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Topics: News
Emma Guinness
Anyone who's ever accepted an Uber fare — particularly when there's a surge on — would be forgiven for assuming that their drivers are pretty well paid.
But a discussion about how much employees can supposedly earn in London has left customers reeling.
It all went down on Reddit after one user asked whether there was any truth to a rumour that drivers working in the capital are making a staggering £1K a week.
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One person replied that while taking £200 a day in fares is entirely possible, this amount is likely to be a lot less once running costs, fuel and Uber's cut are subtracted.
They wrote: "Define 'make'. An Uber driver could easily 'take' £200 a day in fares, but you would then have to subtract all of your costs from that - vehicle, tax, insurance, fuel, congestion charge, licensing etc."
After doing some digging, and there appears to be some pretty solid evidence behind the OP's claim — although it's worth bearing in mind the net income will be a lot lower once you factor in deductible costs.
Uber have admitted that the amount that their drivers earn varies according to when, where and how long they work.
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However, the service does have a number of features that drivers can use to increase their earnings including UberEats, tips and, of course, the almighty surcharge for driving at busy times.
One Londoner who drives for Uber in the Big Smoke wrote on his blog that while it is possible to make £1,000 a week, this number would be based on 'sales' alone — in other words, it's not going directly into their pocket.
"Then comes the hefty 25 percent commission for the pleasure of partnering with Uber," they added. "That is £750 a week. £39,000 a year before expenses. £3,250, give or take, a month."
They added that while this isn't a bad wage, once expenses are deducted, drivers are making just below the living wage, which is £11.95 an hour in London.
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According to jobs site Indeed, where Uber drivers can report their salaries, the average driver is actually earning less than the London living wage, earning around £19,000 a year.
Writing on Indeed, one driver cautioned: "You can work when you want which is good, but running a private hire vehicle is expensive. You need to keep the car clean and tidy which is more difficult in the winter."
In a nutshell, while some Uber drivers might be making a decent living wage, the majority likely aren't making much more than other service staff.
A spokesperson for Uber told LADbible: "Uber drivers in the U.K. are guaranteed to earn at least the National Living Wage, but 99% of them can and do earn more. In Q1 2022 drivers earned on average £29.72ph, but it varies depending on where and when they drive. Drivers are also entitled to holiday pay and a pension, which has helped us sign up more than 10,000 new drivers in recent months."