A side income (often called a side hustle) is money you earn outside your main job, anything from renting out your driveway to freelancing or selling online. In the UK you can earn up to £1,000 a year tax free under the trading allowance before you need to tell HMRC.
We asked some of the UK’s top financial experts for the side income ideas that actually pay. Below are 15 of the best, what they involve, and roughly what you can earn.
Here is the quick version. The fastest side incomes to start are built on what you already own or already do: selling clutter, renting your driveway, and dog walking. They cost nothing and can pay within days. The bigger earners, like freelancing, blogging and renting a spare room, take longer to build but have a far higher ceiling.
Every idea below is UK based, with rough earnings, how fast you see your first payment, and what it costs to start. New to this? Our guide to making money online for beginners is a good next step.
| Side income | Typical UK earnings | First payment | Startup cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sell clothes and clutter | £100 to £500 in month one | Days | Free |
| Rent your driveway | £50 to £300 a month | 1 to 2 weeks | Free |
| Dog walking and pet sitting | £200 to £400 a month | Days | Free |
| Rent a spare room | Up to £7,500 a year tax free | 2 to 4 weeks | Low |
| Tutoring and freelancing | £15 to £50+ an hour | 1 to 2 weeks | Free |
| Blogging and content | £0 to thousands a month | 6 to 12 months | Low |
Table of Contents
Podcast Episode - Jared Bauman
Jared Bauman serial entrepreneur and self-confessed side hustle aficionado joins us on the podcast this week to discuss all about his new side hustle with the Amazon Influencer program.
We also discuss about how Jared is growing digital businesses through building websites, blogs and running his own digital agency.
Click the link above to access the full episode on your mobile device or press play below to listen to the podcast while you read this article
15 Side Income Ideas To Try in 2026
Amazon Influencer Program
The Amazon influencer program is multi faceted but one strand of it is the shopable videos you can create using your iPhone.
In our recent podcast episode Jared Bauman exaplins that you need around 1,000 followers to sign up but then you can make videos about any product you have in your house which is sold on Amazon.
Think about it – that’s A LOT of products.
These reviews are super simple, easy to do and require minimal editing skills and Jared was earning around £750 a month in his 1st month and now is way higher than this!
Delivery and Rideshare Driving
If you have a bike, scooter or car, delivery and rideshare apps are one of the quickest ways to turn spare hours into cash. Sign up to Deliveroo, Uber Eats, Just Eat or Amazon Flex and you can usually be earning within a week or two of passing checks. Expect roughly £10 to £15 an hour, more at busy evening and weekend peaks, and you work entirely around your own schedule.
Paid Surveys, Cashback and Mystery Shopping
You will not get rich filling in surveys, but it is genuinely no skill, do it from the sofa money. Sites like Prolific, YouGov and Swagbucks pay for your opinions, cashback apps like TopCashback and Quidco pay you for spending you were doing anyway, and mystery shopping pays you to review shops and restaurants. Realistically this is £20 to £50 a month, but it stacks neatly on top of everything else on this list. Small amounts like these are easy to lose track of, so it helps to watch them add up in one place. The free Gains App lets you track your side income alongside the rest of your money.
Virtual Assistant
We’ve also looked at what Alok Astrom, the CEO of the future of work institute by Appjobs, has to recommend to people looking to make some extra money.
One of these ways is by becoming a virtual assistant, so you can sign up to an agency and become hired by an individual or business.
So if you’re good at emails, managing calendars, and general life admin, you should consider this role as you can set your hours and can earn between £11-£16 per hour.
Become A Fixer, Or Labourer
Another recommendation from Astrom is undertaking jobs such as assembling furniture, painting, mounting a TV, and much more.
This type of job would be ideal for those with skills or qualifications in decorating, plumbing, or joining, as you’re more likely to be picked out for jobs when you make your profile.
It can also be worth doing if you’re handy in general and don’t mind some variety in your jobs, as one day you could be moving furniture, the next you could be decorating a bedroom.
Start An Online Course
If we look at what skills employers are looking for, we can see that the top few skills are communication, leadership, interpersonal, self-management, and computer skills, to name a few.
It helps these days to have entrepreneurial spirit too, drive and ambition to succeed are admirable traits and one that could come over in a course.
From this, you could use this knowledge to build a course to help people gain these skills, and you can use specific knowledge such as data analysis or graphic design, for example.
From here, you can create a tailor-made course that businesses and individuals desire and will value so you can finetune your course content to meet certain skill shortages and demands.
Start A Blog
Blogging stands out as one of the top ways to make a side income from home.
It’s a platform not only for sharing your insights and stories but also for generating income through various monetisation methods.
To get started, choose a domain name that reflects your brand and what you have to offer your audience.
When it comes to setting up your blog, platforms like WordPress offer a range of options, from free plans to more premium features which often come with an annual fee.
Investing in a paid plan can give you greater control over your site’s design and functionality, as well as the ability to monetise your content through ads, sponsored posts, or affiliate marketing.
Content is king in the blogging world, so producing high-quality, engaging posts is crucial. This can mean writing articles, creating videos, or curating photos that resonate with your readers.
Remember, successful blogging is a marathon, not a sprint. Building a readership takes time and consistent effort.
To get your blog noticed, SEO is key. Utilise keywords, meta descriptions, and tags effectively to boost your search rankings. Engaging with your readers through comments and social media can also help to increase your online presence.
As your blog grows, so do the opportunities for it to become a significant source of side income. For an in-depth guide on how to turn blogging into a profitable side hustle, check out our comprehensive post on how to start a blog.
Content Creation and YouTube
Building an audience on YouTube, TikTok or Instagram takes time, but it is one of the highest ceiling side incomes out there. You earn through ad revenue, brand deals, affiliate links and your own products, and the content keeps paying long after you post it. Pick a niche you genuinely know, stay consistent, and treat the first year as building an asset. Our guide to making money on YouTube shows how the numbers work.
Flip and Resell for Profit
Buying low and selling higher is one of the oldest side hustles going, and it still works. Source underpriced items from car boot sales, charity shops, clearance aisles and Facebook Marketplace, then resell them on eBay, Vinted or Amazon. Margins vary, but a focused reseller can clear a few hundred pounds a month. Note that buying stock to resell is taxable once you pass the £1,000 allowance, unlike selling your own old things.
Sell Designs Online
Any self-employed freelancer will tell you the opportunities that can come from platforms such as Etsy and Shopify, which allows you to create items with a personal touch.
You also have better customer access to gauge what items you sell work best.
Of course, you’ll have to spend some time making and establishing your product, and it’s always helpful to get feedback so you can determine if your product could sell well or not.
Sell Your Clothes and Clutter
Clearing out your wardrobe and cupboards is the fastest side income to start, because you already own the stock. List unworn clothes on Vinted or Depop and bigger items on eBay or Facebook Marketplace. A good clear out can bring in a few hundred pounds in the first month, and selling your own used belongings is not usually taxable.
Rent Out Your Driveway or Parking Space
If you live near a station, stadium, airport or busy town centre, your empty driveway is worth money. Apps like JustPark and YourParkingSpace let you list a space in minutes. Depending on location, drivers pay anywhere from £50 to £300 a month, and once it is set up the income is almost entirely passive.
Dog Walking and Pet Sitting
Animal lovers can earn steady cash through platforms like Rover and Tailster. Dog walking pays around £10 to £15 per walk and overnight pet sitting pays more, so a handful of regular clients can add £200 to £400 a month with almost no startup cost.
Rent Out a Spare Room
A spare room can be one of the biggest earners on this list. Let it short term on Airbnb or take in a lodger, and the government’s Rent a Room scheme lets you earn up to £7,500 a year completely tax free. In many UK towns and cities that covers a large chunk of your own rent or mortgage.
Tutoring and Freelancing Your Skills
If you are good at a subject or a skill, sell it. Tutor online through Tutorful or MyTutor, or offer writing, design and admin work on Fiverr and Upwork. Rates start around £15 an hour for tutoring and climb much higher for specialist freelance work, and you choose your own hours.
How To Make Income On The Side?
With so many options, the trick is choosing the one side income that actually fits you. Start with what you already have: your skills, your spare time and how quickly you need the money.
If you need cash fast and have little time, lean on what you own. Sell your clutter, rent your driveway or walk a few dogs. If you have a skill and can play a longer game, freelancing, tutoring, blogging or content creation pay far more over time.
Test cheaply before you commit. Try one or two ideas for a month, see what fits your life and actually earns, then put your energy into the winner. Many of these also turn into passive income once they are set up, so the time you invest early keeps paying later.
Do You Pay Tax on a Side Income in the UK?
Most side income is taxable, but there is a useful allowance. HMRC gives every UK taxpayer a £1,000 trading allowance each tax year. If everything you earn from your side hustles across the year stays under £1,000, you usually do not need to declare it.
Earn more than £1,000 and you must register for Self Assessment and report the income. You only pay tax on the profit above the allowance, and the rate depends on your total income for the year.
A few quick pointers:
- Keep simple records of what you earn and any costs from day one.
- Selling your own used clothes and clutter on Vinted or eBay is not usually taxable. Buying stock to resell is.
- Renting a room in your home can be tax free up to £7,500 a year under the Rent a Room scheme.
Will HMRC know about it? Increasingly, yes. Since January 2024 digital platforms like Vinted, eBay, Airbnb, Etsy and Deliveroo report seller and host income to HMRC automatically. Selling a few of your own old items is fine and usually tax free, but regular trading or services income above the £1,000 allowance should be declared through Self Assessment.
If in doubt, check the latest HMRC side hustle guidance or speak to an accountant.
Side Income FAQs
What is the best side income?
The best side income is the one that fits your skills, your spare time and how fast you need the money. For quick cash with no startup cost, selling clutter, renting your driveway and pet sitting are hard to beat. For bigger long term income, blogging, freelancing and selling online scale the furthest.
Do you pay tax on a side income in the UK?
You can earn up to £1,000 a year from side hustles tax free under HMRC’s trading allowance. Above that you need to register for Self Assessment and pay tax on the profit. Selling your own used items is not usually taxable, and renting a room can be tax free up to £7,500 under the Rent a Room scheme.
How can you make an extra £200 a day?
Making £200 in a day usually means stacking higher value gigs rather than small tasks. Think a day of freelance or trade work, renting out a high demand item, a busy day of dog walking and pet sitting, or a strong day of online sales. If a daily target suits you better, see how to make an extra £100 a day. It is realistic now and then, but most side incomes build to a steady monthly figure rather than a fixed daily one.
What is the highest paid side hustle?
The highest paid side hustles tend to be skilled and scalable: freelancing in areas like software, design and copywriting, building a blog or an app, or renting out high value assets. They take longer to get going than quick gigs, but the earning ceiling is far higher.
Will HMRC know about my side hustle?
Increasingly, yes. Since January 2024 platforms like Vinted, eBay, Airbnb and Deliveroo share seller and host income data with HMRC. Selling your own used belongings is usually fine, but if your trading or services income goes over the £1,000 trading allowance you should register for Self Assessment and declare it.
How can you make an extra £1,000 a month in the UK?
Reaching an extra £1,000 a month usually means stacking two or three side incomes rather than relying on one. A regular freelance or tutoring client, renting out a room or driveway, and selling online together get most people there. See our guide to making an extra £500 a month to build the first half.
What is the best side hustle you can do from home?
The best work from home side hustles are blogging, freelancing, online tutoring and selling on Vinted or eBay. They need little or no startup cost and you choose your own hours. Our guide to making money online for beginners walks through where to start.
Conclusion
There is no single best side income, only the one that fits your skills, your time and your goals. Start small, keep what works, and let your first bit of extra cash fund the next idea.
If you want to go deeper, our round up of the best books for entrepreneurs is a great place to start.
Share on social media
Disclaimer: Content on this page is for informational purposes and does not constitute financial advice. Always do your own research before making a financially related decision.
