The UK’s food delivery sector offers multiple opportunities to earn money using your vehicle, whether you’re driving a PCO-licensed car or looking to supplement your rideshare income. The key to maximising earnings lies in understanding which platforms best suit your working style and location across different UK regions.
Top Platform Choices For Food Delivery
Uber Eats
Uber Eats stands out as the leading choice for food delivery drivers throughout the UK, offering exceptional flexibility and competitive earnings. Drivers can work whenever they choose without pre-booking shifts, making it ideal for those who want spontaneous earning opportunities.
The platform pays based on three components: a £1.10 pick-up fee, £0.80 drop-off fee, and £1.10 per mile travelled in London (rates vary by region). Average hourly earnings range from £7-£14, with drivers potentially earning between £12,000 and £32,400 annually working full-time schedules. The app includes instant cash-out options, allowing you to access completed earnings up to five times daily.
Deliveroo
Deliveroo ranks second among driver preferences, excelling in work-life balance through flexible scheduling options. The platform has strong UK roots and partners with exclusive restaurants not available on competing apps. Drivers earn approximately £14 per hour on average, with pay structured at £3-£4 per drop-off. Multiple orders from the same restaurant can significantly boost earnings per trip. Deliveroo offers useful perks including free international money transfers, partner discounts, and referral bonuses, though instant payment access carries a 50p surcharge.
Just Eat
Just Eat provides consistent work through its Transit Pay model, which factors in driving distance, delivery time, traffic conditions, and route complexity. Drivers report earning around £9.78 per hour on average, with potential earnings up to £14.70 hourly. The platform pays £6.13 per order on average, higher than both Deliveroo and Uber Eats. However, Just Eat requires booking shifts in advance rather than offering on-demand flexibility. Drivers submit their weekly availability by Wednesday night, then receive assigned shifts for the following week.
Parcel and Package Delivery Platforms
Amazon Flex
Amazon Flex enables drivers to earn £14-£18 per hour delivering packages from regional distribution centres to customers across the UK. Drivers work in “blocks” (scheduled delivery windows), with earnings calculated per block rather than per delivery. The platform requires a mid-size vehicle with five seats or larger, valid insurance, and drivers must be 18+ with a full UK licence. Weekly earnings are capped at 24 hours maximum, allowing drivers to earn £480+ per week before expenses. Payments are processed every Wednesday via direct deposit for deliveries completed in the previous seven days.
Gophr
Gophr operates as a same-day courier service across multiple UK cities, offering pay-per-job compensation. The application process takes approximately three minutes, with drivers needing a valid driving licence, clean criminal record, hire and reward insurance, goods in transit insurance (minimum £5,000), and public liability insurance. Gophr pays weekly via bank transfer, with cancellation fees available when customers cancel within 60 minutes of collection time. Drivers can access three benefit tiers (Silver, Gold, Platinum) based on completed jobs, which may include accident pay, sick pay, and wellness deals.
Stuart
Stuart allows drivers to either book time slots with an hourly minimum guarantee or work on-demand based on distance-driven earnings. The platform processes payments weekly via direct bank transfer, with drivers able to start working within 72 hours of approval. Stuart requires drivers to be 18+, possess UK work permits, valid insurance and MOT certificates, and smartphones running iOS 10+ or Android 5.0+. Note that Stuart does not accept cars as a transport type in London, restricting drivers to motorbikes or bicycles in the capital.
Alternative Delivery Platforms
Gopuff
Gopuff specializes in quick convenience store and food delivery, focusing on smaller orders from centralized collection points. The platform requires drivers to be 18+, possess hire and reward insurance, and use vehicles ranging from bikes to cars. Drivers can complete applications within 10 minutes and begin delivering within 48 hours after document verification.
Strategic Approach for Maximum Earnings
The most successful delivery drivers in the UK typically work across multiple platforms simultaneously to capture the best available orders. Start with Uber Eats for its flexibility and instant payment features, then add Deliveroo for access to exclusive restaurants and consistent demand. Consider activating Just Eat during pre-booked shifts when other platforms experience low demand periods.
For parcel delivery, Amazon Flex offers higher hourly rates but requires advance block booking and sometimes it’s hard to get a block, while Gophr and Stuart provide same-day courier opportunities. Testing various platforms in your specific UK area helps identify which services generate the most profitable orders in your zone.