A side hustle is an additional method of supporting your primary income. As living costs remain a concern for many households, making ends meet can be difficult. Even if your salary does cover all of your expenses, it’s always nice to have a little extra money to treat yourself or put into savings at the end of the month. And side hustles remain popular in 2026.
This is where side hustles and multiple income streams come into play. Side hustles have become increasingly popular among people with full-time jobs and part-time jobs, as well as students and even pensioners. People from all walks of life and income levels partake in side hustles. A side hustle can diversify your income, help you hone new skills, and provide opportunities to network amongst a new group of people. In this article, we’ll look at some side hustle ideas to help you make extra money in 2026.
What are the most popular side hustles in the UK in 2026?
Some of the most popular side hustles in the UK are those that are easy to fit around an existing job and don’t require a large amount of money to get started. Selling second-hand items, tutoring, delivery work and pet care are all common options, while people with professional or creative skills may be able to earn extra income through freelance work.
Selling and reselling
Platforms such as Vinted, eBay and Facebook Marketplace make it relatively easy to sell unwanted clothes, books and homeware. Some people take this further by buying second-hand or vintage items to resell for a profit. Creative side hustles can also include making and selling art, crafts or personalised products through marketplaces such as Etsy.
Teaching and freelance services
Tutoring can be a flexible option if you have strong knowledge of a school subject, language, musical instrument or specialist skill. Other online side hustles include virtual assistant work, copywriting, graphic design, social media management and web design.
Local and delivery work
Dog walking, pet sitting and food delivery are popular choices for people who prefer work that gets them out of the house. Delivery work can often be fitted around evenings and weekends, while pet-care services can be built through local recommendations, online platforms and repeat customers. Renting out an unused driveway, storage space or spare room can also provide another potential source of income.
Surveys and market research
For something requiring less commitment, online surveys, focus groups and market research studies can provide occasional extra income. However, earnings can be inconsistent, so these are generally better suited to making a little extra money rather than building a significant second income. If you start earning money from a side hustle, remember to consider your tax obligations. The UK’s trading allowance generally allows up to £1,000 of gross trading income per tax year before you need to report that trading income to HMRC, although different rules and exceptions can apply depending on how you earn the money.
What to consider when choosing a side hustle idea
There are a few things that you should take into consideration before choosing a side hustle, including:
- Your skills – The skills you have, whether they are academic, musical, culinary, or any other type of skill, could be a starting point for your side hustle. You already have a slight advantage and won’t be starting from the bottom.
- Your interest – A side hustle gives you the opportunity to pursue your interests and passions without putting all of your eggs into one basket.
- Resources – Look around you and see what resources you have available to you. For example, if you have a laptop and Wi-Fi at home, you could look at doing an online side hustle. Many online side hustles can help you earn money online on your own schedule with only basic equipment. If you have baking equipment, you could look into baking cakes.
- Time – If you have a full-time job, you don’t want your side hustle to interfere with your primary income. It should fit around your free time, other commitments, and main job rather than disrupt them. Think about how much time you can truly dedicate to your side hustle.
- Start-up costs – Certain start-ups cost more to start than others. Consider how much you’ll need to spend on starting your side hustle.
The best side hustle ideas are the ones that help you earn extra income without affecting home life or becoming poor value if they only bring in a few hundred pounds a month.
Side hustle ideas for 2026
Be a market research participant
Market research is an essential process in launching new products and companies. Market research companies use potential customers and target audiences to test ideas, products, and services and collect feedback. Some market research takes place in person or online, and it can be an easy side hustle with little or no start-up cost and a simple way to earn extra money or bring in extra cash. All you need to do is find a reputable market research company in your area and sign up. Many survey sites connect users with online surveys and focus groups run by market research companies. You may be asked to give them some personal information so that they can assess whether you fit the briefs. Payments can vary by task, and some mystery-style research jobs or feedback sessions may pay into your bank account after completion. However, this type of side hustle has no guarantees, and you could wait months between jobs.
Pet sitting and house sitting
Homeowners and pet owners often look for responsible house sitters to look after their homes and pets while away. Local and physical services can be a useful option, especially for pet care in your local area. It is best to start offering these services to friends and family so that you can build up a bit of a reputation and have some references, which is helpful when looking for work as a house or pet sitter.
Pet sitting can also suit people with a full-time job because bookings can often be arranged around spare time and other commitments. You can also advertise your services on social media, particularly on local Facebook groups, which are useful for reaching local businesses and nearby customers. Start-up costs can be low, and you can maintain a full-time job in many instances, so this can be a useful side hustle. Pet-sitting rates vary widely by location, service and booking length. If you board dogs in your own home for payment, check the licensing rules where you live; in England, commercial home boarding for dogs generally requires a local authority licence.
Food delivery driver
Since COVID-19, ordering food online has remained popular, and food delivery work is widely available through apps and restaurants or cafes. You could work for a popular app or directly for a restaurant or cafe. You do not need a driving licence to deliver by bicycle or a road-legal electrically assisted pedal cycle, but you will need the appropriate licence or entitlement if you’re using a car, scooter or moped. If you use a motor vehicle for delivery work, make sure you also have the appropriate insurance for business use. The working hours are often flexible, making this a convenient side hustle for someone who enjoys driving or cycling.
Become a social media manager
Many businesses benefit from a strong online presence and being active on relevant social media platforms, which creates opportunities for professional social media managers. If you already have a strong sense of social media, you could take one or two online courses to build the knowledge and skills needed to offer social media management services. You could start by taking on one or two clients and slowly increase them as you become more confident and adept at this sort of work.
Streaming
Streaming has become a popular form of online content. One of the best-known streaming websites is Twitch, which has a large focus on streamers playing online games and sharing the experience with their audience. It may not seem like it, but there is money to be made in this arena if you can build up a loyal following that regularly watches your streams – however, this does take time and consistency as well as creating content people actually want to see. If online games and video games are something that you’re into, then streaming could be a great side hustle.
Selling baked goods
Baked goods will never go out of fashion, and selling homemade goods can turn a hobby into something people will pay for year-round. They are a staple at most events and there will always be a need for cakes, cupcakes, pastries and pies. If baking is something that you are truly passionate about, then your side hustle could be baking for events and parties. This can also overlap with children’s entertainment if you specialise in themed baked goods for family events. Start by advertising your services to family and friends who should definitely support you if your baking is any good. You can start selling through social media first and then expand once demand grows.
Be warned: In the UK, someone starting a food business generally needs to register with their local authority at least 28 days before trading, including businesses run from home.
Offer copywriting services
Copywriting comes in many different forms. There is sales copy, website copy, blogs, editing, and e-books, just to name a few. If you consider yourself a bit of a wordsmith and have some writing experience behind you, then copywriting could offer you some incredible opportunities.
You may want to sign up with an agency or start offering freelance services, including copywriting, editing, and related writing work. Freelancing can also involve writing, design, or coding, which makes it a useful business idea if you want to expand into a small business later. You may also want to invest in some editing software to make your job easier.
Sell art or crafts on Etsy
Are you a creative person that likes making things? Etsy is a common place to start selling handmade items and begin selling online. Whether it’s embroidery, handcrafted lamps, paintings, collages, or anything else, Etsy provides a platform to sell the items you have created. This side hustle can be a straightforward way to turn something that you already love doing into something that can start making you money. The more unique and exciting your items are, the better. Creative work like this can also grow into a small business over time. Some Etsy sellers have built successful businesses through the platform. You could too!
Mystery shopper
A mystery shopper is a dream side hustle for many, but good mystery shopper jobs can be difficult to find. As a mystery shopper, you may be given the task of visiting a certain shop and purchasing an item, which you may have to return at a later stage. Some assignments also involve checking service standards, making phone calls, or completing online feedback forms. After your experience, you’ll usually need to write a detailed review of your experience in the shop, and you’ll need to remain undercover! This can be a fun and flexible side hustle if you want to earn extra money, but pay varies considerably by assignment, employer and location.
Offering plant care
An interesting side hustle to consider in 2026 is providing plant care, especially indoor plant care and services. Some people living in flats or apartments need help when it comes to caring for their indoor plants, including things like plant food, trimming, repotting, and more. If you are someone who is experienced with plants, this is something that you may want to look into as a side hustle.
Tailoring
Some people choose to repair and tailor their clothes instead of simply throwing them away, partly because of cost and sustainability. This can create opportunities for people with tailoring skills. If you have a sewing machine and some sewing experience behind you, tailoring could prove to be a useful and enjoyable way to make extra money.
Upcycling
Can you spot a diamond in the rough? Do you love second-hand shopping and visiting charity shops? Are you not afraid of getting your hands dirty? By buying old goods that need a little fixing up so you can improve and resell them, you could make a profit once you have upcycled and sold them.
Refurbished goods online can also sell well on community marketplaces such as Facebook Marketplace, especially if you are already comfortable with selling online. There are many different ways that you can upcycle furniture and other items. The other appeal of upcycling to the consumer is that it can be a more sustainable option, giving old items a second life instead of throwing them away.
Become an extra
Films and TV shows are regularly produced across the UK. If you are interested in the film and television industry, being an extra on sets could be a fun and exciting way to make extra money. You could sign up with a casting or extras agency and be prepared for applications or casting calls where you may be turned down. Also, be prepared to work long hours that can sometimes run over schedule. Acting experience is not usually required for background extra work, although reliability and the ability to follow directions are important. Pay varies by production, agency and the hours involved.
Virtual assistant
What is a virtual assistant? A virtual assistant is someone who handles a wide variety of administrative tasks for a small business remotely. Tasks can include answering calls, replying to emails, scheduling appointments, running errands, managing social media accounts for clients and more. Having just one client as a virtual assistant could land you with a significant boost in your monthly income. Many small business owners and local businesses hire virtual assistants for flexible remote support. These types of jobs can have flexible hours, so you could definitely work this around another part-time or even full-time job.
Resell clothing online
Selling online has proven to be a great way to make money. You can start selling through established marketplaces or set up your own online store, depending on how serious you want to get. Whether you want to sell some of your own clothing that you no longer wear, or you plan to thrift items and sell them for a profit, there are many online and social media platforms where you can do this. Facebook Marketplace is one option if you want casual local sales. If you have an eye for trends and popular clothing pieces, you could definitely have a potential side hustle on your hands.
Tutoring
Parents often look for private tutors to help their children with school subjects they struggle with, including GCSE or A-Level topics. If you did rather well in school, and perhaps have a degree behind you, then tutoring could be a fulfilling side hustle for you. Tutors with deep knowledge in a subject can often charge more for their time. It does require a lot of patience and understanding, as well as an ability to teach concepts at the students’ level. If you feel like you may struggle to secure private tutoring clients, you could always sign up with a tutoring agency and they could connect you with clients in your area and handle most of the logistics. Private tutoring rates vary by subject, level, location and experience, but rates of around £30 to £50 per hour are common on major UK tutoring platforms.
Sell your photos
Do you consider yourself a photographer? Do you have a camera? Do you already have loads of gorgeous pictures? Well, then your side hustle could be right in front of you! While you could work part-time as a photographer, another potential income stream is licensing images you have already taken. For example, you could offer your images to magazines or stock photo platforms like Shutterstock. Earnings vary considerably by platform, licence, buyer and contributor level, and some stock-image downloads pay only a small amount. Once your portfolio is uploaded, successful images can continue to generate income without needing to be resold manually each time.
Side Hustle Ideas UK: Final Thoughts
Using a side hustle idea to increase your income, even if it is by a small fraction, can really be beneficial to your finances over time. By choosing a side hustle that works for you, you are able not just to increase your income but learn new skills, meet new people, and perhaps even discover an entirely new career path for you to follow. Some options can also mean you are trading as self-employed for tax purposes. Just ensure that whatever side hustle you go after is completely above board and make 2026 your year. If your side-hustle trading income goes over the UK trading allowance, you may need to register for Self Assessment and file a tax return.
In the 2026/27 tax year, the trading allowance remains £1,000 of gross trading income per tax year. If side-hustle gross trading income exceeds £1,000, you generally need to tell HMRC; that does not automatically mean you’ll actually owe tax, because taxable profit, expenses or the trading allowance, and your wider income all affect the final amount due. The other thing that you need to keep in mind when pursuing a side hustle is burnout. If you are working multiple jobs, you can easily become exhausted and your health can suffer, especially if it does not fit around your day job, home life, and other commitments. Ensure that you are managing your time well, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, still making time for relaxing, and not biting off more than you can chew!
