How to Generate Passive Income - UK 2023 (10 Simple and Effective Ways)

So, what is passive income, how is it defined, and what is the best way to get started with passive income investing?

Put simply, passive income is money you generate without directly working for it.

This could mean putting in the time to write a book and earn royalties or buying a property and earning a regular rental income.

On this list, however, we will not be including any methods that require a huge time investment as this means they’re not exactly passive – and that’s kind of what you’re here for right? Well, it should be…

While other lists on the internet will include methods like writing a book, starting a business, or making YouTube videos, these strategies are simply ineffective in generating passive income as they require a substantial time investment at the start.

So if it’s TikTok fame and fortune you’re looking for, sorry, but now’s the time to press the back button. Thanks for stopping by all the same!

In short, all methods on this list will be straightforward and consume very little time but may require a significant initial investment. Additionally, we’ll be paying particular attention to passive income investing in the UK.

Financial Investment: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★​
Return Potential: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★​

Of the most effective ways to generate a lucrative passive income, UK real estate investment is up there with the best.

Real estate investment, otherwise known as property investment or buy-to-let investment, is the process of buying a property to rent to tenants.

As a method of generating passive income, real estate (or rental property) is ideal as it can give investors monthly passive income through rent.

Better yet, rental property is subject to capital appreciation, which means its value increases over time.

Put simply, this will allow investors to sell the property further down the line for a sizeable cash payout.

This is true of the current UK market, where both property and rental values are set to rise significantly in the coming years, making buy to let property one of the best passive income investments in 2023.

In terms of lucrative passive income streams, UK real estate is one of the best investments you can make in 2023.

There are three main reasons for this.

1. Capital appreciation is soaring with property prices set to rise nationally by up to 20.2% in the North West by 2028.
2. The average UK rent is higher than ever – over £1,279 per month, according to HomeLet.
3. Property prices are set to drop briefly by 10% in 2023, making this an incredible opportunity to make money on UK property with future capital gains.

Another important factor is that real estate can also be made completely passive by hiring a property management company to handle all landlord duties.

Perhaps the biggest stumbling block for many will be the entry point.

After a record-breaking two years, property prices in 2023 are now £285,009 on average, according to the Land Registry.

However, you can acquire property for much less, especially if use the services of a property investment company or buy off-plan property.

Using these methods, you can start investing from as low as £34k, making this an attainable passive income investment.

This means whether you have £50k to spare or want to know how to invest 500k, real estate is an excellent option to consider.

Why Invest in Real Estate?

So, why is passive income from rental property so ideal?

Well, rent is one of the most hands-off ways to make a return on your passive income investment.

By investing some cash, you can quite simply sit back and watch your monthly rental income soar.

You can earn thousands each year on a single property, and if you buy more than one, you can double or even triple this income.

Many millionaires own multiple pieces of real estate, providing them with a stream of passive income sources.

In reality, if you own enough properties, you could replace your primary sources of income with property investment. Furthermore, if you’re looking for a lucrative area in which to generate such a passive income, UK property is well worth considering based on current market forecasts.

Pros of Income From Rental Property

• Easy to understand.
• Huge capital growth.
• Two forms of returns – rent and capital appreciation.
• Completely hands-off if you hire a property management company.
• Holds strong during market downturns.

Cons of Income From Rental Property

• More of a long-term strategy to allow the property to rise in value. However, if you’re looking to invest for retirement, this may be the perfect venture to consider.
• May lose out on income if the property is vacant.

Financial Investment: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
Return Potential: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

In terms of slightly more alternative ways to make passive income, UK investors have increasingly turned to Index funds.

In layman’s terms, an index fund is a collection of stocks that mirrors the stock market’s overall performance in a particular sector, such as energy, banking, and emerging markets.

It mirrors this performance through what are known as indexes.

Indexes monitor the health and performance of a market. They do this by monitoring a set number of prominent company stocks as a representative of the entire sector.

Examples of index funds include:

• American Vanguard 500 Index Fund – tracks the S&P 500.
• iShares Core FTSE 100 UCITS ETF – tracks the FTSE 100.
• Russell 2000
• Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index

In theory, index funds are ideal as you are essentially investing in a market rather than an individual company.

While companies rise and fall consistently, the market typically outperforms a single investment in the long run, making this a more stable means of making extra money.

Warren Buffet is a big fan of index funds and has argued it’s one of the better investment forms for retirement planning.

So, what are the benefits?

Fundamentally, index funds are easier to get started with, cheaper to purchase than normal stocks, and incur fewer fees than actively managed funds.

You won’t have to choose specific stocks when to buy and sell or rebalance your portfolio.

Instead, you can simply sit back, relax and let the stocks earn you extra cash.

Pros

• Lower risk than normal stocks.
• Lower entry fees than normal stocks.

Cons

• Not flexible as can’t choose what companies to invest in.
• Less chance of earning significant gains compared to managed funds.

Financial Investment: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
Return Potential: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Another of the lesser-known passive income ideas UK investors have found success in is peer-to-peer lending.

Peer-to-peer lending, otherwise known as P2P lending, is the process of individuals providing loans to other individuals or businesses.

They do so through online peer-to-peer lending websites, such as:

• Prosper
• Lending Club
• Upstart
• Peerform
• Funding Circle
• Payoff

Recently, P2P Lending has become a popular way to make money and is often seen as an excellent alternative to savings accounts and banks.

This is because it has netted investors very healthy profits and offers better returns and interest rates than a traditional savings account.

The process is beneficial for the borrower, too, as those borrowing can also earn better rates than a bank could offer.

How Does Peer-to-Peer Lending Work?

Using the sites mentioned, an investor can open an account and deposit money into it, which can be used for loans.

Then, any potential borrowers will follow five easy steps to apply for loans.

1. The borrower completes an online application on their chosen P2P lending platform.
2. The platform then assesses the application and evaluates the risk potential and credit rating of the borrower. Based on this risk, the borrower is assigned an interest rate.
3. The borrower sees available lenders based on the provided credit rating.
4. The borrower chooses a lender.
5. Upon acceptance, the borrower will then pay back the lender through monthly interest payments, with the platform taking a fee from both the lender and the borrower.

However, there is a chance the borrower could default on payments.

To reduce this risk, be sure to diversify your portfolio by loaning small amounts to various loanees and research your loanee’s profiles thoroughly to make an informed decision.

While there’s a learning curve reducing the level of passiveness, you can soon be investing and seeing returns regularly on autopilot.

A lucrative side hustle, when exploring how to make passive income, UK earners have been increasingly drawn to P2P lending, making this one of the more popular alternative passive income streams.

Pros

• Higher returns for investors than savings accounts.
• Widely accessible for borrowers.
• Better rates for those borrowing.

Cons

• Potentially risky – chance of borrowers defaulting on payments.
• No government protection.

Financial Investment: ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
Return Potential: ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆

Another straightforward form of passive income UK residents can adopt, savings accounts are one of the easiest methods to start building personal finance and don’t require any hard work.

If you shop around, you’ll find many savings accounts with respectable interest rates and in most cases, what you earn is tax-free.

However, choosing the right savings account can be difficult, and there are several things you need to consider while browsing.

1. Up to £85,000 per person is protected in the UK.
2. Interest from the savings you earn is tax-free for most people.
3. You don’t just have to put all your eggs in one basket and all your money in one bank.

Notably, with savings accounts, your returns will correlate with how much money you put in.

However, UK interest rates remain relatively low, so it’s unlikely you will make anything sizeable regardless of the investment size.

It’s still a wise move to put some money away. Who doesn’t want to earn money while saving?

For a full list of the best savings accounts with the best interest, be sure to check out your options online.

Pros

• Easy to open and can do so online.
• Cash is protected up to £85,000 in the UK.
• Interest is tax-free for most people.

Cons

• Low interest rates in 2023.
• Some accounts charge you for taking money.

Financial Investment: ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
Return Potential: ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

We all like buying stuff, right?

It’s nice to splash the cash every so often, but wouldn’t it be great if we could earn money while spending it?

Well, lucky you, as you can get some great savings through cashback rewards websites.

Cashback sites are a great method if you’re asking how to create passive income.

These sites will give you cash rewards if you use their affiliate links to buy products.

That means you can go onto these sites, click on a link to a shop, and then purchase as usual on their website.

This is an incredibly easy way to make some money, as you will likely already want to make a purchase from a particular website.

Using these websites will simply save you money by clicking on a link – it’s a no-brainer.

Sites like Quidco and TopCashback can also give you some freebies, with you earning cashback for mundane tasks like surveys.

It doesn’t even have to be restricted to the world of online shopping.

For instance, Quidco has an app that lets you earn money on the high street. All you have to do is buy a product and take a picture of the receipt.

One thing to keep in mind, though, is that some cashback sites can incur fees, with some requiring a premium membership.

Overall, though, these sites are a fantastic way of making a bit of extra cash in an incredibly easy way.

Pros

• An effortless way to make money.
• Clarity over exactly what rewards you will receive.

Cons

• Some sites can require premium memberships.
• Will need to research the best websites.
• Payment thresholds mean you won’t get rewards until you reach a certain amount in cashback rewards.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this post offering some insight into how to make passive income UK in ways that are both accessible and affordable.

However, the question remains: what exactly is the best passive income UK investors should consider in 2023?

Fundamentally, the best method for you will depend on exactly how much cash you have and how much you want to see in returns.

Generally, investment strategies that offer the highest returns require higher entry costs.

However, if you want high returns and have the cash, investing in real estate is by far one of the most lucrative and rewarding passive income sources.

This way, you can enjoy a sizeable monthly rental income of potentially over £1,000 while also seeing your property grow continuously in value.

No matter your entry cost, there is likely a property out there for you.

If you have £50k, £100k, or even £1 million to spend, we have the guide for you.

Just click on the links to read our free investment guides today.