20% of Brits are earning over £1,000 per month from side hustles

Now that we’ve started the new year and people in the UK look to begin a new chapter, a change or alteration to a career path is popular amongst Brits, with 22,200 average monthly searches for “Side Hustles” since August 2024.

Adobe Express has conducted an extensive study, to find out the sectors people want to set up side hustles in, and their main reasons for doing it, as well as their concerns for starting the process. Adobe Express also spoke to those with side hustles to share their biggest areas of success, from finances to time management, their marketing tactics and the most successful side hustle industries.

Currently, the most popular sector people want to set up a side hustle in is the creative and arts space, in fact, one in five (21%) of those asked want to pursue this area, followed closely by retail and e-commerce (18%). Other industries include Technology and IT services (15%), Health and wellness (15%) and Education and tutoring (10%).

People in the UK shared their biggest concerns for venturing into a new project, with 36% confessing that time management and pressure is their biggest worry. Two-thirds (66%), said that generating extra income is their main reason for wanting to explore a side hustle, however 34% agreed it was essential that it was separate from their day job.

To help people in the UK start their side hustle journey, Adobe Express also spoke to people that currently have one, to help debunk any myths and showcase realistic guidance and successes from their work and their individual industries:

• To give an idea of financial success, 73% of people with side hustles are earning up to £500 per month, with 20% earning £1,000 or more
• In terms of time management, 72% of Brits are spending up to 10 hours per week on their side hustle project, whilst 18% spend 20 hours or more
• Regarding the success rates, 64% of Brits say their side hustle is a success so far
• When it comes to marketing, 35% of people say social media platforms have been their best way to share the brand, whilst 18% confirmed networking with other entrepreneurs helped grow their project

Which are the most successful industries to start a side hustle up in based on time and income?

• Information Technology is officially the most lucrative side hustle with 24% in this field earning over £1,000 per month, followed by Engineering and Manufacturing (20%) and Science and Pharmaceuticals (14%). The least lucrative side hustles are for those working in the teacher and education industry, with 54% earning less than £100 per month.
• The industries with the most time spent on them (more than 20 hours per week) are Information Technology (20%) and Engineering and Manufacturing (18%). Whilst those with the least amount of time spent per week (less than 5 hours) include Law (50%), Science and Pharmaceuticals (43%) and Healthcare (36%).