Breastfeeding and returning to Uber, Deliveroo or Flex

Sponsor policy: NO sponsor placement per Kiln safety policy.

The grey area you are in

Employment Rights Act 1996 and HSE guidance give breastfeeding employees a right to risk assessments and suitable facilities to rest and express milk. That protection is strongest for full employees. Uber BV v Aslam [2021] UKSC 5 made Uber drivers "workers" for some rights, but not full "employees", which means classic breastfeeding protections do not automatically transfer. The law here is a grey zone. You are more protected than the platforms pretend, and less protected than a PAYE office worker.

There is no hard, universal right to paid pumping breaks for a self-employed gig worker. You set your own shifts, so technically you can take breaks whenever you want. In practice, platform metrics, block deadlines and earnings pressure push you to skip them.

Where to pump

In a public gig context you build your own safe list. Service stations with family rooms are the best public option. Big supermarkets with quiet toilets. Women's centres sometimes welcome you. A parked vehicle with windscreen sun-shades and blinds works in a pinch, but plan where you park: not isolated, not unlit, not a place where someone can approach.

Storage matters. An insulated cool bag with ice packs keeps expressed milk safe for the NHS-recommended window for transport home. Label bottles with time and date.

Dashcams and privacy

Dashcams and in-car CCTV that capture you pumping raise and dignity issues. If the camera is not legally required for your licensing authority or fleet, turn it off when you pump. If it is required, check whether it stores footage locally on a card you control or streams to a fleet server, because that changes who sees it.

ICO guidance on dashcams treats in-vehicle recordings as personal data when people are identifiable. Express milk sessions are obviously sensitive. You are within your rights to pause recording for private moments, and to ask your insurer or fleet operator in writing what their recording policy says. Keep that email in case of a later dispute.

Practical shift patterns

Plan feeds and pumps around shift blocks, not the other way round. Break a 6-hour Flex block into two 2.5-hour blocks with a pump in between, if you can. On Uber, go offline to pump, do not try to squeeze it between pings. On Deliveroo, stop accepting orders, find your safe spot, and come back when you are done.

If you are mixed feeding, carrying formula gives you flexibility on days when pumping is not possible.

When to get help

• National Breastfeeding Helpline 0300 100 0212.
• La Leche League GB laleche.org.uk for peer support.
• Maternity Action 0808 802 0029 for back-to-work rights.
• Acas 0300 123 1100 for employer duties if you also have a PAYE role.
• ICO ico.org.uk for dashcam data rights questions.

Action steps

• Map 5-10 safe pump spots on your usual patch before your first shift back.
• Carry an insulated cool bag, ice packs, spare bottles and labels.
• Check whether any dashcam or in-car camera is legally required. If not, turn it off when pumping.
• Get your fleet operator's camera policy in writing.
• Plan shifts in blocks with pumping built in, not squeezed between pings.
• See a GP or health visitor if you are struggling with supply, mastitis or pain.

Related guides

• Planning late-pregnancy stop date
• 39-week payment window and return timing
• ICO guidance in full

Last reviewed

19 April 2026