Which UK Cities are most likely to Seek a Second Job?

A study from wholesale goods supplier, Wholesale Clearance, reveals Newcastle residents are most likely to seek out income through a second job, compared with other UK cities.

Upon seeing an increase in personal buyers picking up wholesale stock to sell on the side, Wholesale Clearance analysed Google search data to find out which cities are getting into the entrepreneurial spirit – and which second jobs are proving most popular.

The research reveals those living in Newcastle were most keen on starting a side hustle, scoring a total of 87.97 out of 100. This includes registering the most interest in ‘becoming an influencer’ and ‘trading stocks’.

Top 10 Cities Most-Interested in Second Jobs

 
The desire to pursue a second income as an influencer in Newcastle comes as no surprise, with influencers from the city reportedly pulling in lucrative fees for their Instagram posts. Recently, Geordie Shore stars were reported to rake-in up to £6,508 per post.

Another possible explanation for the demand for side hustles in Newcastle may be the unequal impact of the pandemic on businesses in the North East. Research suggests almost two-thirds of businesses in the region have reported falling revenue since COVID-19 – more than any other UK region.

Reading (87.75), Brighton (80.65), Portsmouth (79.29) and Nottingham (76.08) complete the top 5 cities searching for side hustle success. Reading even topped the table for searches including ‘selling second-hand items’, ‘babysitting and housesitting’ and ‘Deliveroo jobs’.

Brighton unsurprisingly tops the table for searches related to ‘renting out parking’. Brighton pier was recently named the most popular tourist attraction outside of London – with the city’s residents subsequently looking to cash in on the footfall by renting out their driveway to day-trippers.

Across the UK, ‘selling second-hand items’ was the most common side hustle search, with ‘trading stocks’ and ‘handmade crafts’ featuring second and third respectively. This comes as second-hand sales on eBay reportedly increased 30% since the beginning of the pandemic. These sites are no longer seen as simply a convenient way of offloading unwanted items but a legitimate side-hustle business opportunity.

Bottom 10 Cities Most-Interested in Second Jobs

 
At the other end of the table, Londoners were revealed to be least likely to search for side hustle opportunities, reporting a normalised score of just 10.65 out of 100. This may be a result of Londoners being most likely to work from home during the pandemic. Those whose work has been the least affected by the pandemic may be less interested in starting up a side hustle.

Cardiff (36.52), Birmingham (36.83), Sheffield (44.01) and Glasgow (50.69) completed the bottom 5 second job cities. However, this may come as little surprise to their respective residents, with Cardiff, Birmingham and Sheffield all recently ranking among the UK’s ‘laziest cities’.

‘Renting out parking spaces’ was the least-searched side hustle in 2020 – which may be a result of the UK’s ‘stay at home’ warnings, which were in place for much of the year and discouraged movement around the country.

View the full findings on the Wholesale Clearance site here.

“It’s interesting to see how the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted the number of people looking for an extra income and the methods they’re researching.”

If you’re interested in taking on a side hustle, there are many ways to go about it. A simple Google search could spark some inspiration or help you to find a quick-win method. But it’s important to enjoy what you do, as this makes it easier to dedicate the time needed to make it successful.”
– Karl Baxter, Managing Director, Wholesale Clearance