• 37% of people in the West Midlands are Miis (multi-income individuals) 

• People in the West Midlands make up 9% of the national Mii population

• Report reveals £30bn boost to UK economy thanks to extra earnings from Multi-income individuals (Miis)

• But 19% of Miis in Birmingham think there’s a stigma attached to having more than one income and 24% don’t want to talk it about with family or friends

• Utility Warehouse (UW) collaborated with the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) on a major new report exploring the economic impact of Miis

On average, Miis earn an extra £780 per month through their secondary income stream. However, the report from UW and Cebr found that 24% of those from Birmingham don’t want to talk it about with family or friends, with 21% believing they’d assume they are struggling with money. A further 19% believe there is a stigma attached to having more than one income. 

Despite this, Miis are helping to power the UK economy and last year spent £55 billion of their extra income on UK businesses - supporting more than 364,000 jobs to deliver a £30 billion boost to the nation’s coffers.

Reasons for local in Birmingham earning an additional source of income vary, but the cost of living crisis and rising household bills are the main factors, 36% and 35% respectively, while 23% of people cited the Covid-19 pandemic, 21% fear of a recession and 10% Brexit. 

UW wants to increase people’s understanding of why people become a Mii and help break down the barriers that prevent more people from earning an extra income. It has 60,000 Partners in all corners of the country and its word-of-mouth opportunity has enabled tens of thousands of people over the last 25 years to earn an extra income around their main job or other commitments. In Birmingham, there are more than 2,100 UW Partners. 

Andrew Lindsay, Co-CEO of Utility Warehouse, said: “Millions of people across the UK are turning to side-hustles or second jobs to make ends meet in the current cost of living crisis. We think these people - Miis - deserve greater recognition. They contribute billions of pounds to the economy through their extra work, but despite this, there’s a stigma attached to having more than one income and people don't want to talk about it - even with family or friends. We want to challenge these preconceptions so people with multiple incomes can continue to help power growth and opportunity across the UK.”

Jonathan Zink, a UW Partner based in Birmingham, said: “I took on an additional income 11 years ago, when I first became a UW Partner. I’d been working in Car Sales and Energy Sales previously, and I really liked the idea of a second income and the residual income - like an ongoing royalty - that UW offers. UW has since become our main income as we love the way we can control our diary and work when we want. It also gives us flexibility to work around our two children.”

Owen Good, Head of Economic Advisory, Cebr, said: "To our knowledge, this is the first and most detailed report of its kind, and provides significant insight into people who earn an extra income. Our research demonstrates the breadth and scale of these individuals across the UK, along with the associated economic contribution of this group. Over 20 million people across the UK have a secondary income and this figure is set to grow even further in the coming years. This provides a very significant boost for UK businesses, supporting jobs and increasing economic activity as Miis spend their additional income.”

The report is based on a detailed survey of 10,000 people who earn a second income from a wide range of sources from Airbnb hosts and bartenders to Ebay sellers and film extras, as well as UW Partners.