Bolt drivers claim

Bolt drivers currently work under contracts which seek to classify them as self-employed independent contractors. Self-employed independent contractors are not entitled to receive paid holiday or the National Minimum Wage.

We are arguing that due to the way in which Bolt drivers work in practice, they should be classed as workers, rather than self-employed independent contractors.

Workers have the right to receive the National Minimum Wage and paid holiday. We are bringing claims on behalf of Bolt drivers to ensure they can access these benefits and protections.

We previously represented thousands of drivers in a similar worker status claim against Uber. In 2021, the Supreme Court ruled that Uber drivers were workers, and were therefore entitled to receive holiday pay and the National Minimum Wage.

Given the similarities in how Uber and Bolt drivers work, we believe there is a strong case that Bolt drivers should also be classified as workers and receive compensation for unpaid holiday and shortfalls between their pay and the National Minimum Wage.

We understand that you may have some questions about the process.

To make the whole process easier, we have set up a dedicated area for Bolt drivers to find out more information about the claim and to sign-up. We’ve also created some helpful resources to help you understand the Bolt drivers’ claim:

• You can check out our FAQs page for answers to the most common questions about the claim; a great place to get answers quickly.
• We do not act for big corporations; we act for individuals. Want to know who we are? Read our About Us

If you can’t find what you want on the website, a member of our team will be happy to talk you through the process. Email Bolt@leighday.co.uk or call 020 3780 0250.

Anyone who has driven for Bolt in England, Scotland or Wales within the last 10 weeks may be eligible to join the claim.

To start your claim, you simply need to:

• Provide basic personal and eligibility details; and
• Agree to the terms and conditions.

You can do so via our secure online form, or you can speak to one of our friendly team members by phone.

How much will it cost to sign-up?

The claim is ‘no win, no fee’ meaning that you pay nothing upfront or if your claim is unsuccessful, as long as you abide by the terms and conditions.

If you succeed in your claim, our fee will be a percentage of your compensation (25% plus VAT).

After we have assessed your eligibility and you have agreed to our ‘no win no fee’ agreement, you will be part of the claim; it is that simple!

Once you have signed up to the claim and agreed our terms, that’s when we (Leigh Day) get to work.

1. You will receive a confirmation email from us letting you know that you have successfully signed up to the claim.
2. We will notify ACAS of your intention to start proceedings and then submit your claim to the Employment Tribunal.
3. Once your claim has been submitted to ACAS, you will receive periodical updates from Leigh Day, so that you are kept informed every step of the way. Our communications will include:

• requests for further information to support your claim;
• regular claim updates; and
• news on any major developments affecting your claims.

Important to note: An employment claim has several stages to work through so it can take a long time, years in many cases, to conclude. Where possible, we will be claiming for losses incurred during the entire time that you have driven for Bolt. The amount of compensation owed to you will therefore continue to increase as the claim progresses, as long as you are still a driver for Bolt. We will also be claiming for compensation where Bolt has paid you less than the National Minimum Wage.  

If your claim is successful, you will receive a sum of compensation. Find out more about this in our FAQs section. From that, you’ll need to pay the agreed fee of 25% (plus VAT) for the services we have provided.

If your claim is not successful, you will not need to pay anything under our ‘no win no fee’ agreement, provided you keep to the terms of the agreement.

We think that Bolt drivers will be entitled to thousands of pounds in compensation.

We are claiming:

• Backpay for unpaid holiday
• Compensation if you received less than the National Minimum Wage

We will calculate your compensation using data from Bolt, as well as your financial documents such as your tax returns/accounts, bank statements and receipts.

If you are successful in your claim, we will deduct 25% plus VAT from your compensation for our legal fees.

If you lose, you should not have to pay Bolt’s legal fees, unless there are exceptional circumstances, such as if you behave in a vexatious, abusive, disruptive or otherwise unreasonable manner, or ignore an order of the Tribunal.

Yes, you can still join the claim if you have driven for Bolt in the last 10 weeks.

Bolt should not penalise its drivers for bringing a legal claim.

As a worker, you have legal protection from Bolt treating you differently for claiming these rights. If Bolt deactivated your account or changed the conditions of your work because of your legal claim, you may be entitled to additional compensation.

If you join the Bolt drivers’ claim and then stop driving for Bolt, or if Bolt deactivates your account, you should update our team via email (Bolt@leighday.co.uk) and let us know the date you last drove for Bolt.

Leaving Bolt will not affect your ability to continue with your claim.

We see no reason as to why you should have less flexibility as a worker, rather than a self-employed independent contractor.

Bolt simply needs to ensure it allows drivers to take time off and to pay them for this, in the same way that any worker is entitled to paid holiday. Bolt also needs to make sure that the rate it pays its drivers is high enough that they receive at least the National Minimum Wage, once you take into account the amounts they have to spend on expenses, like petrol.

The amount of holiday entitlement is relatively easy to calculate, even for workers who don’t work fixed hours. The claim is simply to make sure that Bolt pays you holiday pay and the National Minimum Wage.

You would not need to have a fixed working pattern or a set number of working hours in order for Bolt to calculate your holiday pay and the National Minimum Wage.

No, you do not need to provide any documents to join the claim.

Once you join the claim, we will contact you with further information. During the course of the claim, we may ask you to provide documents to support your claim, such as documents which may assist us in calculating your compensation. We will contact you if we need anything from you.

Yes.

Leigh Day represented thousands of drivers in a worker status claim against Uber.

In 2021, the Supreme Court ruled that Uber drivers were workers, rather than self-employed independent contractors. Uber drivers are now entitled to receive holiday pay, the National Minimum Wage and other benefits from Uber.

Given the similarities in how Uber and Bolt drivers work, we believe that Bolt drivers also have a strong claim that they should be classified as workers and receive holiday pay and the National Minimum Wage.