- Flexible self-employed delivery jobs allow you to work whenever you like, making them an excellent option for fitting around a busy lifestyle
- Several UK companies employ older adults without any previous driving experience or qualifications
- Employed positions tend to pay a fixed hourly rate, while self-employed roles usually pay per delivery
Whether you’re an experienced professional driver or want casual work to supplement your retirement income, working as a driver is an excellent way to earn money as an older adult. Although some roles require a specialist license, plenty of companies offer work for decent pay with no experience necessary.
Some older adults prefer to work in an employed position through companies, such as Asda, Tesco or Royal Mail, because they want the security of a guaranteed income. However, ad hoc work through courier companies, such as Yodel and Uber Eats, can be a good option if you need to work flexibly around your other commitments. Below, you can learn about 14 of the best driver jobs with high pay for older adults.
Hadrian / Shutterstock1. UberEats
UberEats could be the ideal company for older adults who want a flexible driving job to fit their lifestyle and other commitments. You can work as little or as much as you like and change your hours from week to week.
Uber Eats pays a minimum fee of £3.50 per delivery in London, Birmingham and Manchester and £4 in the rest of the UK.¹ Glassdoor reviewers report receiving between £9 and £11 per hour on average, and drivers can also keep 100% of any customer tips received.²
2. Amazon Flex
Amazon Flex is another well-known company offering flexible delivery work for self-employed drivers. Couriers can reserve delivery blocks via the Amazon Flex app, and you don’t need to commit to regular hours. Therefore, Amazon Flex could be worth considering if you want casual work to supplement your retirement income.
The company website says drivers can earn between £13 and £15 per hour.³ The average salary for Amazon drivers on Glassdoor is £15 per hour, although some people reported hourly rates of up to £28.⁴
3. Evri
Evri, formerly known as Hermes, offers a choice of delivery jobs to suit different circumstances. Its ad hoc courier positions allow you to select your weekly hours without a regular commitment. Meanwhile, SE+ couriers work regular shifts and benefit from paid holidays and a guaranteed minimum wage.
Evri drivers can use their own vehicles, and all shifts are between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. The company says its drivers can expect to earn between £10 and £15 per hour⁵, and the Glassdoor average is £10 per hour.⁶
4. Tesco
Becoming a Tesco delivery driver could be a good choice for active older adults who want the security of an employed position. You’ll deliver groceries to customers and take responsibility for loading and maintaining a company van in this role, and Tesco considers applicants without prior experience.
Tesco regularly advertises full-time and part-time driver jobs, and it currently offers salaries of around £10.91 per hour.⁷ Employees also receive various perks, including access to colleague discounts and share schemes.
5. Gist
Gist is a distribution company that hires HGV drivers for its state-of-the-art Euro 6 fleet.⁸ Holding a class C+E license and having previous experience can help you get started quicker. Still, Gist also runs its own training academy where successful applicants can earn their license without self-funding.
Gist prides itself on supporting ex-military personnel to transition to a civilian career, making it an excellent option for older adults leaving the armed forces. According to Glassdoor, drivers can earn around £27,819 per year.⁹
6. Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s is one of the UK’s best-known food retailers, and it needs a fleet of customer-focused drivers to distribute its products nationwide. You don’t need retail or delivery experience to drive for Sainsbury’s, and you can work on an ad hoc basis or take regular shifts to suit your circumstances.¹⁰
Sainsbury’s drivers earn around £10.13 on average, although some Indeed reviewers reported hourly rates of up to £15.55. Employees also receive extra benefits, including generous discounts on Sainsbury’s, Argos and Habit products.¹¹
7. Royal Mail
Royal Mail relies on a network of drivers to keep its delivery operations running smoothly, providing plenty of employed and self-employed opportunities for older adults. You could work as a postie or distribution worker, or even as a self-employed driver for Parcelforce, Royal Mail’s express parcel service.¹²
Royal Mail’s driver salaries vary widely by role, but you can expect to earn around £23,599 per year as a delivery driver. Truck drivers can earn considerably more, with an average salary of about £33,496.¹³
8. Deliveroo
Anyone qualified to work in the UK can work for Deliveroo, making it an excellent work source for older adults looking for delivery driver positions.¹⁴ You can work whenever you have free time, so driving for Deliveroo is easy to fit around a busy social life.
How much you get paid working for Deliveroo depends on how many jobs you accept, but you can expect to earn around £11.59 per hour.¹⁵ Drivers can keep any tips they receive, and the company offers weekly payouts every Tuesday.
9. DHL
DHL is a well-known delivery company offering employment opportunities for qualified HGV and forklift drivers. You can find full-time and part-time roles through the company job board, and it could be a good choice for older adults with previous driving experience. Alternatively, you could also work for DHL as a courier with a full UK driving license.¹⁶
One of the advantages of working for DHL is that it offers competitive salaries. Couriers earn around £23,926, which is 14% higher than the national average.¹⁷
10. Yodel
Yodel’s self-employed delivery driver positions are worth considering for older adults who want flexible work but don’t have previous experience.¹⁸ Alternatively, you can start your own business as a service delivery partner if you own a 3.5-tonne van, allowing you to take on regular delivery contracts with major brands.
How much you can earn as a self-employed driver working for Yodel depends on how much you work, and you receive a fee for every parcel delivered. According to Indeed, the average Yodel delivery driver earns around £171 per day, a whopping 35% over the national average.¹⁹
11. Asda
Working as a customer delivery driver for Asda could be a good fit if you have strong driving skills and enjoy interacting with the public. You’ll need to be prepared to load and unload crates of shopping and perform basic maintenance on your van. In return, Asda provides excellent training opportunities and the security of regular shifts.
According to live ads on the Asda website, the company pays its delivery drivers around £9.36 per hour.²⁰ All driver jobs are employed positions and offer various benefits, including in-store discounts and a competitive bonus scheme.
12. Ocado
If you have no more than six points on your driving license and a positive, customer-focused attitude to work, a grocery delivery driver job with Ocado could be right for you.²¹ These employed roles offer guaranteed hours and regular shift patterns. Ocado also hires licensed HGV drivers to transport goods to delivery centers, with a pay uplift of £4.50 per hour.
Ocado offers excellent reimbursement with an average hourly rate of £14.02 for delivery drivers, which is 62% above the national average.²² It also provides a competitive benefits package, including share schemes, life assurance and employee discounts.
13. Addison Lee
Addison Lee could be a good fit for you if you’re looking for a private driver position in London.²³ Unlike many comparable companies, it guarantees to pay all its drivers at least the London living wage, although you could earn considerably more depending on your contracts. It also offers a competitive vehicle hire service that includes free insurance, maintenance and repair, and you don’t need to pay for your vehicle if you meet your monthly targets.
Addison Lee drivers earn around £26,927 per year, rising to £27,126 as a chauffeur. Applicants require a full UK driving license and a Private Hire Vehicle (PHV) license.²⁴
14. Beelivery
Finally, Beelivery is a new company offering ad hoc delivery driver work for people with their own vehicles and smartphones. Beelivery roles are self-employed and aren’t designed to replace a full-time job, but this company could be suitable if you already work as a self-employed driver and want to top up your earnings during quiet periods. Bear in mind that you’ll need to pay for the customer’s items out-of-pocket, and Beelivery will reimburse the cost.
Beelivery pays its drivers per job. You could earn between £7 and £20 per delivery, depending on the order size and how far you have to travel.²⁵