REVEALED: The BEST UK Cities to Start a Remote Business

Gloucester city in the west of England is ranked BEST city to start a remote business in the UK.

 

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_-_geograph.org_.uk_-_1454853.jpg

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.

p.3._swansea_city_centre_2012.jpg

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