With the COVID-19 crisis putting an unprecedented number of people out of work over the past year, self-employment is on the rise. And certain industries are in higher demand than others during these uncertain times. With thousands of people around the country staying at home during the lockdowns to reduce the spread of the virus, the demand for courier and delivery services is growing. As a result, people who have found themselves unemployed or on furlough are turning to self-employed courier work. With various companies offering delivery services for goods, food and more, there has never been a better time to get into this line of work.
Choose Your Own Working Hours
Working as a self-employed courier often gives you more freedom when it comes to choosing your own working hours. You can decide which days you would prefer to work and, in some cases, which times you’d like to make deliveries. Bear in mind that delivery companies will usually have set timelines for delivering parcels; however, you will be able to decide which hours you would like to commit to in advance.
Use Your Own Vehicle
Self-employed couriers can work using their own vehicle, as long as it is suitable for the work. To find out more about whether or not your car or van is suitable for self-employed courier work, you can get in touch with the company that you are considering working with to find out more about the vehicles that they approve. Since you are self-employed, you will also usually be required to arrange a suitable insurance policy for your vehicle and provide proof of this to the company. You can get business insurance or specific courier van insurance to ensure that you are adequately insured while using your vehicle for work. You can find courier van insurance quotes that are suitable for you by simply entering your details at Quotezone. Quotezone is a comparison site where you can explore different insurance quotes for your courier vehicle.
COVID-19 Safe
If, like many people, staying at home during the lockdowns has been taking its toll on you, working as a self-employed courier is a safe and socially distanced way to get out of the house and make some money while getting to know your local area better. Most of the time, you will be working from your own vehicle alone, so there’s no need to worry about the risk of coming into contact with other people and you can stay socially distanced while working.
Improve Your Skills
Due to the COVID-19 crisis, many people are in between jobs right now. If this is your situation, working as a self-employed courier gives you the chance to boost your skills and improve your CV for the future. Along with building a range of soft skills such as time management and organisation skills when choosing and arranging your own working hours, driving routes and making deliveries will help you build a new skill-set that can help you improve your employability in the future.
Easy to Find Work
One of the main benefits of working as a courier is that it’s usually quite easy to find work. In most cases, as long as you have a suitable vehicle, the right insurance policy and a clean driving licence, you will be able to start working almost immediately. Often, the application process is relatively quick and usually involves checking that you meet all the criteria.
Regular Pay
Many self-employed courier jobs pay per job, so there’s the option to earn a flexible amount of money based on how often and how much you want to work. Along with this, many delivery companies pay their couriers on a regular basis. Depending on the company that you work for, you may be able to opt for weekly, fortnightly or monthly payments. Some companies may even provide the option for you to request payment anytime you require.
Flexibility
Another perk of setting yourself up as a self-employed courier is that you have the flexibility to work other jobs. In fact, it’s not uncommon for couriers to take advantage of this option by working with different delivery companies or using their vehicle to make other deliveries like takeaways along with parcels. Since the hours are flexible and you can choose when you would like to work, you can also work as a self-employed courier alongside full-time or part-time employment.
If COVID-19 has left you looking for work or on furlough, working as a self-employed courier is an option that can work for anybody with the right vehicle and a clean driving licence. If you’re looking for the opportunity to be your own boss, choose your own working hours and boost your employability with work that’s COVID-safe and in high demand right now, self-employed courier work could be ideal for you.
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