experience
- You need to have a valid UK driver’s license (EU/foreign licenses must be converted before onboarding)
- You must have an approved smartphone or tablet to be able to download and install the Uber app.
- You must have an eligible car
- And you also need to have a Private Hire Driver License (PCO license)
- What is the PCO license?
The PCO license, also known as the Private Hire Driver License, is a piece of document that allows you to work as a PCO driver.
The PCO License is issued by the PCO (Public Carriage Office) and is valid for 3 years.Getting your PCO license is the most important step towards working a new career as an Uber driver in the UK.
To get a PCO car license, you need to pass four different tests in addition to having the above-mentioned criteria about Uber driver’s requirements as well. They include the PCO DBS Check (CRB), the medical test, the Topographical Assessment test, and the English test
The PCO DBS Check (CRB) refers to examining your personal criminal records from several sources including the Police National Computer. This process will reveal everything about your past regarding any possible convictions, cautions, reprimands and warnings. The aim of this criminal check is for the PCO to make sure that you are safe and trustworthy and deserve to be licensed as a Private Hire or Chauffeur Driver.
The medical test isanother PCO car requirement for getting a PCO license. In fact, you need to prove that you are medically healthy and fit for working as a PCO car driver. During the test, your reactions, coordination, memory and so on will be assessed and evaluated.
The Topographical Assessment test is done to ensure that you are able to locate places, as well as to plan routes as a PCO car driver. To put it simply, it’s a test that evaluates your ability in understanding how maps work, and if you can use a map to navigate between locations from one point to another.
And the English test is to make sure that you know the English language at least to a basic level. TfL requires applicants to pass ISE I (B1) and IELTS tests to show their English level. But if you already have a GCSE, an AS Level or A-levels, or a University Degree, then you are exempt from passing the language test.
- How much does getting the PCO license cost?
The cost for the TfL application for the PCO license is £250 in the U.K. But that’s not the end of the story.
You should also put aside some money for other expenses during the process of getting your PCO license.
Other expenses include the DBS criminal record checks, English Language tests, Medical and Topographical tests, etc.
All in all, the total money you need to cover all the costs to get the PCO license is estimated to reach more than £700.
But you should also keep in mind that except for the TfL application fee, the rest of the expenses can vary depending on your choice of provider. For example, some medical tests can cost more than others.
- What are car requirements to become an Uber driver in the UK?
The general Uber car requirements are rather flexible and are not that difficult to meet:
It could be said that the UK is very strict in regard to PCO car hire requirements. This is mainly because of the city’s current attempts to limit the emission of CO2.
Therefore, if you are a Uber driver in the UK, your car needs to meet the following requirements:
- The car should have four doors and a minimum of five seats. No more than 8 seats.
- It should have no cosmetic damage, including dents or scratches.
- It should meet all the emission requirements.
- It should be not older than ten years.
- It should not look like a London-style cab.
- It should display license discs.
- It must have no commercial branding on it
- It must be licensed to carry a minimum of 4 passengers
Additionally, Transport for London (TfL) requires that private hire vehicles licensed for the first time:
• Must have four independently opening doors
• Must have a valid Private Hire Vehicle License (PHV license)
• Must have a Euro 6 petrol or diesel engine if over 8-months-old
• Must be zero-emission capable if under 8-months-old
- How much do Uber drivers make in the UK?
When you are an Uber driver in the UK, your earnings depend on how much time you want to spend driving. You also need to take into account and manage maintenance expenses, insurance, and other taxes,
The Uber driver hourly wage in the UK is on average around £15. This is after you have paid the Uber service fee, which is higher than the minimum wage.
It also depends on driving during peak hours and on the city (the more you know, the higher your pay).
The National Living Wage was £8.91 per hour in April 2021. This amounts to £400.95 in a 45-hour workweek, so it’s fair to say that a full-time Uber driver could earn more than that before expenses are considered.
Uber takes a 25% commission on every fare that you pick up. Your earnings come from the remainder.
A study of 1,150 Uber and Lyft drivers found that the average Uber driver earns $15.60 per hour before expenses.
But that’s not all. You can also earn extra money when you complete a certain number of trips within a specific period. For example, you can make an extra £20 to £30 for completing 20 to 30 trips in a week.
Uber drivers in the UK are usually paid weekly. The payment goes directly to the driver’s bank account along with an invoice. The invoice details all the trips the driver made in the previous month.
- What are the expenses of an Uber driver?
When you become an Uber driver in the UK, you surely need to be responsible for all costs related to the car, maintenance, insurance and any other taxes.
In the following lines, we explain the costs that you as an Uber driver need to take into account;
- Uber service fee
First of all, you need to know that Uber takes 25% of the earnings of its drivers. This is important when it comes to managing your expectations.
To get a better idea of the commission rates, pricing, and fares, check out a side by side comparison of the most popular rideshare apps in UK.
- Fuel
The most obvious and frequent expense is your fuel cost. This depends on what car you drive, where and what part of the day you drive most of the time, as well as your driving style.
Traditional cars with a single internal combustion engine cost about £13 to £16 per 100 miles to run, Electric cars, however, can run 100 miles at a cost of only £2 – £10 depending on where you charge them.
- Maintenance
Maintenance is in fact a potential cost for Uber drivers. In other words, until something actually happens, you might forget about this cost.
However, it is wise to put some money on the side every week for at least consumables, normal wear and tear, seasonal tire changes, and annual revisions. If you don’t know how much you need to put aside for maintenance, make an estimate based on the type of your car.
- Insurance
As an Uber driver who owns your own car, you have to manage your own private hire vehicle insurance as well. This is the only one that covers accidents in this case, compared to normal car insurance.
A PHV insurance policy, however, is expensive. To read between the lines, it costs something between £2,000 and a whopping £4,000 per year. This amount also depends on the age of the car, distance driven per year, as well as your driving history.
- Taxes
As an Uber driver in the UK, if you earn more than $400 from Uber or Lyft, you must file a tax return and report your driving earnings to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Most Uber drivers report income as sole proprietors, which allows you to report business income on your personal tax return. If you earned less than $400, you may still have to file and report your earnings if you have to file for other reasons.
- What Type of Uber Service Will You Provide?
- UberX
UberX is in fact the cheapest Uber ride, so its vehicle requirements are the simplest to meet for Uber drivers. To qualify for becoming an UberX driver, your car needs to be a 2002 or newer four-door and in good condition. It must also have at least five seats for four passengers plus yourself as the driver.
- UberXL
UberXL is also relatively low-cost compared to other types of Uber services. However, UberXL provides passengers with more room than they would get with UberX.
To qualify for becoming an UberXL driver, your car needs to be a 2002 or newer SUV or minivan with no cosmetic damage. The car also has to have seats for at least six passengers plus the driver.
- UberSELECT
UberSELECT, which is also known in some cities as UberPlus, is a bit more expensive than the above-mentioned Uber services.
To qualify for becoming an UberSELECT driver, your car has to be a 2009 or newer entry-level luxury car with a leather interior and no cosmetic damage. The car must also have seats for at least four passengers plus the driver.
- UberBLACK
UberBLACK is the luxury alternative to UberX. To qualify for becoming an UberBLACK driver, your car has to be a 2012 or newer luxury car in excellent condition with a black (of course) interior and exterior. The car must also have seats for at least four passengers plus the driver.
- UberSUV
UberSUV is the luxury alternative to UberXL. For UberSUV, your vehicle must be a 2012 or newer luxury SUV in excellent condition with a black interior and exterior. The car also needs to have six seats for four passengers plus yourself as the driver.
- What are the best hours to work as an Uber driver in the UK?
A lot of Uber drivers in the UK try to get as much money as possible by working in some certain peak hours. This means that sometime during the day or night, you as an Uber driver in the UK can earn more.
The term “peak hours” in fact refers to the times during which the greatest number of riders are using Uber’s apps to request rides.
Peak hours for Uber drivers in the UK are usually as follows:
- Morning rush hours: 7 a.m. – 9 a.m.
- Monday through Friday evening rush hours: 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.
- Monday through Friday evening: 8 p.m. – 3 a.m.
- Saturday evening: 8 p.m. – 3 a.m.
- conclusion
when it comes taxi services, Uber is undoubtedly one of the best and most popular choices. Uber is in fact the world’s largest ride-sharing company.
Also good to know that according to the latest Uber user statistics, his company has 93 million monthly active users worldwide. Since launching in the UK in 2012, Uber is now available in over 40 towns and cities across the country, with over 60,000 drivers using the platform and an estimated 5 million riders regularly using it.
That’s why working as an Uber driver in the UK is indeed a great opportunity for anyone who is looking for a second job.
The present article was an effort to explain in rather comprehensive detail the requirements for becoming an Uber driver in the UK. We highly hope that reading this content can be useful for you if you have in mind to join the company’s larger family as try this job.
