COVID-19: Your Questions Answered

The fear and uncertainty caused by the coronavirus is being felt by everyone around the world. We know it’s especially concerning for people who drive with Uber. In these difficult times, your wellbeing is important to us, and we have a dedicated team working to support you.

The circumstances surrounding COVID-19 are changing rapidly and we expect they will continue to do so over the coming weeks and months. We will be providing you with up-to-date information on this page, as soon as it becomes available.

For COVID-19 government information and guidance please visit gov.uk

Updated: 15 May 2020

Driver COVID-19 Question & Answer Video

In the Weekly Partner Update, we asked what questions you had for the team at Uber in light of the COVID-19 crisis. We have recorded the most frequent questions and answers above, with Jamie Wood, head of our Driver Operations team.

Frequently asked Questions

• Q. Only essential travel is now permitted in the UK, what does this
  mean for drivers?

  You can continue to drive with Uber, should you wish to.

  However, in line with Government guidance, we are asking riders to restrict trips to essential travel only and to travel alone or with members of their household only.

• Q. The UK Government has announced a support scheme for the
  self-employed, do drivers qualify and how do I apply for it?

  You do not have to apply for the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS), the Government will contact you if you are eligible. For more information on who is eligible for the scheme and how much support is available click here. 
   
  The Government has explained that you will be eligible for the scheme if you’re self-employed and you:

  1) Have submitted your Income Tax Self Assessment tax return for the tax year 2018-19;
  2) Have worked in the tax year 2019-20;
  3) Are working when you apply, or would be except for COVID-19;
  4) Intend to continue to work in the tax year 2020-21;
  5) Have lost out on earnings due to the impact of COVID-19. 

  If you have not submitted your Income Tax Self Assessment tax return for the tax year 2018-19, the Government has allowed an extension and you must do this by 23 April 2020. 

  If you need support in filing your tax return, we’ve partnered with Tax Scouts to provide drivers with a 15% discount. You can find more information on how to redeem the offer by clicking here.

• Q. Are drivers eligible to apply for Universal Credit?

  If due to COVID-19, you are earning less than you usually do from driving or delivering and are facing increased financial pressure, then you should check to see if you are eligible for Universal Credit. 
   
  The Government has made changes to the Universal Credit system to make it easier for self-employed people to apply. For more information on these changes click here. 
   
  If you’re struggling to pay your bills due to coronavirus, you can find helpful guidance from Citizens Advice on what you can do by clicking here. 

• Q. Are drivers eligible to receive ‘Partner Protection’ coverage through AXA if they are unable to continue work due to Covid-19?

  Yes. Subject to AXA policy terms, and a doctor’s PHO certificate, when an active Uber partner-driver in the UK falls ill as a result of COVID-19, and has been unable to drive for a minimum 7 days, the Partner Protection programme steps in after 7 days to provide a fixed per day payment for each day thereafter of £75 per day, up to a total payment of 15 days while the driver is unable to work.

  You can file a claim by clicking here. One of AXA’s agents will contact you within 5 business days.

• Q. What is Uber’s financial assistance policy for drivers who are impacted by COVID-19?

  In addition to AXA, Uber will also provide you with £100 per week for up to 14 days if you actively drive with Uber and get diagnosed with COVID-19 or are placed in quarantine.

  In order for Uber to confirm your eligibility, you will need to submit one of the below:

  – Documentation from a licensed medical provider or public health authority with a diagnosis of COVID-19;
  – An order by a licensed medical provider or public health authority requiring you to self-isolate;
  – NHS 111 self-serve certification.

  You can start the process to claim financial assistance by completing the form here. A member of our specialised safety team will be in touch with next steps.

  This policy is effective until further notice.

• Q. What will happen to Uber accounts for drivers when they are
  found to be eligible for financial assistance?

  If you’re eligible for assistance, Uber will temporarily restrict your account access during the time you’re receiving assistance. If your account access is restricted due to a COVID-19 diagnosis or mandated individual quarantine, you will be unable to complete trips during this time to limit the risk of transmission to others.

• Q. When will drivers receive assistance if they are found to be eligible?

  While we are working as fast as we can to provide support, it may take several days for submitted claims to be processed. After we confirm eligibility and receive your documentation, in most instances you will receive the financial assistance in your account within 2-5 business days.

• Q. What else is Uber doing to support drivers?

  Our vehicle providers: Otto Car, WeFlex, Splend, Toyota and PCO rental have offered to support drivers in need by temporarily reducing the weekly payments on their vehicles used for their business. This will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Please contact the provider for more information here.

  We have also been working with some of our selected PHV insurance providers: Haven, Inshur, Zego and Nelson to ask that they find options that enable you to reduce the overall cost of maintaining insurance on your vehicles.

  We believe that Uber can play an important role in keeping essential services moving over the coming weeks. We are talking to the Government, and other companies, about further ways we can help and you will be the first to hear of any developments.

• Q. How can drivers remain safe while continuing to be on the road during this time?

  We want to make sure you are safe. Under the latest Government guidance, we are asking riders to restrict trips to essential travel only and to travel alone or with members of their household only. We are providing riders with hygiene and safety instructions in the app.

  You can take any precautionary measure you feel is suitable for your safety, within your legal and regulatory obligations as a private-hire driver.

• Q. Will Uber provide drivers with cleaning supplies or surgical masks for protection?

  We want to ensure that you have access to the personal protective equipment (PPE) that you need, so we are now offering to reimburse you for purchasing PPE up to the total value of £25 here. 

  This reimbursement includes the purchase of: 

  • General protective masks
  • Aprons
  • Gloves

  In addition, we have also already sent all drivers a promo code for a free bundle of surface spray and hand sanitiser, redeemable through our new webstore.

  How you can claim

  To make your one-time claim of up to £25 towards the cost of buying your own PPE supplies, all you need to do is upload a copy of your receipt along with a photo of the items you purchased. You can do this from the help section of your app.

  Who can claim

  • You will need to have an active account with Uber
  • Your account must have been set up on or before 16 March 2020
  • You must have taken 1 or more trips in the last 30 days
  • You will also be eligible if you have been waitlisted due to COVID-19

  Receiving your reimbursement

  You will receive your PPE reimbursement in your next payment cycle.

  Make sure to purchase PPE which meets the required standards

  • Masks: Please purchase fluid-resistant surgical masks and not N95, FFP3 or FFP2 masks, as these are needed by medical workers and are in short supply.
  • Aprons: Aprons should be disposable fluid repellent coveralls or long-sleeved gowns and are for single session use only. 
  • Gloves: Gloves should be disposable (single use only). 

  All PPE should comply with British Standards (BS) or European Norms (EN) to ensure it meets the required standard of safety. Compliance with these standards is normally indicated by items being marked ‘CE’.

  Free sanitation supplies in our webstore
  
  In addition to being reimbursed for PPE up to £25, you can also claim a free hand gel and sanitiser in our new PPE webstore. Check your inbox for your personal promo code. Terms and conditions apply.

• Q. Uber is offering free rides for NHS staff, what does this mean for drivers? 

  To help keep the NHS on the move, we’re committing a total of 200,000 free rides to and from work, and free meals through Uber Eats, to all NHS staff.

  All eligible trips will have 0% Uber service fee and you will receive the full fare. The service fee will be reimbursed as a ‘miscellaneous payment’ before midday the day after the trip.

  We know there are tough choices to be made about whether you need to be at home, but for those of you still willing and able to work in line with government advice, we hope this will help.

• Q. Drivers are not able to maintain their Uber Pro status during
  this time, what will happen to their benefits?

  The last thing you should have to worry about is losing your Uber Pro status. We are protecting the current Uber Pro status for all drivers until 30 June. We will reassess the situation and update our policy on this if necessary nearer the time.

We understand this might be a difficult time for you and your family. If you feel like circumstances related to coronavirus are impacting your mental health, you can speak to someone by calling Samaritans UK at 116 123, or visiting their website here. Support is also available through a dedicated NHS website here.

For latest safety advice please refer to the NHS and World Health Organisation (WHO).