🏡 Home small business ideas

Home businesses do what they say on the tin! You can start up and run your venture from the comfort of your own home, without the need for a separate office or commercial space. The benefits of running a home business are numerous, from saving money on rent and overheads to having more control over your schedule and work-life balance. In fact, it’s no surprise that so many new ventures came into being when we were all stuck indoors during lockdown. That said, just because you are bossing it up from your bedroom doesn’t mean you don’t have to comply with any relevant rules and regulations (for example food or premises licences). 

1. Childminder

Kids. Can’t live with ‘em, can’t live without ‘em? Unless you are a childminder and then you can do both! A childminder is someone who provides care and education to children in their own homes – but hands them back to their parents at the end of the day. According to the latest UK statistics, there were 65,600 registered childminders in England as of August 2022. Ideally, you’ll actually like rugrats, have some prior ankle-biter experience and a child-friendly space to entertain and educate the little darlings. 

❓ See also: How to start a day nursery
🎓Qualifications needed: Childminders in the UK need to hold a valid childcare qualification such as a Level 3 Diploma in Childcare and Education
📜Rules and regulations: You will need to register with Ofsted (Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills) and meet certain requirements, such as safeguarding, staffing ratios and a curriculum and the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum
💵 Cost: Start from £0

2. Home baker

Use your sweet tooth to create a startup! There’s a huge demand for baked goods like bread, cakes, and pastries (particularly specialist bakes that are vegan or allergen-free) from local customers, cafes and online. Sales of baking ingredients and equipment increased by 67% in the UK during the pandemic, and a poll conducted by Bake Magazine found that the pandemic led to a rise in consumers’ cravings for comfort foods which has continued in these tricky economic times. 

❓ See also: How to start a bakery business
🎓Qualifications needed: None
📜Rules and regulations: You will need to follow food hygiene and safety regulations, such as registering with your local council and obtaining a food hygiene certificate
💵 Cost: Start from £50 for your initial setup such as baking supplies and cookware

3. Home brewer

Profit from your pint. A home brewer produces beer, cider, or wine in small quantities in their own home using specialised equipment. According to the UK’s Society of Independent Brewers, the craft beer industry is booming in the UK, with an estimated 3,000 breweries producing over 14,000 different beers. Beer drinkers are increasingly looking for healthier, low-alcohol and low-calorie options so this might be a good niche to pursue. Many home brewers who started small have ended up in supermarkets!

❓ See also: How to start a microbrewery
🎓Qualifications needed: None
📜Rules and regulations: It is illegal to distil alcohol without a licence in the UK, even for personal use. In England, Wales, and Scotland, the limit is 100 litres per person per year for beer and 90 litres per person per year for cider. In Northern Ireland, the limit is 60 litres per person per year for both beer and cider
💵 Cost: Start from £500 for a basic home brewing kit

4. CV writer

It’s like being a matchmaker, but instead of matching couples, you’re matching resumes to job descriptions. With huge amounts of movement in a highly competitive job market, people need as much help as possible to make sure their skills stand out to potential employees. If you feel you can tailor and tweak experience and expertise to be picked up by applicant tracking systems and showcase the key information that recruiters are looking for, this may be a 2023 business idea for you. You could start small – offering your services to friends and family – and then build your clientele using their testimonials.

❓ See also: What makes a bad job ad? 7 common pitfalls that put candidates off
🎓Qualifications needed: None
📜Rules and regulations: None
💵 Cost: Start from £0

5. Petsitter

We are a nation of animal lovers but we also need to work and like to go on holiday. A pet sitter provides care and companionship to pets while their owners are away. In the UK, the pet care industry is worth an estimated £7 billion and is expected to grow due to increasing pet ownership. The entry requirements for this home business venture are minimal; it mainly requires a love of animals and experience handling them. 

❓ See also: How to start a pet sitting business
🎓Qualifications needed: None
📜Rules and regulations: If you are looking after pets in your own home, you will need a licence (but not if you go to the owner’s home)
💵 Cost: Start from £0

6. Massage therapist

Who doesn’t love a good massage? Massage therapists provide therapeutic pummelings to clients to help alleviate pain, tension, and stress. In the UK, the demand for massage therapists is growing, with the industry expected to reach £1.2 billion by 2025. Needing minimal equipment – a massage bed and your hands! – this is a great business to run from your home. 

❓ See also: Beauty salon equipment and software
🎓Qualifications needed: Massage therapists in the UK need to hold a Level 3 qualification in massage therapy, such as a VTCT or ITEC diploma, and be registered with a professional body such as the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC)
📜Rules and regulations: You should be registered with a professional body such as the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC)
💵 Cost: Start from £30 for a basic massage table

7. Home hairdresser

Whatever the economic climate, hair just keeps on growing. But why pay for a salon and associated overheads (no pun intended) when you can provide hair styling and cutting services to clients in your (or their) own home? Since the pandemic, the home hairdressing industry is on the rise due to its convenience and personalised service. You could start small by doing “dos” for friends and family and use word of mouth and social media to build your clientele. 

❓ See also: How to start a hair stylist business
🎓Qualifications needed: Hairdressers in the UK need to hold a Level 2 or 3 hairdressing qualification
📜Rules and regulations: You must register with your local council.
💵 Cost: Start from £15 for basic hairdressing scissors

8. Tailoring and clothes alterations

If you are a demon at darning or a ninja with a needle, consider offering clothing alterations and repairs to customers. According to GlobalData, the clothes resale market in the UK grew by 149% between 2016 and 2022 and is forecast to rise by 67.5% from 2022 to 2026. As more and more people embrace the fashion circular economy, this means a huge amount of potential customers looking for nipping and tucking. 

❓ See also: How to start a clothes shop
🎓Qualifications needed: None
📜Rules and regulations: None
💵 Cost: Start from £0

9. Music tutor

In the UK, the music education industry is worth an estimated £4.5 billion and is expected to continue growing, driven by an increasing number of enthusiastic music learners of all ages. You don’t need to be a virtuoso violinist but you do need to be able to play your instrument reasonably well and have a quiet space from which to teach and tolerant neighbours – especially drumming tutors! Reading music would be a bonus and plenty of music tutors are self-taught. 

❓ See also: Starting a tutoring business: 5 simple steps
🎓Qualifications needed: None
📜Rules and regulations: None
💵 Cost: Start from £0

10. Airbnb host

The rise of the post-pandemic staycation is here to stay. Whether it’s a peaceful rural retreat in the Cotswolds or an avant-garde flat in the middle of London, AirBnBs are a solid investment as there’ll always be someone out there looking for a holiday. You’ll need to ensure you own your property (or have permission from the owner), cosy up your space, and make sure you have great pictures for your listing. 

❓ See also: How to start a bed and breakfast business
🎓Qualifications needed: None
📜Rules and regulations: Hosts are required to meet certain safety requirements, such as providing smoke alarms and ensuring that gas and electrical appliances are safe, and should check with their insurance provider to see if they need additional coverage for short-term rentals
💵 Cost: Start from £0 (if you already own a property, that is)

11. Customised stationery design

Why should customers settle for boring, run-of-the-mill invitations, announcements and celebration cards when they could have bespoke pieces that reflect their unique style and personalities? The stationery market in the UK is worth a whopping £2bn annually, and the trend for one-of-a-kind items is on the rise. Whether it’s a wedding, a birthday bash, or a corporate or community function, you could use your artistic aesthetic to help people make a statement with their stationery.

❓ See also: Letterhead requirements: legal procedures you need to follow
🎓Qualifications needed: None, but it would be beneficial to have a background in graphic design, as well as an understanding of printing techniques and materials
📜Rules and regulations: None
💵 Cost: Start from £20 for paper and pens at your local stationery store

12. Homemade or artisanal dog treats and snacks

Post-pandemic pooch passion persists! Take advantage of this doggy love by running a homemade artisanal dog treats and snacks business. You could create unique and delicious dog treats and package and market the products from your own kitchen. The UK pet food market is valued at £2.6bn annually, so plenty of opportunity for some canine kerching!

❓ See also: Best business ideas for 2023: pet care
🎓Qualifications needed: None
📜Rules and regulations: Check basic requirements at gov.uk
💵 Cost: Start from £0

13. Valet service

A valet service provides a range of car-related services, such as parking, cleaning, and maintenance, to customers. In the UK, the carwashing and valet industries are worth over £1 billion, with a projected market size of £9.8 billion by 2025. With no skills and minimal marketing required, this is a great business to run from your home (or the street outside to be more precise). 

❓ See also: How to start a car valeting business
🎓Qualifications needed: None
📜Rules and regulations: You should follow environmental and health and safety regulations, such as obtaining a trade effluent consent (trade effluent is any liquid waste that’s discharged into our sewers from a business, industrial or trade process)
💵 Cost: Start from £50 for cleaning products and equipment

14. Takeaway service

Forget the image of a traditional takeaway with flock wallpaper and an over-handled bowl of mints. These days, a takeaway service can involve providing home-cooked meals and drinks for customers to consume off-premises or catering for functions and events. The current UK takeaway sector is worth over £4.9 billion, and the industry is expected to continue growing due to the increasing popularity of delivery services. So if you’ve got a kitchen that can handle cooking in quantities and a talent for tasty tidbits, this could be a venture for you.

❓ See also: Best takeaway POS systems for 2023
🎓Qualifications needed: None
📜Rules and regulations: You will need to register with your local council’s environmental health service, follow food hygiene regulations, and comply with allergen labelling requirements
💵 Cost: £0

15. Vegan candle maker

According to a report by The Vegan Society, the vegan lifestyle market in the UK is now worth over £3.5 billion, and the demand for vegan products, including candles, is growing rapidly. This is a super easy business to set up and you can sell your offerings at local markets, fairs and gift shops or go the ecommerce route and sell online.

❓ See also: The 6 best ecommerce platforms for small businesses in 2023
🎓Qualifications needed: None
📜Rules and regulations: None
💵 Cost: Start from £0

16. Plant rental service

Yes, you read correctly. Plant rental services are a thing. A plant rental service offers the rental of indoor plants to offices, homes, and events for decoration and air-purifying purposes and is a great home-based idea for the green-fingered. You will probably require some suitable outside space though unless you want your living room to resemble a jungle. 

❓ See also: Best business ideas for 2023: wellbeing
🎓Qualifications needed: None
📜Rules and regulations: None
💵 Cost: Start from £0

17. Crafter

As with vegan candle making, whether you’re a perfect potter, a master mason, or wondrous at woodwork, you can make your wares at home and sell them. However, passing on your skills could also be a great new business opportunity. The popularity of craft workshops and craft teaching – whether in real life or virtually – has dramatically risen, fuelled by Gen Zers who want to reconnect with the physical, manual world. Your crafting skills could be a crafty little money-spinner. 

❓ See also: Business ideas for 2020: craft teaching
🎓Qualifications needed: None
📜Rules and regulations: None
💵 Cost: Start from £0

18. Antique dealer

If you’re a connoisseur of antiques or a history nerd, dealing with antiques could be your next entrepreneurial project. However, keep in mind this one is trickier than the average trade. Whilst the Antiques Roadshow may paint a rosy picture of what the business is like, in reality, it involves lots of detective work, patience, and arduous competition. It’s definitely a tough venture to launch, but with the right marketing and negotiating skills, you’ll be able to set yourself up for success. 

❓ See also: How to start an antique business
🎓Qualifications needed: None
📜Rules and regulations: None
💵 Cost: Start from £0, however, if you’re looking for a specialist niche, collecting all your merchandise could take months and has high upfront costs (£25,000-35,000)

19. Pet clothing designer

A pet clothing designer creates fashionable and/or functional clothing for pets. This can include anything from doggy dresses to cat coats. In the UK, pet owners spend an average of £70 a month on their pets, according to a study by American Express. The study also found that 43% of pet owners would be willing to spend up to £50 on a luxury pet accessory. Obviously an interest in animals and fashion would be a good starting point here – and there’s a lot of competition – but our love affair with our pets isn’t going away anytime soon.

❓ See also: How to start a clothing line
🎓Qualifications needed: None
📜Rules and regulations: None
💵 Cost: Start from £0

20. Offer lodgings

This idea is as old as the hills but fantastic as a home business nonetheless, providing you own your own property and have a spare room. More and more people are resorting to renting a room in a private home as it makes financial sense with rents skyrocketing. Plus, many more workers need a city pied-a-terre when commuting from the countryside. However, don’t make the mistake of thinking that because it’s your home, you can do what you like. Do implement a tenancy contract agreement and make sure you don’t fall foul of the rules and regs. 

❓ See also: How to become a landlord
🎓Qualifications needed: None
📜Rules and regulations: There are a host of rules and regulations that you will need to comply with. Landlords offering Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) must obtain a licence from their local council; all accommodation must be safe and provide maintained smoke detectors, electrical wiring, and gas appliances. Landlords are also required to protect any deposit paid by the tenant in a government-approved scheme. These are just some of the main rules and regulations for offering lodging in the UK, but landlords should also check with their local council to ensure that they are complying with any additional requirements specific to their area
💵 Cost: You will need to own a home in order to start this business, as it will include the expense of your mortgage payments, utility bills, insurance, taxes, and maintenance costs. Additionally, if you plan to provide additional services or amenities such as breakfast, cleaning services, or laundry facilities, these will also incur additional costs

21. Business development caller

Let’s call a spade a spade. A business development or “cold” caller is essentially someone employed to make an unsolicited phone call to a potential customer to sell products or services. Whilst we all know how annoying these calls can be, there’s a reason they still happen – they work. And that’s where you come in. You can start a business as a “cold” caller from the warmth and comfort of your own home. Entry requirements are low level – a courteous telephone manner and bags of resilience will see you right. 

❓ See also: Small business telemarketing services
🎓Qualifications needed: None
📜Rules and regulations: None
💵 Cost: Start from £0 although you will need a phone and to decide with your client how your bill will be paid

22. Home personal trainer

A home personal trainer provides fitness training and coaching services to clients who want all the benefits of a gym without all the other muscly, sweaty people. The UK fitness industry is worth over £5 billion, and it is projected to continue growing due to the increasing awareness of the importance of a healthy lifestyle. So with tons of potential trainees out there, this idea is ideal for someone who already loves fitness and has some equipment at home. 

❓ See also: How to start a personal trainer business
🎓Qualifications needed: None
📜Rules and regulations: None
💵 Cost: Start from £0

23. Laundry service

If you’ve got a washing machine and are fabulous at folding, this could be a simple and lucrative business to start and run from your home. With the rising demand for convenience and time-saving services, plus the growing number of people renting out their places via sites like Airbnb, there are piles and piles of dirty laundry that need outsourcing. According to a report by IBISWorld, the UK laundry and dry-cleaning industry is currently worth over £3 billion. Get your wedge of the washing pile pie by offering specialist services such as green cleans or delicates days. 

❓ See also: Startups Awards finalist Laundryheap raises £2m to hit £17m valuation
🎓Qualifications needed: None
📜Rules and regulations: None
💵 Cost: Start from £0

24. Ironing service

All you need to get this business started is an iron and an ironing board. As people get busier and seek more and more convenience, plus the AirBnB market grows, there’s a huge demand for pressed work clothes and wrinkle-free bedding. This may also be a complimentary add-on to a laundry or cleaning service. 

❓ See also: Laundry start-up ihateironing.com bags £120,000 investment
🎓Qualifications needed: None
📜Rules and regulations: None
💵 Cost: Start from £0

25. Gardener

A great side hustle if you don’t mind getting your hands dirty – people always need lawns mowing, shrubs pruning and leaves clearing. You can start small and as your confidence and expertise grows, acquire equipment and offer landscaping services too. There’s no requirement for formal training but some knowledge of plants would be useful. According to a report by AMA Research, the UK landscaping services market is worth over £5 billion, and it is projected to continue growing due to the increasing demand for maintenance of commercial and communal outdoor spaces. 

❓ See also: How to become a gardener
🎓Qualifications needed: None
📜Rules and regulations: None
💵 Cost: Start from £0