Long-serving Uber drivers set for ‘Service Fee’ increase to 25% next month

Ride-hailing firm Uber are set to increase fees for long-serving drivers to a standard 25% across the UK platform next month.

As of 13 July, Uber are increasing the ‘Service Fee’ currently set at 20% for drivers who joined the private hire operator prior to 2015. Drivers who joined Uber after 2015 have always paid a 25% Service Fee and will not face further changes at this point.

Uber say the changes are to ensure all drivers have a ‘consistent experience’ and that they wish to ‘treat all drivers equally on the Uber platform’.

In a message to drivers shared online, an Uber spokesperson says: “We want to treat all drivers equally on the Uber platform.

“An important part of this is equalising our Service Fee to 25% for all drivers. We also ensure all drivers in the UK are treated as workers, offering holiday pay, guaranteed National Living wage and pension enrolments, as well as the Uber Pro programme. These are only available on Uber and not from other operators.”

Yaseen Aslam, President of the App Drivers and Couriers Union (ADCU), said via social media: “In 2015 Uber announced an increase in commission from 20% to 25%. We protested at the time and uber agreed not to change it for the existing drivers. Today uber has gone back on this agreement and increased it to 25%.”