How Much Money Do Uber Drivers Earn

How much do Uber drivers earn in London?

This article looks at the average earnings for different types of Uber driver in London, based on extensive conversations with drivers and data from Uber themselves. We also outline some of the biggest costs you should account for, and some top tips for earning more!

(These figures are based on pre-Covid earnings.)

How it works?

New Uber drivers will probably be interested to know that full-time Uber drivers will be receiving the minimum wage of £8.72 an hour from now on. Keep in mind that this means that there is now a minimum you can earn, but no ceiling. This is positive news, because it means that if you're interested in driving for Uber, you will now be able to receive a guaranteed income, whilst still having the potential to earn more based on your driving.

That being said your earnings will still be highly dependant on how you drive. Surge pricing (increased rates for drivers based on rider demand and peak hours), increased trips, and the hours you work can all contribute to how much you earn.

This means that Uber drivers who only work part-time, on quieter days, and in less crowded parts of London will obviously not be able to earn as much as full-time Uber drivers.

Below we will try an outline the averages for both types of drivers.

Average Earnings 💰

Based on our data*, drivers can look to earn between £15 to £20 on average by driving Uber. See below for how this works out for part-time vs. full-time drivers.

Part-time

Work Hours	Average Weekly Earnings	Average Monthly Earnings	Average Yearly Earnings
Around 20 hours per week	£300 – £400	£1,260 – £1,680	£15,600 – £20,800

Full-Time

Work Hours	Average Weekly Earnings	Average Monthly Earnings	Average Yearly Earnings
Around 45 hours per week	£675 – £900	£2,835 – £3,780	£35,100 – £46,800

Some Additional Points

1.) *These figures come from Uber's official statements, interviews & surveys with our own drivers, and online testimonies.

2.) Please keep in mind that these numbers are averages. There is a potential to earn less than this, but also to earn more based on where, when and how you drive.

3.) These earnings are before tax, and also before you take out your general running costs. To find out more about these then please keep reading!

The Costs 🧾

Your Uber Car

Your biggest weekly expenditure will most likely be spent on your Uber car. It is important to pick the right set of wheels when Uber driving, and we will explain more about this in some of the other costs highlighted below.

To work out your average costs we will compare PCO Car Hire vs. PCO Rent 2 Buy pricing. That is because we believe that these are the best paths to ownership for most new Uber drivers.

For part-time Uber drivers the best option will probably be a PCO Car Hire scheme. Otto Car's weekly prices for this currently range from £149 to £204 depending on the Uber car you choose.

For full-time Uber drivers the best option will be be the PCO Rent 2 Buy pricing, which is a stable path to ownership for Uber drivers. The prices for this vary a lot depending on the Uber car you ultimately choose, but they currently range from £219 to £265 per week. You can get an idea of the different Uber cars we offer and their prices on our PCO Rent 2 Buy page.

Fuel Costs

Aside from your vehicle costs, you will find that fuel is one of your biggest expenditures. Again, this will vary dramatically on the type of vehicle that you pick.

If you are interested in Uber driving then you should be aware of how different fuel types will set you back in London. With new regulations passing all the time to encourage electric vehicle ownership (and to discourage petrol and diesel cars), it is now the smart choice to choose electric.

We have outlined the general fuel costs for the Kia e-Niro (fully electric) and the Toyota Prius (Petrol-Hybrid) below.

Kia E-Niro 👇	Toyota Prius 👇
Journey Fuel Cost:£41	Journey Fuel Cost:£53
Cost per mile:4.1p	Cost per mile : 5.3p
Total Annual Fuel Costs:£2,113	Total Annual Fuel Costs: £2,765

This should give you an idea of the different fuel costs you will have for both types of vehicle.

Did you know:Otto Car now only offer electric vehicles on our PCO Rent 2 Buy scheme. That is because we believe that EV cars are the only type of Uber car that makes sense when considering long-term vehicle ownership.

Congestion Charges

Many Uber drivers that operate in central London will be extremely familiar with congestion charges. If you want to work in some of the busier areas of London then you will have to pay a daily charge of £15.

This means that if you enter on average 3 times a week, this would make annual costs of around £2500 on congestion charges alone.

Top Tip: if you opt for a fully electric Uber car then you won't have to pay any congestion charges until 2025. This means you will be able to take advantage of some of the busiest zones in London at no additional cost.

Maintenance Costs

Another thing to consider is that your Uber car will require servicing periodically. Most Uber drivers don't want to think about these costs at the beginning, but it's important to factor them in.

Again this will depend on the type of PCO car you are driving, and the amount of mileage that you aim to do weekly.

We estimate, based on all of the Uber cars on our fleet, that servicing costs will amount to around £1000 a year for Uber drivers. That includes general servicing, 2 MOTs a year, tires, breaks and PHV Licensing.

Did you know: Otto Car's Rent 2 Buy scheme already comes with all of this servicing & 24/7 roadside assistance included.

Insurance Costs

Uber drivers will also have to arrange their own PHV Insurance. This doesn't come cheap considering the amount of mileage and the fact that you will regularly be driving passengers around.

Most estimates put this figure between £2000 and £4000 per year. That isn't necessarily cheap, and can go up if you aren't careful on the road.

All of the Uber cars on Otto Car's PCO Rent 2 Buy Scheme come with free insurance and road tax included. It's a way of getting a car that is fit for the job without having to worry about the additional stresses and costs that come with it.

Tax

You will inevitably also have to pay taxes on your earnings. These can vary depending on your earnings, and this will have to be done by claiming your earnings and paying this directly to HMRC.

Tips to Boost Earnings 💸

Here is a list of top tips for increasing your earnings whilst PCO driving:

1.) Drive at the right times and places. Getting this balance right will make all of the difference. You can see our article showing the best places and times for Uber drivers to work in London.

2.)Work for multiple rideshare apps.Whilst Uber is definitely the best platform to currently work for, many other rideshare operators are offering discounts and bonuses. Check out our PHV Operator guide showcasing the top rideshare companies in London.

3.) Don't miss out on the promos.PHV operators are constantly offering different promos to incentivise drivers. These involve you driving at certain times or meeting certain ride quotas for bonuses. Stay alert for when these become available on your Uber apps!

4.)Think electric.Okay, we've already mentioned this point a bunch of times, but it's worth repeating again. The benefits of switching to an EV are huge for Uber drivers right now, and in order to make the most of your time on the road you should be thinking about this carefully.