REVEALED: The BEST UK Cities to Start a Remote Business
Expert analysts at Dojo, part of the UK-based Paymentsense brand – a payments provider specializing in helping independent businesses take payments, effortlessly – sought to find out which city in the UK is the best place to turn lockdown hobbies into a successful side hustle.
The analysts conducted a study to determine the UK’s BEST cities to start a remote business. They used a combination of ONS (Population, Region Population, 5-year start up survival rate & Unemployment Rate), (Avg. weekly pay for full-time workers & Number of post offices within each city), (Avg. monthly cost for rent) and Broadband speed to create the Remote Business Index.
Each element was assigned a weighted value that contributes to the final index score. The index scores for each city were then ranked to reveal the best cities to start a remote business from.
UK’s Remote Business Index
Many people have turned to hobbies to keep themselves entertained during COVID-19 restrictions and lockdowns. However, some have turned their hobbies into businesses. And, with the near future looking to favor remote working, Dojo’s study reveals UK cities that would give entrepreneurs a head start.
Dojo analyzed various criteria to assess the best working conditions to start a side hustle:
- Population - Number of people are living in the city
- 5-year start-up survival rate - % of start-up businesses that last longer than 5 years
- Internet Accessibility - % of population with access to the internet within the city
- Income - Average pay for full-time workers
- Unemployment Rate - % population of the city that is unemployed
- Post Offices - Number of post offices in each city
The findings were quite revealing.
Best Cities to Turn Lockdown Hobbies into a Successful Side Hustle
See a breakdown of the top 5 best places in the UK to turn your lockdown hobbies into a successful side hustle, and the complete index below.
#1. Gloucester ranked BEST city to start a remote business
Gloucester and its cathedral taken from an aeroplane somewhere above the Tredworth district of the city approaching Gloucester airport. Photo by Bob Embleton.
Gloucester is ranked as the best place to start a remote business with a total index score of 162 points. This South West city has one of the lowest unemployment rates out of all the UK regions examined at 4.1%.
With the average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment standing at £558 and an average broadband speed of 39MB, self-starters could be on track to turn their bedroom into a business.
#2. Norwich is in second place
In second place is Norwich with a score of 156 points on the Remote Business Index. Boasting a large economy that ranks 15th out of 206 upper-tier authorities, and a five-year startup survival rate of 43.2% - it’s no wonder that this cobble street city is in the top five.
#3. Southampton follows in third place
Southampton comes in close third place with 153 points. Home to approximately 86,000 businesses, and with a broadband speed of 52MB, Southampton solidifies itself as one of the best cities to start a remote business.
#4. Carlisle is in fourth place
Carlisle comes in fourth place with the average five-year startup survival rate sitting at 43.2% and 1,111 post offices within the city - it racks up 148 points.
#5. Swansea closes the top five spot
Securing the top five spot is Swansea with 146 points. Even though they have a lower five-year survival rate of 38.3%, the Swansea Bay City region had 11 companies listed on the 2020 Wales Fastest Growth list.
Swansea City Centre 2012. Photo by Numero007.
Top 10 UK Cities for Remote Working RANKED
Ranking
City
Population
Region
Remote Business Index Score
1
Gloucester
129,128
South West
162
2
Norwich
140,573
East
156
3
Southampton
252,520
South East
153
4
Carlisle
108,678
North West
148
5
Swansea
246,993
Wales
146
6
Peterborough
202,259
East
145
7
Portsmouth
214,905
South East
145
8
St Albans
148,452
East
143
9
Chelmsford
178,388
East
143
10
Lincoln
99,299
East Midlands
141
