13 Actual and Profitable Home Based Business Ideas for the UK

There are many home based business ideas for entrepreneurs in the UK that regular people can take advantage of.

We’ve taken some time to browse home based business ideas ourselves to see what is really out there and what is being recommended. Shockingly, there are a lot – but the problem is most of the ideas being offered require you to spend exorbitant amounts of money to get started.

We have compiled a list of real and profitable home based business ideas which people of the UK can take advantage of with little-to-no money down.

Starting a Home Based Small Business

When thinking of which of the home based business ideas in the UK we’ve listed below to choose from, consider the following:

• What do you like to do?
• How much time do you have to dedicate?
• Is this really right for you?
• Do you have funds to allocate to the business?

These are the simple questions that will help you pick the right home based business idea for you.

When starting a home based small business, don’t think it’s any easier or faster to “make money”. Even though you will not have to spend money on small business startup costs like a brick and mortar business would, you will have to invest more time and effort into a home based business.

Top Home Based Business Ideas in the UK

The below home based business ideas are put together by collecting information of what current people are doing across the UK to make a business worth while. Some of the business ideas may not be the right fit for you but when done right they can be highly profitable.

When starting any small business, home based or not – the first thing after the business idea would be to create a business plan for your idea. This will tell you a lot about the business, including how viable it could be, the costs associated and of course it will help you start your search for funding, perhaps from government funding sources.

Idea #1: Start a blog

Starting a blog about an interesting subject which attracts an audience could lead to some great success and turn into a viable home based business idea.

Certain ways to make money from your blog include advertising, selling goods and services on the website and having a large following, building an e-mail list and using it for promotional incentives to make money.

To start a blog business your startup cost could be under £80.

Idea #2: Sell products online

Selling online these days is pretty easy. You can do it directly on your website, through social media and pretty much anywhere.

It’s important to find the products which you can sell. Do some research, figure out the costs (for you to buy) and calculate profits after selling.

An alternative way is to use a drop shipping service where you as the seller never touch the product, so you end up keeping more of the money.

A typical online shop can be set up with a little bit of work, time and under £80.

Idea #3: Renting out your space

Services such as Airbnb are a great way to make some extra money by renting out your property if you own it. Sometimes you can rent out a room or two, or even the entire home and make money while you’re home or on holiday.

You can take a look here to get an idea of what you may be able to make with Airbnb when you’re out.

While it’s not a “home based business idea” fully, it is a way to make money from home and potentially turn it into a business.

Just think about it. If you can make £400 per month from your home, perhaps you can get your friends and family in on it, start to manage their listings and take a cut! There is a business for you.

Idea #4: Driving for Uber/UberEats/Bolt/Just Eat/Deliveroo

If you have a drivers licence and a newer car, a popular home based business idea for people in the UK is driving people around or delivering food.

With companies such as Uber, UberEats, Just Eat, Bolt and Deliveroo, you can make yourself some money and turn it into a business.

Many opt to register with as many companies as possible to get the most benefit out of it.

Just recently here at UKStartups.org, a member of ours discussed this with our experts and showed over £77,000 in annual income from doing exactly this.

Idea #4: Freelance Writing

There is big demand for quality content on the web and many companies will hire freelance writers to write content on various industries.

Depending on the industry and the agreed upon contract, a typical freelance writer can make anywhere between £15 to £120 per article.

Idea #5: Thrift Shop and Moving Sale Resellers

Have you ever walked into a thrift shop and noticed a bunch of stuff – all under £5 (most of the time a quid or two)? Or have you visited a moving sale and noticed somebody selling a really beautiful piece of furniture practically for free?

Well, as a home based business idea, many people take these goods and resell them online for a profit.

Think about it. You can buy a chair for £5 to £20, clean it up and resell it for £50 to £100.

Idea #6: eBay, Etsy, Amazon

These are a few popular websites with a large reach, audience and following. Through these websites, you will find countless people selling and buying things. Just figure out what you want to sell and get started.

Idea #7: Become a Home Inspector

A great idea to turn your free time from home into a business is to become a home inspector.

Housing prices are going up which gives home buyers more reason to have their homes inspected prior to buying a home. Even for those of us who rent flats, home inspections are commonplace, especially for Houses in Multiple Occupations (HMO’s).

Turning this into a business is easy, all you need to do is get the authorization and learn how to become a home inspector. You can learn more here.

Idea #8: Become a Tutor

Sure you have to be a bit smart, but if you choose the right topic you can tutor kids and even adults of all ages on a variety of topics.

Math, English, Science, History, Computers, Business, Video Games? Anything really.

Create a website, build some social media presence, start to promote and charge by the hour, or a flat fee!

Idea #9: Christmas Decorations Business

During the Christmas season which starts early November and ends after the New Year, the decoration business is booming.

Hanging Christmas lights, decorating the front of homes and trees is a big business.

It’s hard work to be out in the cold, to have to climb a roof, but if you can do it for people, you can charge a lot.

This type of home based business idea let’s you make a ton of money in just 2 months!

Idea #10: Mobile Oil Changes and Car Washes

While it may require a bit more work and some knowledge, you can turn your passion for oil changes into a business.

Most people don’t have time to wait at a local oil shop for an hour or sometimes more to have their oil changed on their vehicle and this is where you fit in and visit their home to get the job done. The same idea goes for car washes.

A low startup cost that can become highly profitable.

Idea #11: Starting a home based childcare business

If you love kids and know how to interact and take care of them, starting a childcare business could be your next big move to make some money while at home.

Depending on your location, a day nursery can make between £100 – £300 per child per week.

Idea #12: Starting a photography business

Most people are experts at taking photos these days. And you can turn this into a valid business idea which you can do from home.

Start a home based photo studio or book trips to see your clients in the field.

Sure you need a camera and some equipment, but a simple photo shoot for a family of 4 can cost from £300 and up.

Idea #13: Open your own cleaning business

Cleaning businesses can make a lot of money.

Start by getting the equipment you need (cost is minimal), and move on to finding residential and commercial clients.

Many of those in this industry report earnings at a minimum of a few thousand quid per month when active and those more involved have reported earnings of £8,000 and more.

These home based business ideas for the UK are just a few (13) out of many that have the potential to turn into a profitable small business.

When starting a small business in the UK always keep in mind that a business plan is the first step.