Taxable profit
Taxable profit is what you are taxed on: everything the platforms paid you, minus the costs HMRC allows you to deduct. It is almost never the same as what landed in your bank account.
Correct for the 2026/27 tax year. Last checked 12/09/2026.
Turnover minus allowable expenses. That is the whole definition, and the argument is always about what counts on each side.
A worked example
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Paid by the platforms over the year | £24,000.00 |
| Mileage claim, 12,000 business miles | £6,000.00 |
| Phone, bags, parking, platform fees | £620.00 |
| Taxable profit | £17,380.00 |
The mileage figure above uses the first 10,000 miles at 55p and the rest at 25p, which is what makes it £6,000.00 rather than a flat multiplication. Your own figures will differ; the shape will not.
Where to read more
Self Assessment for delivery drivers and allowable expenses.
Related
Turnover
Turnover is everything you earned from the work before a single cost comes off. For a gig driver that is the gross figure on the platform statement, including tips and including the fees the platform took.
HMRC & taxUpdated 27/08/2026
Allowable expense
An allowable expense is a cost you can take off your income before tax. To qualify it has to be incurred wholly and exclusively for the work, which rules out anything with a private benefit attached.
HMRC & taxUpdated 27/08/2026
Self Assessment for delivery drivers: the complete guide
Registering, what counts as income, what you can claim, how much tax you will owe and when it is due - written for UK delivery and courier drivers, correct for the 2026/27 tax year.
HMRC & taxUpdated 19/08/2026
How much do Yodel drivers actually earn per week?
A realistic look at Yodel take home pay, covering parcel rates, van costs, fuel, and what drivers actually keep after expenses.
Earnings & profitabilityUpdated 17/10/2026
How to set up as a DPD owner driver franchisee
A step by step guide to setting up your business, buying a round, and getting on the road as a DPD owner driver franchisee.
Getting startedUpdated 17/10/2026
Riding for Deliveroo: the full guide
How Deliveroo works for a rider: what you need to join, how each fee is worked out, the pay floor agreed with the GMB union, when the money arrives, the insurance Deliveroo gives you for free, and the parts that are left to you.
Getting startedUpdated 29/09/2026