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