Delivery driver jobs: van, multidrop and courier work

Online shopping has turned delivery driving into one of the fastest-growing jobs in the country. The big draw is how easy it is to start: for most van and courier work you only need a normal car licence (category B), not an HGV licence. But the sector has real variety, and the difference between an employed role and a self-employed one matters a lot for your pay and rights. Here is what to know.

The main types of delivery work

• Multidrop parcel delivery: a van loaded with dozens or hundreds of parcels a day, working a route to a tight schedule. The most common role.
• Same-day and courier work: urgent, often self-employed, sometimes in your own vehicle.
• Food and grocery delivery: from supermarket home deliveries to app-based takeaway work.
• Multi-drop for a retailer or wholesaler: fewer, larger drops to businesses, often employed with better conditions.

What you need

For most van work you need a full category B car licence, usually held for a year or more, and a clean-ish record. You should be comfortable with long days, lots of stops and using a handheld device for navigation and proof of delivery. Larger vans over 3.5 tonnes need a C1 licence, which is a step up. No formal qualifications are required for standard parcel work.

What delivery driving pays

Pay depends heavily on whether you are employed or self-employed and on the type of work:

Self-employed day rates can look high, but you cover your own fuel, insurance, van costs and tax, and you get no holiday or sick pay. Always work out the real figure after costs before you judge a role.

Employed versus self-employed: the big catch

This is the most important thing to understand in delivery work. An employed driver gets the minimum wage, holiday pay, sick pay and a payslip. A genuinely self-employed driver runs their own small business and covers everything themselves. Be wary of arrangements that treat you like an employee, telling you the hours, the route and the uniform, but label you self-employed to avoid paying you holiday and the minimum wage. Several court cases have found such arrangements unlawful. If in doubt about your status, check where you stand, because it affects real money.

How to get started

• Apply to the major parcel carriers and their delivery partners, which recruit drivers constantly.
• Check the terms carefully, especially whether the role is employed or self-employed and what costs you cover.
• Consider a C1 licence if you want the better-paid larger-van and multi-drop retail work.
• Value the employed roles, which trade a slightly lower headline rate for holiday pay, sick pay and security.

Delivery driving is a quick, accessible way into work with a normal licence, and it can be a stepping stone to HGV driving later. Just go in with your eyes open about the type of contract, and you can find a role that genuinely pays.