Uber to offer UK drivers sickness cover in return for £2-a-week fee

Move expected to cost several million pounds a year is latest attempt to head off criticism over conditions for its 40,000 UK drivers

Uber is to start offering its minicab drivers sickness cover in exchange for a 2 per week fee, in its latest bid to head off criticism over working conditions for its 40,000 drivers in the UK.

The move is likely to cost the San Francisco-based company several million pounds a year. It comes ahead of the government's Taylor review of modern working practices, which is likely to recommend that self-employed gig economy workers should be granted greater employment protections and benefits, including sickness cover.