Worker Protections

Here you can find Frequently Asked Questions on the worker status and the protections you are entitled to. We will continue to update this page with key information based on the questions you share via our Support channels.

Worker Status

What is a worker?
A worker is an employment classification that is unique under UK employment law. Workers are not employees. Workers are entitled to the National Living Wage, holiday pay and a pension. You will continue to have total flexibility, meaning you can choose if, when and where you work, while accessing new rights and protections.
Can I still drive on other platforms while being treated as a worker on Uber?
You can still drive with other operators, but you will need to contact them directly to find out if you are entitled to similar treatment on other platforms. As of now, we aren’t aware of any other operators having treated drivers as workers.
How does this impact my tax status in the UK?
Drivers will remain as self-employed for tax purposes, and should continue to complete an annual tax return.
Does this apply to Uber Eats delivery partners?
No, this does not apply to couriers who use the Uber Eats platform.
Does this apply to Fleet partners or Connect trips?
No this does not apply to Fleet partners or Connect trips.
Does this apply for drivers in the Republic of Ireland?
No, this is applicable to drivers in the United Kingdom only.

National Living Wage

How am I paid?
Drivers will always earn at least the National Living Wage. If your earnings (after service fee,vehicle expenses, and other charges like the Congestion Charge Zone in London) were lower than the National Living Wage, Uber applies a service fee rebate to meet the earnings guarantee. This is added on a weekly basis and will be reflected on your pay statement as a service fee rebate.

Please note that the National Living Wage was £8.72 from March 15th to March 31st and £8.91 since April 1st.
When will I receive my earnings guarantee, if eligible?
The first payment will be paid on 22 April 2021, which will include payments dated from 15 March 2021 up until the 19th of April 2021 at 4am.

These can be found on your pay statement, in Other Earnings under the line items “Statutory NLW (service fee rebate)”. You will receive your usual pay on Mondays, followed by a separate payment of any earnings guarantee owed to you, which you will see in-app on Thursdays.

You will also get an email with the breakdown of your rebate on Thursdays. You can choose to cash out using the paid instant cashout service, or you can wait until the next Monday and your pay rebate will be added to your normal payment.
Am I eligible for the National Living Wage?
Yes, if you do not meet the National Living Wage when working. This is calculated based on your engaged time: the time between when you accept a trip on the app to the point at which the trip is completed. If you earn over the National Living Wage, then you will keep all of your earnings. Drivers who are not currently active for any reason, will not receive this as it only applies to weekly time spent on trips.
How is National Living Wage calculated?
The earnings guarantee is calculated every week as:

(Remuneration* minus reductions) divided by hours worked

*Remuneration = earnings + incentive

this equals to

[(Earnings minus service fee plus incentives) – (vehicle expenses plus CCZ charges minus CeLo fee)] divided by hours worked

If your earnings (after vehicle expenses, and other charges like the Congestion Charge Zone in London) were lower than the National Living Wage, Uber applies a service fee rebate to meet the earnings guarantee. The Congestion Charge Zone fee (CCZ) and Central London fees (CeLo fees) are only applicable for drivers in London. The Congestion Charge Zone fee has been included as an expense, only when it is incurred as per TFL guidelines (here)

You can see an example below :
What if my weekly earnings are more than the National Living Wage?
If you earn more than the National Living Wage in the relevant pay period, you will be able to keep all of your usual earnings and will not receive any adjustment relating to the earnings guarantee for that pay period.

Currently, earnings are assessed over a one week reference period. You will also receive a payment every week of 12.07% of your weekly earnings (after service fee and other expenses as per HMRC) to reflect statutory holiday pay. This will also be reflected on your pay statement as a service fee rebate.
During what time will I earn this? Why does this not apply to time waiting for trips?
You earn the National Living Wage from the time you accept a trip on the app to the point at which the trip is completed: this is called the engaged time.

Time waiting for a trip is not included in your National Living Wage calculation. This is because there is no requirement to accept any trips during this period.

This allows you the flexibility to manage your time as you wish.
Will my expenses be reimbursed as a worker?
As a worker, you will not be reimbursed directly for expenses like vehicle rental costs, mobile phone bills, or livery.

However, any payments that we make to ensure you are earning the National Living Wage will take into account the average costs of running your vehicle and payment of certain fees (such as the Congestion Charge Zone in London).Vehicle running costs are calculated using HMRC’s rate for vehicle expenses. The average rate for vehicle expenses is 45p per mile for the first 10,000 miles driven. After 10,000 miles it is 25p per mile.

Holiday Payment

When will I receive my holiday pay?
The first payment will be available in your app on 22 April 2021, which will include any pay rebates dated from 15 March 2021 to the 19th of April at 4am. You will receive a payment every week of 12.07% of your earnings (after service fee and other expenses as per HMRC) to reflect statutory holiday pay. You will receive this payment in the form of a service fee rebate. This will also be reflected on your pay statement in Other Earnings under the line items Statutory holiday pay (service fee rebate).

You will also receive an email with the breakdown of your payment on Thursdays. You can choose to cash out using the paid instant cashout service, or you can wait until the next Monday and your pay rebate will be added to your normal payment.
How is holiday pay calculated?
The holiday payment is calculated every week:

(Remunerations* minus reductions) multiplied by 12.07%

*Remuneration = earnings

this equals to

[Earnings minus service fee minus (vehicle expenses plus CCZ charges minus CeLo fee)] multiplied by 12.07%

The Congestion Charge Zone fee (CCZ) and Central London fees (CeLo fees) are only applicable for drivers in London. The Congestion Charge Zone fee has been included as an expense, only when it is incurred as per TFL guidelines (here)

You can see an example below :
Why is holiday pay 12.07%?
A worker is entitled to 5.6 weeks’ statutory holiday each year. This calculation generally applies to workers who have fixed periods of when they can be required to work and when they are required to take holiday.

Drivers with Uber have complete flexibility as to when and how to work and to take holiday, and therefore there are no fixed times for periods of holiday. As a result, we have needed to adopt an approach that works for you in practice.

As you are entitled to take 5.6 weeks holiday per year, you would be working for 46.4 weeks of each year. If you divide the number of holiday weeks by the working weeks, this shows that you would be on holiday for 12.07% of each year should you take all of the statutory holiday that you are entitled to.

As a result, the percentage of your weekly earnings that equate to the holiday pay that you are entitled to is 12.07%. With this in mind, we consider that the 12.07% calculation is the most appropriate way to calculate holiday pay which you will receive in the form of a service fee rebate.
Will I have to request holiday days to get holiday pay?
You will not need to request specific holiday days to receive holiday pay. You can work or take holiday anytime you wish. Holiday pay will be added to your account automatically as an additional payment in the form of a service fee rebate.

Past Payment (Compensation)

How can I submit a claim for compensation from Uber?
To submit a claim, you will need to visit the official Uber Worker Claims Portal here.

There are a number of websites visible when you search for ‘Uber claims’ on any search engine. However, there is only one website, the Uber Worker Claims Portal, that is built and developed on behalf of Uber, which can be found at www.uberworkerclaims.co.uk

This is a quick and easy process for handling compensation claims directly with Uber, without the need to go through lengthy court proceedings. You do not need to have legal representation to register on this Portal.

If you previously completed the Google form, you will still need to visit the Portal to create your account. This is where we will review your eligibility and calculate any compensation offer (if appropriate in your case).
What are the steps I need to take to be assessed for a compensation payment from Uber?
To create an account in the Portal
- Visit this link and complete the ‘Setup your Account’ section of the portal.
- You will be asked to enter your full name, Uber email address and create a password, then click ‘Register’. This will help us to quickly identify you, confirm your eligibility, and calculate a compensation offer (if appropriate in your case).
- Once you have submitted your details, you will receive an automated email to verify your email address. You should check your inbox to make sure you have received that email verification request. Sometimes email verification requests may appear in a Junk or Spam folder.
- Once the email address has been verified, an account will be created for you to access the portal.
To submit a claim in the Portal
- When using the Uber Worker Claims Portal, you will be asked to submit 1 form of photographic identification, and 1 form of proof of address.
- Once you have submitted those documents, your claim will have been submitted, and will be reviewed to establish whether (a) you are eligible for holiday pay compensation and (b) the amount of any compensation.
- You are not required to take any further action at this time. Any further communications will be sent to you via the Uber Worker Claims Portal.
When will I find out how much I will be offered?
The review stage will take a little bit of time.

Once you have registered an account and submitted a claim, you will be able to see the current status of your claim every time you log into your account on the Uber Worker Claims Portal.

Please regularly check the Uber Worker Claims Portal to monitor the claim status and check for any notifications from Uber.
Will I be charged a fee by Uber for the compensation payment?
No, there will be no legal fees charged by Uber in relation to the process of claiming a compensation payment.

If you are offered a compensation payment, in order to accept this you will be required to enter into a settlement document. You will need to secure information relating to this document and its effect on your rights in order for it to be legally binding. Uber is working with ACAS (https://www.acas.org.uk/) who will provide the information you need in this respect.

Further details regarding ACAS and the settlement process will be provided to you if an offer is made to you via the Portal.

Please note that you may be charged fees if you are being represented by a law firm (such as a no-win-no-fee lawyer), which may apply to both your compensation offer and any legal advice you receive. Please note, Uber will not be making any payments to cover legal expenses to any drivers.