Amazon Flex is Amazon’s own self-employed delivery programme — you use your own vehicle to deliver Amazon parcels (and in some areas, Amazon Fresh/Whole Foods grocery orders) during blocks of time you book yourself, rather than fixed shifts.
How it actually works
You book “blocks” — set windows of time, typically a few hours long — through the Amazon Flex app. Each block shows an estimated number of parcels/stops and an estimated pay for that block before you accept it. You turn up to a local Amazon delivery station at the start of the block, scan your allocated parcels, load your car, and follow the in-app route to deliver them within the block’s timeframe.
Blocks appear in the app on a rolling basis — sometimes hours ahead, sometimes released the evening before or morning of. Popular time slots (especially early morning and evenings, and the run-up to peak periods like Christmas) tend to get taken quickly, so many drivers keep the app open and check regularly rather than relying on a fixed schedule.
What you need to sign up
- To be 18 or over and eligible to work self-employed in the UK
- A valid UK driving licence
- A four-door car (van in some areas) that meets Amazon’s size/condition requirements — check the app for exact specifics in your area, as this varies
- A smartphone that can run the Amazon Flex app
- Hire and reward insurance — see our insurance guide for why this matters and isn’t optional in practice
- To register as self-employed with HMRC, since Flex pay isn’t taxed at source
Pay
Each block shows its estimated pay before you accept it, based on Amazon’s estimate of how long it’ll take. Actual pay per hour varies by region, time of day, and how efficiently a block runs — a block that finishes early because you’re quick still pays the block’s stated amount, but a block that runs long because of traffic or a difficult drop-off area doesn’t pay extra. Because of this, drivers who do well tend to get a feel for which blocks in their area are realistically timed before accepting them regularly.
Realistic first-week expectations
- Your first few blocks will likely take longer than the estimate while you learn the app, the sorting/scanning process at the station, and your local delivery area.
- Parking and access at flats/estates is often the biggest time sink — a route planner app or simply learning your local area’s quirks pays off quickly.
- Block availability is genuinely inconsistent week to week — don’t rely on Flex as guaranteed income until you’ve seen how blocks flow in your specific area over a few weeks.
Sign-up process (roughly)
- Download the Amazon Flex app and register with your details
- Complete identity verification (photo ID, sometimes a short video/photo check)
- A background/right-to-work check is run — this can take anywhere from a day to over a week
- Add your vehicle details and confirm you meet the requirements for your area
- Once approved, blocks become visible in the app for you to book
Requirements, availability, and pay structures can change — always check the current details directly in the Amazon Flex app/site for your area before relying on anything here as final.