Evans Ofori · Interactive applications

Weekly Earnings Estimator

Estimate fare revenue and platform commission. Full take-home income requires separately accounting for running expenses and tax.

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LONDON PRIVATE HIRE · WEEKLY PLANNING

Estimate your weekly PHV earnings

Adjust fares, commission and operating costs to understand what might remain before tax. This is a planning estimate, not a guarantee of earnings.

Your weekly assumptions

Weekly working hoursInclude hours without passengers if using average revenue per working hour. Average fare revenue £ / working hourEnter gross fare revenue before commission; use all working hours consistently. Platform / operator commission %Blended rate if you use several platforms. Vehicle rent or finance payment £ / weekEnter rent or weekly equivalent of your finance payment, not both. PHV insurance £ / weekEnter 0 if genuinely included in vehicle rental. Fuel or EV charging £ / weekUse your actual weekly estimate. Maintenance and tyres £ / weekEstimated provision for repairs and servicing. Congestion, tolls and parking £ / weekExclude any charges already paid or reimbursed by a customer. Other work-related costs £ / weekCar washing, phone, accounting and similar expenses.

Example inputs are illustrative. Check whether expenses overlap: for example, don't add insurance twice if it is included in rent.

Your weekly estimate

Gross fare revenue—

Platform commission—

After commission—

Operating costs—

Estimated profit before tax—

Profit per working hour: —

Illustrative annual amount (46 working weeks): —

Expenses as % of gross revenue: —

Weekly cost breakdown

A practical guide to estimating weekly PHV earnings

This independent calculator by Evans Ofori helps London private-hire drivers explore possible weekly earnings after platform commission and selected operating expenses. The figures are estimates based on what you enter, not typical earnings or guaranteed take-home pay.

Start with realistic working hours and fare revenue

Enter the number of hours you expect to work, including time waiting for trips if your hourly fare-revenue estimate includes those hours. Use gross fare revenue before platform or operator commission. For example, working 40 hours at £28 in gross fare revenue per hour gives £1,120 of gross weekly fare revenue. That is an illustrative input, not a claim about what London PHV drivers earn.

Account for commission and your operating costs

Commission is the percentage retained by the operator or platform. Next enter rent or finance payments, insurance if paid separately, fuel or charging, maintenance, relevant driving charges, parking and other work-related spending. Avoid counting the same cost twice, especially insurance or servicing included in a rental contract.

Understand what the results mean

Gross fare revenue: Your estimated fare receipts before commission.
Revenue after commission: Gross fares minus the platform or operator share.
Operating costs: The weekly expense amounts you enter.
Estimated profit before tax: Revenue after commission minus those operating costs. This is not your final personal take-home pay.
Profit per working hour: Estimated weekly profit before tax divided by your entered working hours.
Illustrative annual amount: Weekly profit multiplied by 46 working weeks. Your actual working weeks may be different.

Important: The calculator treats the full vehicle finance payment as a weekly cash expense. Tax treatment differs: finance capital repayments may not be deductible in the same way as interest or eligible expenses. This is not an HMRC tax calculator. It also does not automatically include vehicle depreciation, all business costs, Income Tax, National Insurance, VAT or pension contributions.

Frequently asked questions

Is profit before tax the same as take-home pay?

No. The result subtracts only the commission and costs you enter. Your actual tax position, other expenses and financial circumstances may change what remains.

Should I count waiting time?

Yes, if you are using a gross-revenue-per-working-hour estimate. Be consistent: include the hours you work, rather than only the time a passenger is in your vehicle.

What if I drive for more than one operator?

You can enter a blended average commission rate, but this may hide differences between operators. For precise comparisons, calculate each work arrangement separately.

Does this tool calculate tax?

No. It is a simple business cash-flow and earnings estimate before tax. For current tax rules and allowable expenses, consult HMRC guidance on self-employed expenses or a qualified professional.

Explore related tools

Considering your vehicle costs? Visit the PCP vs HP vs Rental vs Cash comparison for a separate look at vehicle funding choices. See all interactive applications for more planning resources.

Prepared by Evans Ofori, a TfL-licensed London private-hire driver. This is independent educational content, not official TfL, operator or financial advice.

Information and results are estimates only. They are not official TfL or HMRC advice or a guarantee of earnings, eligibility or vehicle costs. Always verify current rules and your own circumstances.