UK workers looking to earn extra cash to meet soaring living costs should consider a side gig, with the most lucrative side-hustles earning up to £48,000 a year, according to new research*.

The research, based on nearly 1.1 million open roles featured on Adzuna in November 2022, analysed UK job openings ideal for jobseekers looking for a second job on top of their 9-to-5. The 25 roles analysed are advertising 479,111 job vacancies between them, equal to 44% of the 1,083,154 UK jobs currently available, with demand for part-time and temporary workers remaining high despite wider economic concerns.

This year, with rising energy prices and living costs eating into the disposable income of many households, Brits are battling to keep up with inflation. Many workers keen to maintain their living standards may therefore be looking for side gigs to supplement their regular jobs. By official ONS figures, the number of workers with second jobs climbed to 1,252,000 between July and September this year, the highest in 10 years.

The best paid side gigs
Translator roles top the earnings chart, offering average advertised salaries of £48,648 to jobseekers able to leverage their language skills to localise content. Further roles requiring written proficiency such as Content Writer (£36,635) and Proof-reader (£32,624) are also lucrative options. As companies place more emphasis on digital marketing, many are looking for creative professionals to boost their online presence. Content creation jobs such as Influencer, Graphic Designer and Photographer, can earn £36,461, £36,145 and £33,306 respectively, while strategy and planning roles such as Virtual Assistant (£35,521) and Social Media Manager (£33,729) are also on offer.

Teaching others a skill can also be a financially rewarding side gig, with Music Teacher, Yoga Instructor, Personal Trainer and Tutor roles advertising average pay packets of £36,441, £35,666,  £35,443 and £29,997 respectively. 

For workers looking for a role for the holidays, or students looking to top up the coffers on their winter break, further opportunities are on offer. Black Friday, Christmas and New Year signal peak shopping season, demanding retailers to recruit a large scale of workers to cater to the temporary spike in customer demand. Seasonal temp workers can therefore expect to earn an average of £32,058 pro rata, though it’s worth bearing in mind that these jobs often require shifts during evenings, weekends, and bank holidays.

Other popular side gig roles include Drivers for companies like Uber and Evri, and Grocery Delivery Workers dropping off for the likes of Uber Eats, Deliveroo and Gorillas. There are also opportunities on offer for Pet Sitters, Cleaners, Housesitters, Babysitters, and Gardeners, though these are all paid under £31,000. Conversely, Handyman, which requires mechanical and maintenance skills — from carpentry, plumbing, electricals to decorating — is the second highest-paying side hustle job on the list (£36,980). 

The Hospitality sector also offers numerous second job options, including Receptionist and Waiter openings, paid around £23,000. Meanwhile, the average advertised salaries of Data Entry Clerk and Mystery Shopper are £25,380 and £20,166. 

The side gigs with the most openings
Among all, with Christmas on the horizon, seasonal temp roles are most sought-after. Over 156,900 temporary job vacancies remain unfilled. Coming next, many employers are still on the lookout for Cleaners and Drivers to fill more than 96,000 vacancies each. As school break and international events are coming soon, the demand for Tutor and Translator roles is moderately high, with 30,285 and 22,327 job openings respectively.

Paul Lewis, Chief Customer Officer at job search engine Adzuna, comments: “Despite the tough macroeconomic environment, workers in the UK are finding new ways to increase their income and secure their living standards. Taking up a side gig on top of a 9-to-5 job has become a necessity to make ends meet for many households. For others, a side gig offers the chance to top up the Christmas coffers. Luckily, there’s currently a wide variety of second job options available. Jobseekers who are proficient in foreign languages, skilled at copywriting or fixing things, or who always stay on top of social media trends have a great chance of finding a side job with competitive pay. And for those simply looking for a festive role to earn some holiday cash, there are still thousands of delivery drivers and Christmas temp roles worth considering.”

Table 1: 25 Top-paying side hustle jobs

*Research Adzuna