Which companies are hiring delivery drivers right now?
As the shortage of lorry drivers continues to be felt across the UK, drivers of all kinds are still in demand. Delivery drivers in particular seem to have their pick of jobs to choose from. So which companies are hiring couriers and delivery drivers, and what should drivers weigh up when choosing a particular business to work with?
The jobs market for delivery drivers looks pretty healthy at the moment. With concerns about Christmas supply issues already being talked about, it looks like the need for delivery drivers is only going to increase.
With all this going on in the background, here’s a snapshot of some of the companies hiring couriers and delivery drivers right now, the pay and benefits you can expect, and how to apply.
We’ve also included details of some of the highly-rated delivery companies to work for, the types of delivery work available, and some things to think about on employed versus self-employed jobs.
The following information is correct at the time of writing on 26 October 2021.
Who’s hiring?
Many delivery jobs right now are concentrated around parcels, groceries, and food delivery. These areas did well as the UK moved in and out of lockdown, and continue to be busy even as people return to their daily lives.
Here are just some of the big companies hiring couriers and delivery drivers:
Amazon Flex
- £13 – £15 per hour based on the number of packages delivered in a set amount of time (known as a block)
- Use your own vehicle to deliver packages locally
- Choose blocks from one to five hours
Requirements: A valid UK driving licence and vehicle (four-door car or van only). You’ll need to be allowed to work in the UK and pass a background and criminal record check, including a review of driving licence records.
UPS
- £13.50 per hour, rising to £16.37
- Company pension scheme and staff discounts
- 40 hours per week, plus overtime when required
Requirements: Good level of driving experience and clean driving licence, experience in a similar customer-facing role is a plus. You also need to have or be prepared to get a digital tachograph card, which is used to store driver data.
Sainsbury’s
- Fixed-term contracts pay from £10.85 an hour plus night shift allowance
- Full-time jobs pay from £10.85 an hour. Drivers working over Christmas (between 7 November and 1 January) are also being offered a £500 one-off payment in January 2022, based on working 36.75 hours a week
- Benefits include season ticket loans, discount cards, and childcare vouchers
Requirements: You should be over the age of 18, with a full UK driving licence and at least one year’s driving experience, and no more than six points on your licence.
Apply for fixed-term and permanent jobs at Sainsbury’s, or for flexible shifts
Zapp
- Up to £11.95 an hour plus incentive for completed deliveries
- Deliver drinks, snacks, and food essentials
- Use of e-moped or e-bike provided by Zapp
Requirements: You should have the right to work in the UK, have good English skills, and be able to help out with store operations when needed. In the UK Zapp is available in London, Manchester, Cambridge, and Bristol.
JustEat
- Up to £10.20 an hour plus bonus
- Deliver on your own wheels or JustEat e-bike or moped
- Guaranteed salary and option of full or part-time contracts
Requirements: You need to be 18 or over to ride a bike or e-bike. For moped delivery, you need to be 21 or over and have a Compulsory Basic Training certificate.
Who are the best companies to work for?
With so many jobs out there, how do you know which companies are worth joining?
There’s a lot of useful advice online, including websites that rate delivery companies based on people’s experience of working for them.
For example, Breakroom lists the top 10 delivery companies to work for in the UK as:
- Amazon
- Royal Mail
- UPS
- JustEat
- DHL
- FedEx
- Parcelforce Worldwide
- Milk & More
- Deliveroo
- TNT
Things to think about
Delivery drivers are known by a few different names, such as multi-drop driver, courier and collection, and delivery driver. This usually involves collecting parcels or food from a collection point or warehouse and delivering it to homes and businesses.
Consider whether you’re better suited to self-employed or employed roles. Self-employed jobs come with greater flexibility but also more responsibility, such as having to file your taxes. You may also need your own vehicle, which has to be insured for business use.
Employed jobs don’t offer the same ability to choose your hours, but you do have the benefit of a regular fixed income and greater legal rights and benefits.
Here are some of the companies offering employed and self-employed delivery work:
| Employed or self-employed? | Companies that hire this type of delivery driver |
| Employed |
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| Self-employed |
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At INSHUR, we want to keep our drivers earning whatever happens. For smart, flexible insurance made for delivery drivers, visit INSHUR today. We also do food delivery insurance too.
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INSHUR offers insurance in minutes for couriers and food delivery drivers
