Who’s Really Doing the Work?
TL;DR
The UK's gig economy delivery model is dangerously opaque.
Behind the convenience of food and parcel delivery lies a growing black market of rented courier accounts, many linked to undocumented or exploited workers. Companies like Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat claim to have safeguards, but little is enforced. The UK government has so far only issued soft requests, not regulation.
Pedal Me is calling that out.
We’ve launched Who’s Doing the Work?, a citizen science project asking customers to log whether the person delivering their order actually matches the app. It’s a step toward accountability in an industry where no one’s really checking.
If you're a business, a policymaker or just someone who uses delivery apps, it’s time to ask harder questions.
The Untold Story Behind the Bikes, Scooters and Liveried Backpacks on British Streets
If you ordered lunch today, chances are it arrived in a matter of minutes. Tap, track, done. A miracle of modern convenience, or so it seems. But what if that convenience was greased by a system that turns a blind eye to modern slavery?
Let’s be honest: Britain’s logistics sector has a problem. Not the kind of PR-polished issue you find in boardroom slide decks, but a raw, uncomfortable, systemic problem. One that hides in plain sight, then disappears into the crowd.
Welcome to the underbelly of the gig economy.
A Market Built on Ghosts
From food to furniture, everything is now delivered. Logistics has become the nervous system of the modern economy. But what happens when we don’t even know who’s behind the handlebars, steering that critical system?
According to multiple reports, a growing black market in app-based courier accounts has become rampant. One iNews investigation found hundreds of listings across social platforms like Facebook, where individuals “rent” their Just Eat, Uber Eats, and Deliveroo accounts to others… for a fee. This isn’t an isolated quirk. It’s industrialised opacity.
Many of those using the rented accounts aren’t legal workers. They may lack the right to work, proper background checks, or basic safety training. Some are victims of exploitation. Others are just trying to survive. But the platforms that enable this look the other way, protected by a paper-thin policy of “self-employment.”
So when a stranger knocks on your door with tonight’s dinner, there’s every chance they’re not who the app says they are. And no one, not the customer, not the platform, not the government really knows who they are either.
This is not just a glitch in the system. It’s a loophole big enough to cycle a cargo bike through.
The Government ‘Wakes Up’- But Doesn’t Get Out of Bed
In April 2024, the UK government finally acknowledged the problem. Home Secretary James Cleverly met with leaders from Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats. The official statement? That companies had “agreed to introduce new checks.”
But let’s call this what it is: a press release.
No legislation. No penalties. No formal enforcement. Just a friendly ask to billion-pound tech companies, some of which have made their fortunes from systems designed to minimise liability.
The government didn’t mandate a damn thing. Instead, it “urged” companies to act, essentially saying: “We see the fire, but we’ll let you decide whether or not to put it out.”
And the companies? They promised “enhanced security checks.” Promised. Not implemented. And certainly not independently verified.
While platforms claim they're tightening controls, the reality on the streets says otherwise. The black market continues. The rented accounts persist. The couriers keep arriving, unvetted and invisible.
You can’t regulate with rhetoric.
If the government is serious about cracking down on modern slavery and illegal working, it must do more than host roundtables and issue toothless statements. It needs to legislate. It needs to inspect. And yes, it needs to hold these companies accountable.
Anything less is complicity.
Where the Buck Should Stop
You wouldn’t hand your house keys to a stranger just because they wore a jacket with a logo. Yet every day, thousands of British households do the moral equivalent — entrusting their doorstep, their children, even their vulnerable loved ones to delivery systems with zero transparency.
This isn’t just about immigration. It’s about accountability. It's about trust. And it’s about safety.
If a company profits from last-mile delivery, it should be required to know, and prove, who’s doing that delivery.
We do background checks for people working with children. We have vetting processes for NHS staff. Why is a delivery person exempt? Because they’re “just dropping off food”? Because it’s convenient to not know?
The absence of enforcement doesn’t mean the absence of harm.
There Is Another Way
At Pedal Me, we take a different approach. Every rider is fully employed. Trained in logistics. Properly paid. Background-checked. We know who’s behind every delivery, and so do you.
We’re not saying this to boast. We're saying it because ethics aren’t optional. And because trust, once lost, is hard to pedal back.
If you're a business owner, a policymaker, or a citizen who gives a damn, it’s time to stop pretending the status quo is acceptable.
Ask your supplier who’s doing the work.
If they can’t answer, you already know.
FAQs
What is the “Who’s Doing the Work?” project?
It’s a public data collection campaign launched by Pedal Me to crowdsource evidence of identity mismatches in gig economy delivery. The aim is to highlight the scale of account sharing and the lack of worker verification.
Why does it matter if a delivery driver isn’t the named person in the app?
This could indicate illegal subcontracting, lack of background checks or exploitation, including potential cases of modern slavery. It raises serious concerns around trust, safety and worker rights.
Is account sharing really that common?
Yes. Investigations have found hundreds of courier accounts being rented or sold online. Our own data shows that over half of deliveries may be carried out by someone other than the registered driver.
What has the UK government done about it?
So far, very little. In April 2024, the government urged companies to implement better checks, but there is no legal enforcement, no penalties and no independent oversight in place.
What are delivery companies doing to fix this?
They have promised “enhanced checks,” but those promises remain vague, unverified and, in many cases, unfulfilled. The black market for courier accounts continues to thrive.
How is Pedal Me different?
All Pedal Me riders are fully employed, background-checked and trained. We know exactly who is making each delivery, and so do our customers. No loopholes. No exploitation. No ghosts on our bikes.
How can I get involved?
Visit pedalme.co.uk/whos-doing-the-work, check the name of your courier and submit your results. Every report helps build the case for change.
I’m a business owner. What should I do?
Ask your logistics provider who is delivering your goods. If they can’t give you a clear, verifiable answer, it’s time to find one that can.
