Ryan FowlerThe average online side hustle is generating £5,420 a year, according to new research from Royal Mail. The poll of 1,000 people found that those with a side business make an average of £452 per month in addition to their main job, with Millennials earning the most at £577 per month, or £6,923 a year.
More than three in ten respondents (31%) said they earn at least £400 each month from their side hustle, while 37% said their additional income sometimes exceeds their main salary, rising to 54% among Gen Z. Popular items sold include old clothing (44%), books (35%), accessories (31%) and tech (26%), while 22% said they make money from handcrafted goods. On average, side hustlers spend around 10 hours a week on their projects.
The findings are part of Royal Mail’s Means Business campaign, which champions small businesses and supports side hustlers through its Small Business Hub. Saadi Al-Soudani, chief commercial officer at Royal Mail, said: “There’s serious money to be made even if you only have a few hours a week. Whether it’s selling items you no longer need or creating your own products, online marketplaces have made it easier than ever to start. Using parcel shops or lockers or even getting parcels picked up from your home is an easy way to ship out all the work you can be proud of.”
The study also found that 58% of respondents would like to turn their side hustle into their main source of income, with 16% already planning to do so. Two-thirds (67%) said they were confident they could scale up within the next year. Earning extra money was cited as the main motivation (68%), followed by filling spare time (30%) and pursuing a passion (23%). Over half (51%) said their side hustle gives them a greater sense of purpose.
Royal Mail’s research also showed that 94% of sellers operate from home, selling an average of 32 items every six months. Most use online marketplaces (54%), followed by social media (52%) and word of mouth (35%). Many said they prefer to deliver parcels to a collection point (57%) or have Royal Mail pick them up from home (35%). Despite challenges such as finding time, staying motivated and growing their customer base, 53% of respondents reported year-on-year income growth.
Case study: fashion designer Michelle, from Basildon, Essex, has earned £100,000 from her side hustle selling second-hand clothes and customised shoes over the past 20 years. She works around ten hours a week on her business after her full-time job, using eBay, Depop and Vinted to sell refurbished and original pieces.
“It’s always been fashion related items,” she said. “I sometimes buy things cheap, fix them up and sell them on again. There’s also a lot of my own personal wardrobe too – I do a lot of customisation. Timberlands usually sell quite well and they’ve started bringing out high heels as well. I tend to buy some of the plain ones and then change the colour and add bits and pieces to them.”
