Independent contractors will continue to benefit from the flexibility they are used to with FREENOW with some additional features, including being able to choose your dispatch radius, and to maximise your earning potential through the use of the right of substitution and the Network Driver feature. 

The right of substitution refers to an Account holders’ ability to add Network Drivers to your account to complete Journeys on your behalf. It gives Account holders the ability to become company owners and employ or engage other drivers.

Worker status is unique under UK employment law, and entitles certain self-employed individuals to National Living Wage, Pension & holiday pay when they work with FREENOW.

All UK PHV drivers are entitled to engage with FREENOW as a worker. FREENOW offers drivers the option to decide the nature of the relationship they have with us. An internal survey revealed that only 31% of our drivers find additional worker benefits appealing, while the majority of drivers prefer to remain as independent contractors. Drivers who opt into engaging with us as a worker will continue to have flexibility over when, where or how they choose to work through the FREENOW app.

Yes, you will continue to have full flexibility over when, how and with whom you choose to drive.

We are proud to offer fair fees for Journeys completed on our App and will be offering a National Living Wage top-up guarantee, holiday pay and access to a pension scheme from October 2023. As we operate in a dynamic & constantly evolving sector where drivers are at the centre of our operations, additional benefits may be considered at a later stage. 

From October 2023, drivers will be able to see a ‘Professional Status’ option in the account section of your driver app. All Private Hire drivers will have the chance to review their relationship with FREENOW twice every 12 months. Please note that by choosing to engage with FREENOW as a worker, you must accept the worker version of PHV driver terms and conditions. Please see the ‘independent contractor’ terms & conditions should you choose to remain as an independent contractor.

FREENOW has partnered with Smart Pension. For Commonly asked questions regarding your Pension scheme with Smart Pension, you can find out more here. 

If you earn more than £192 in any week, FREENOW will automatically enrol you into the Smart Pension Pension programme. Once enrolled, you will receive an activation email from Smart Pension to explain how to access your account for the first time.

FREENOW will contribute 3% towards your pension, based on workers themselves making a 5% contribution. All contributions are relative to qualifying earnings, and considers any National Living Wage top-up and holiday pay.

FREENOW will contribute 3% into your pension, provided you are eligible. This is calculated based on your qualifying earnings, including your trip earnings and bonuses.

The minimum contribution to your Pension should always be 8%, and in FREENOW’s pension scheme with Smart Pension, this will be split as 3% contributed by FREENOW, and 5% by you, the driver. You can increase your pension contribution at any time in the ‘Your Pension’ section of your SmartPension account.

If you have engaged with FREENOW as a worker, and you earn more than £192 in any week, you will automatically be enrolled in the pensions scheme. Workers will have the choice to opt out of the scheme, although there will be no contributions from FREENOW should you choose to opt out. 
To find out more about how to opt out of your pension scheme, please see the Smart Pension member support here.

Holiday pay will be automatically added into your Driver Statements, and you will see this reflected under “holiday pay” in your weekly pay statement.

You are entitled to 5.6 weeks’ paid holiday per holiday year. To reflect the flexible nature of our relationship, and the individual nature of each engagement you choose to undertake by completing individual Journeys, and for ease of administration, we pay you holiday pay in each Driver Statement amounting to 12.07% of total earnings, including any National Living Wage top-up payments

Drivers who choose to remain as independent contractors will see higher earnings per trip without the benefits of holiday pay / Pension & National Living Wage guarantee, while those opted into worker status will see slightly lower earnings per trip but be able to take advantage of worker benefits.

Our ambition is to ensure that drivers receive a comparable sum of earnings and benefits regardless of whether they have chosen worker status or the independent contractor model.

Regardless of whether you’re an independent contractor or a worker, you will still keep your ‘self-employed’ status for tax purposes, and you should therefore continue to complete your annual tax return. Further information on how to complete your tax return can be found here.