News Articles

How Much Does A Deliveroo Cyclist get paid 2023?

Read about what Deliveroo cyclist gets paid, and the importance of...

Updated: 20th January 2023

Knowing how much a Deliveroo cyclist gets paid is a real must before you decide to start working for Deliveroo.

Luckily for you I have provided all the information you need to get started.

If you choose to work for Deliveroo you have the option of delivering food by either cycling, scooter/motorcycle or car.

Whilst all three vehicle options have pros and cons, this post is going focus on drivers that deliver food using a bicycle, and reveal How Much Does A Deliveroo Cyclist get paid.

Now, before you dust of the chopper from your nan’s shed, layer up with your fathers spandex and head out into the mean ole streets of the UK there are some things to consider.

Advertisements

Cycling is dangerous at the best of times, but if your racing to get joe blogs his lamb shish in the dark of winter with horizontal rain, this adds an added element of danger.

Delivery Rider Wearing a delivery bag

Best Time Of Year To Work For Deliveroo?

Winter is a great time to earn money with Deliveroo. That’s because bad weather and dark nights effect how much a Deliveroo cyclist gets paid.

The colder darker months of the year from Sept – April is a busy period for Deliveroo because people stay in more and like to get take away food when it is to cold to go out.

On the other hand summer riding is pretty close to being one of the best ways to stay fit, and if you can be paid to do it then what an added bonus. Take into consideration though that it can be quieter during the warmer months (summer) so you may see reduced Deliveroo Pay.

The warmer times of the year (May – August) can affect how much a Deliveroo cyclist gets paid. During these months two factors affect income; number of Deliveroo riders and peoples social habits.

Summer means a lot people want to ride for Deliveroo which means there can be two many riders and not enough orders. Also during the summer people eat out more at pubs and restaurants so this can affect the number of orders you are likely to get, and subsequently your Deliveroo Pay.

Best time to work for Deliveroo?

The table below shows the best times to work for Deliveroo. As you can see lunchtime and dinner times are very busy throughout the week, and working weekends during peak times such as early evenings will allow you to earn the most amount of pay.

If you don’t mind working late, being available to work when the pubs close on Friday and Saturday night is a perfect time to increase your Deliveroo pay.

Deliveroo Rider Best Times To Earn

Benefits Of Being A Deliveroo Cyclist?

Using a bicycle instead of a scooter or car can reduce the costs you need to pay out. This is because you won’t need to pay for expensive fast food delivery insurance while using a bike. You will have maintenance costs for your bicycle such as tyres or brake pads, but these can be used as expenses when you submit a tax return.

Advertisements

A bicycle does not need fuel in comparison to a car or scooter. However, you will need to add fuel of a different kind. Cycling is very labour intensive, especially if you are looking to work part or full time. Therefore eating correctly and regularly will be another cost to take into consideration, albeit less so than petrol.

A popular option now for Deliveroo Riders using a bicycle is the use of an electric bike. While the initial cost of an electric bike can be in the thousands compared to a normal bicycle, the benefit can be increasing your Deliveroo pay.

A Deliveroo cyclist using an electric bike can increase pay because you can spend more time on the road due to not feeling as fatigue from working all day. You also have to take less rest and food breaks – which will also save you money.

Can I work full time and Deliveroo as second job?

If you have a full time job a lot of people will work for Deliveroo in their spare time. This is perfectly legal and your Deliveroo pay is a great way of generating a bit of extra cash on the side.

Now the boring bit. If you work full time your employer (e.g. Tesco) taxes your pay at source meaning your pay has tax and national insurance (NI) contributions taken automatically from your pay, which can be seen in your pay slip.

When you work as a Deliveroo rider you are classed as self employed which means you have to be registered as self employed and file a tax return every year. This is a legal requirement and failure to do so can result in significant fines and interest charges on any unpaid tax.

If this all seems a little confusing or you don’t want the hassel we recommend you speak to an accountant who can deal with this all for you. Ugo Tax charges only £3.86 per week for its accountancy services – think of it like one coffee or 1 delivery every week.

Need Tax Advise?

Are you confused about paying tax on your Deliveroo pay? We can help you with registering as self employed and filling your tax return.

Ugo Tax

Do Deliveroo Riders Pay Tax?

As you may be aware people who work for Deliveroo are self employed. Being a self employed Deliveroo rider means you have to file a tax return each year and pay any tax that might be due to HMRC.

so the answer to the question Do Deliveroo Riders pay tax? the answer is yes. However one of the benefits to being self employed is that you can claim back expenses on your tax return as a way of reducing any tax that is due.

There is a lot of expenses you can claim for as a Deliveroo Rider, and must relate to the things you purchase or pay for that relates to doing your job.

For example some expenses may include servicing your bike or the protective equipment you wear on a day to day basis. For further details it is recommended that you speak to an accountant who can help with any questions you might have.

Do Deliveroo Riders pay tax on tips?

You can earn tips in your Deliveroo pay when a customer is pleased with the service you provide, or lets face it, when their probably a little drunk. This is great news as it can increase your weekly income.

Tips can be paid by customers in a couple of ways, cash in hand or through the Deliveroo App, but one of common questions that gets asked is do Deliveroo riders pay tax on tips? The answer is yes, you must declare any tips as part of your income from Deliveroo.

Can I claim food allowance as Deliveroo Rider?

As we have mentioned above delivering food for Deliveroo on bike means you are probably going to burn some serious calories. The good news is that being a self-employed Deliveroo rider you can claim a daily food allowance.

Now, don’t think you can enjoy fine dining at the Ritz everyday. A food allowance means you can claim a reasonable amount for food you consume while working.

Knowing how much you can claim and for what types of meals is dependent on your circumstances, so we would recommend you speak to Ugo Tax for personal tax advise on claiming the food allowance.

Man in white long sleeve shirt and blue denim jeans riding on black city bike working for Ubereats

How much does a Deliveroo cyclist get paid?

Typically someone using a bicycle to deliver food will earn between £7-14 per hour according to Nimble Fin.

“…earn between £7-14 per hour.”

Now you might be thinking that £7-14 per hour isn’t a great deal of money, but what you have to take into consideration is that your expenses or costs to deliver food for Deliveroo is relatively low. This is in-comparison to someone using a car or motorcycle.

Now, we need to give a little bit more detail to this hourly rate. If you are working during the busy periods of the day which is lunch and dinner time you can expect to earn closer to the £14 pounds per hour range which was mentioned previously, and especially so at weekends when Deliveroo is in high demand.

However, working during the quieter periods such as breakfast time and afternoons during the week means you are more likely to be earning closer to the £7 per hour rate.

Can I Claim Bicycle Mileage Allowance?

Because you use a bike to earn with Deliveroo you can claim a mileage allowance of 20p per mile you cycle when making deliveries.

Confused about being a self-employed Deliveroo Rider?

Don’t Panic!!! Get in contact with Ugo Tax who specialise in tax advise for fast food delivery drivers working in the gig economy.

If your just getting started you may also like to read our Deliveroo Scooter and Cyclist Rider Equipment Guide which explains the stuff you need to get on the road.

Now you know what Deliveroo cyclist pay is, can I recommend this post Deliveroo, Ubereats or Justeat: which pays the best in the UK incase you choose to work for another delivery platform. If you need help with registering as self employed or need to file a tax return we recommend you contact Ugo Tax.

Read More:

%d bloggers like this: