Earlier this week, Uber agreed to pay its drivers a guaranteed minimum wage, holiday pay and pensions. Uber made this decision after losing a long-fought case against paying its drivers the wages they deserved as workers (Uber argued that its drivers were not employees, but self-employed contractors who used its technology).
In this case, the Supreme Court upheld a previous employment tribunal decision (and two subsequent appeals) that ruled that Uber drivers were workers and entitled to holiday pay and the minimum wage.
However, despite Uber agreeing to pay its drivers the correct wage from now on, this does not rectify its failure to do so previously. Many current and former Uber drivers could still be left short and due thousands of pounds in unpaid wages and holiday pay.
Furthermore, the Supreme Court decision does not mean that drivers will automatically get their historic unpaid wages from Uber. Drivers must still make a claim to recover these sums. To help its drivers to do this, Uber has now launched a compensation scheme.
Should I claim with Uber instead of with a lawyer?
We cannot advise you on the Uber scheme. However, in our view, Uber is unlikely to offer you what you truly deserve. It is in Uber’s interests to pay the minimum compensation possible, and we do not believe that Uber will calculate what you are owed in a way that reflects the findings of the Supreme Court.
We strongly believe that claiming with us will give you the best outcome possible, and our priority remains to fight for what we believe our clients rightfully deserve.
Do I need to respond to Uber’s message?
If you decide to use a specialist lawyer to maximise the compensation you receive, there is no need for you to respond to Uber’s messages about registering with them for ‘compensation’. If you have already signed up with our firm, we will continue to deal with Uber on your behalf to settle your claim on the best possible terms.
The best way to make Uber pay what it owes is to use a specialist lawyer
Our firm is bringing a no-win, no-fee group action case to hold Uber to account for underpaying its workers, and to get back what they are owed.
We are collaborating with ADCU, the App Drivers & Couriers Union which represents and supports app-based drivers in the UK. This is the leading trade union for gig economy workers and, amongst other things, leads the fight for a better future for all Uber drivers. It brings together Uber drivers from across the UK to strengthen and protect their rights as drivers.
We can reassure you it is against the law for Uber to fire a driver for joining our claim against them.
Claiming with Uber directly could mean you do not get all the compensation you are due.
Unfortunately, we are no longer accepting new clients and you are not able to sign-up to the claim with us. If you have any questions, we would be happy to discuss.
