The Truth About £50+/Hour Remote Jobs in the UK (From Someone Who Actually Does This)

July 07, 2025

Let me tell you something most "make money online" articles won't - I've personally earned £85/hour working from my kitchen table in Manchester. But it wasn't easy, and most people approach this completely wrong. Here's what actually works in 2024.

1. Software Development (Where the Real Money Is)

Last month, my neighbour Dave (not his real name) landed a £95/hour React.js contract - from his council flat in Birmingham. The secret? He specialises in Shopify app development.

What pays best right now:

  • AI integration (especially ChatGPT API implementations)

  • Blockchain dApps (Ethereum/Solana)

  • Niche SaaS development

Reality check: Generic WordPress developers make £25/hour. Specialists make 3-4x more.

2. Copywriting That Actually Pays £50+

I used to write £10 blog posts. Now I charge £600 for a single sales page. Here's how:

 

 The 3 types of writing that pay premium rates:

  1. Direct response emails (I made £3,200 last month writing 8 emails for a supplement company)

  2. High-ticket sales pages (£1,500+ per page)

  3. Case studies for SaaS companies (£800-£1,200 each)

Where to find these clients:

  • LinkedIn (search for "looking for copywriter" posts)

  • Cold email (my conversion rate: 3-5%)

  • Referrals (90% of my work now)

3. Digital Marketing - But Only If You Do This

Most "marketing experts" are broke. The ones making £80+/hour focus on:

Profitable niches:

  • Paid ads for law firms (I know someone clearing £15k/month)

  • SEO for plastic surgeons (Yes, really)

  • Email sequences for e-commerce (7-figure store owners pay well)

Avoid: Generalist social media management - that's a £20/hour job.


 4. IT Consulting (My Brother's Side Hustle)

My brother went from £32k at Capgemini to £110/hour consulting. His path:

  1. Got AWS certified (3 months study)

  2. Started fixing small business cloud setups (£50/hour)

  3. Now advises FTSE 250 companies (18 months later)

Key certs worth getting:

5. UX/UI Design - The Hidden Goldmine

A friend in Bristol designs only banking app interfaces and charges £900/day. Why? Specialisation.

Most in-demand skills:

  • Fintech app design

  • Healthcare UX

  • Enterprise SaaS dashboards

Where the work is:

  • Dribbble (seriously)

  • Fintech startup job boards

  • AngelList

6. Financial Consulting (My Most Lucrative Client)

My accountant client makes £225/hour helping US companies with UK taxes. His advice:

"Specialise in one thing - mine is R&D tax credits. I have 43 clients paying £300/month minimum."

Profitable areas:

7. Project Management - But Not As You Know It

Traditional PMs earn £35/hour. The smart ones:

  • Specialise in Agile fintech projects

  • Get Scrum Master certified

  • Work US hours (time zone premium)

My ex-colleague's stats:

  • Base rate: £55/hour

  • Night shift premium: +40%

  • Weekend rate: 2x

8. Tutoring - The Underrated £90/Hour Job

Not school kids - I'm talking:

  • CFA exam prep (£120-£150/hour)

  • Medical residency interview coaching (£90+/hour)

  • Elite coding bootcamp mentoring

 

Best platforms:

  • Wyzant (US clients pay in dollars)

  • Tutorful (UK specialist subjects)

  • Independent (via LinkedIn)

9. Virtual Assistants Making £50+

The VA market is flooded - except for:

  • Executive assistants for US founders ($75+/hour)

  • Podcast production managers (£60/hour)

  • CRM specialists (HubSpot/Salesforce)

My VA's journey:
2019: £12/hour general VA
2023: £58/hour OnlyFans account manager (yes, really)

10. E-commerce - Where the Big Money Is

Not setting up Shopify stores - the real money is in:

  • Amazon FBA consulting (£3,000+ per product launch)

  • TikTok shop optimisation (£150/hour)

  • Supply chain automation

A recent client result:

  • Spent £2,400 with me

  • Increased sales by £18,000/month

  • Now pays £500/month retainer

The Hard Truth No One Tells You

I've interviewed 37 people earning £50+/hour remotely. The pattern?

  1. They specialise (no generalists)

  2. They solve expensive problems (tax issues, lost sales)

  3. They find clients directly (no Upwork race-to-the-bottom)

My challenge to you: Pick one niche from above. Spend 3 months getting good at it. Then start reaching out to potential clients. I did this in 2020 and went from £28k to £104k in a year.

Want help choosing your niche? Reply with your skills and I'll give you a personalised roadmap. No BS - just real advice from someone who's done it.

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