How Much Do Delivery Drivers Earn in the UK? — 2026 Salary Guide
Complete guide to delivery driver salaries in the UK for 2026. Amazon, DPD, Hermes, Royal Mail, self-employed couriers, multi-drop, food delivery apps, and career progression.
·4 min read
Delivery driving is one of the UK’s fastest-growing sectors. Earnings vary significantly depending on employer, employment status, and delivery type. Here’s the complete breakdown.
Delivery Driver Salary by Type
Employed vs Self-Employed
Status
Annual Earnings
Notes
Employed (hourly)
£22,000-£35,000
Holiday, sick pay, pension
Self-employed
£30,000-£50,000 gross
Minus vehicle expenses
Self-employed (net)
£20,000-£40,000
After all costs
Major Employers
Amazon
Role
Earnings
Amazon DSP Driver (employed)
£14-£17/hour
Amazon DSP (annual)
£28,000-£35,000
Amazon Flex (self-employed)
£13-£18/block hour
Amazon Flex (per block)
£48-£78 (3-4 hours)
Amazon Flex (weekly)
£300-£600
Amazon Flex drivers are self-employed and cover their own vehicle costs.
DPD
Role
Earnings
Owner Driver (per drop)
£0.85-£1.10
Weekly gross
£600-£1,000
Annual gross
£30,000-£50,000
Annual net (after costs)
£22,000-£38,000
DPD drivers are self-employed franchise owners providing their own vehicle.
Evri (formerly Hermes)
Role
Earnings
Per parcel delivered
£0.60-£0.80
Typical daily
£60-£120
Weekly
£300-£600
Annual (part-time)
£15,000-£25,000
Often part-time, local routes with lower investment needed.
Yodel
Role
Earnings
Per parcel
£0.70-£0.95
Daily gross
£80-£150
Weekly
£400-£700
Annual gross
£20,000-£35,000
Royal Mail
Role
Salary
Postal Worker (new)
£23,000-£25,000
Postal Worker (experienced)
£25,000-£29,000
Delivery Office Worker
£24,000-£28,000
Driving postal worker
£27,000-£32,000
Parcelforce Driver
£28,000-£34,000
Overtime potential
+£5,000-£10,000/year
Royal Mail offers employment with pension, holidays, and union representation.
Parcelforce
Role
Salary
New Driver
£28,000-£30,000
Experienced Driver
£30,000-£35,000
With overtime
£35,000-£42,000
UPS
Role
Salary
Package Delivery Driver
£28,000-£35,000
Driver (experienced)
£32,000-£40,000
Seasonal peak
£14-£18/hour
FedEx
Role
Salary
Courier (employed)
£26,000-£32,000
Experienced
£30,000-£38,000
Food Delivery
Deliveroo
Metric
Earnings
Per order
£3-£6 (varies by distance)
Per hour (average)
£8-£14
Busy periods
£12-£20/hour
Weekly (30 hours)
£240-£420
Annual (full-time)
£15,000-£25,000
Earnings vary hugely by area and time. All workers are self-employed.
Uber Eats
Metric
Earnings
Per delivery
£2-£5 (base + boost)
Hourly average
£8-£15
Peak hours
£12-£22/hour
Weekly
£200-£450
Annual
£12,000-£25,000
Just Eat Couriers
Status
Earnings
Self-employed
£7-£14/hour
Employed (Stuart)
£11-£13/hour
Weekly
£250-£450
Comparison by Vehicle
Vehicle
Hourly Earnings
Bicycle
£8-£14/hour
E-bike
£10-£16/hour
Scooter/Moped
£10-£17/hour
Car
£12-£18/hour
Van (multi-drop)
£15-£25/hour
Multi-Drop Parcel Delivery
By Company (Self-Employed)
Company
Per Drop
Daily Stops
Daily Gross
Amazon DSP (employed)
N/A
180-280
£110-£140
DPD
£0.85-£1.10
80-140
£90-£150
Evri
£0.60-£0.80
100-180
£70-£130
Yodel
£0.70-£0.95
90-160
£75-£140
APC
£0.90-£1.20
60-100
£70-£120
Realistic Annual Earnings (Self-Employed)
Scenario
Gross
Expenses
Net
Part-time (3 days)
£18,000
£5,000
£13,000
Standard (5 days)
£35,000
£10,000
£25,000
Heavy workload
£45,000
£12,000
£33,000
Multiple rounds
£55,000
£15,000
£40,000
Vehicle Costs (Self-Employed)
Annual Expenses
Expense
Cost
Van finance/lease
£3,000-£6,000
Fuel
£4,000-£8,000
Insurance (courier)
£1,500-£3,000
Maintenance/repairs
£1,000-£2,500
MOT/Tax
£200-£400
Tyres
£300-£600
Total
£10,000-£20,000
Start-Up Costs
Item
Cost
Van deposit
£500-£2,000
Insurance (first payment)
£400-£800
Uniform/equipment
£100-£300
Satnav/phone mount
£50-£150
Total
£1,000-£3,000
Specialist Delivery
Same-Day Courier
Type
Earnings
Per job (local)
£15-£40
Per job (cross-city)
£30-£80
Per job (intercity)
£80-£200+
Daily (multi-job)
£120-£250
Annual
£35,000-£60,000
Medical/Pharmaceutical
Role
Salary
NHS courier (employed)
£24,000-£30,000
Pharmaceutical courier
£28,000-£35,000
Blood/organ transport
£30,000-£40,000
Specialist training and DBS checks required.
Construction/Trade
Type
Earnings
Builder’s merchant driver
£26,000-£32,000
Plant hire delivery
£28,000-£35,000
Hiab operator
£32,000-£40,000
White Glove/Furniture
Role
Earnings
Two-man team (each)
£28,000-£38,000
Self-employed team
£40,000-£60,000
Higher rates for assembly and careful handling.
Regional Pay Differences
Region
Multi-Drop Daily Rate
London
£120-£180
South East
£110-£150
Midlands
£100-£140
North West
£95-£135
Scotland
£90-£130
Wales
£85-£125
Northern Ireland
£80-£120
Urban areas offer higher volumes but more traffic delays.
Hourly Rates Comparison
Employer
Hourly Rate
Amazon DSP (employed)
£14-£17
Royal Mail
£12-£15
Parcelforce
£13-£16
UPS
£14-£17
FedEx
£13-£16
Supermarket delivery
£11-£14
Food delivery (average)
£8-£15
Supermarket Delivery
Employer
Hourly Rate
Annual
Tesco
£12-£14/hour
£24,000-£28,000
Sainsbury’s
£12-£14/hour
£24,000-£28,000
Asda
£11-£13/hour
£22,000-£26,000
Morrisons
£11-£13/hour
£22,000-£26,000
Ocado
£13-£15/hour
£26,000-£30,000
Benefits include pension, holiday pay, and staff discount.