Uber drivers face more unpaid hours under dynamic pay system, study reveals

Uber drivers in the UK saw their pay drop and working conditions worsen after Uber brought in dynamic pay, according to research from the University of Oxford and Worker Info Exchange. 

The report, based on 1.5 million trips from 258 drivers, found that gross hourly pay fell from £22.20 to £19.06, before even counting costs like car hire, fuel, insurance or parking. 

This has left many drivers earning below the national minimum wage, even after the 2021 Supreme Court ruling meant Uber drivers should be paid at least minimum wage.

The research also showed that most long-serving Uber drivers now earn less per hour than before dynamic pay came in, with only a small number of new or part-time drivers making more. 

Additionally, drivers could no longer guess what they would earn based on where or when they worked. 

Before dynamic pay, Uber took a fixed 25% commission. 

Now, Uber can take up to 50% or more from some trips. 

On average, standby hours went up by more than an hour per week since 2022.