Escorting means being paid for your time and companionship, and in England, Wales and Scotland it is legal for adults who choose to do it. If you are thinking about it, the most important things to understand first are the law, your safety and how you want to work. This guide covers each of them, and how to list a profile in London when you are ready.
In short
- You must be 18 or over, and it must be your own choice.
- Working alone is legal. Working with others from the same place can count as a brothel.
- Independent or agency: each has trade-offs in control, safety and income.
- Earnings are taxable, so register as self-employed with HMRC.
- Safety first: screen bookings, tell someone where you are, and use support services.
Is escorting legal in the UK?
In England, Wales and Scotland, it is legal for an adult to be paid for companionship and to decide what happens in private with another consenting adult. Some related activities are offences, and the ones that matter most when you are working are:
- Working with others from the same premises. In law, a place where more than one person sells sex can be a brothel, even if you work separately and share the costs. Working alone from your own place is not.
- Soliciting in public. Persistently loitering or soliciting in a street or public place is an offence. Escorts advertise and take bookings privately instead.
- Being controlled. Anyone who causes, incites or controls your work for their own gain is committing an offence.
In Northern Ireland, paying for sexual services is an offence, which affects clients there. Our guide is it legal to see an escort in the UK explains the law in more detail. It is general information, not legal advice.
Independent or agency?
Working independently gives you full control: your own rates, hours, clients and boundaries, and you keep everything you earn. It also means handling your own advertising, calls, screening and safety.
Working with an agency means someone else takes the calls, advertises your profile and arranges bookings, usually for a share of each fee. A good agency is open about its terms, never holds on to your documents or your money, and lets you turn down any booking. If an agency pressures you, takes your passport or won’t let you leave, that is exploitation, and help is available.
Our guide to independent escorts and agencies looks at the differences from a client’s point of view, which is useful to understand too.
Staying safe
- Screen bookings. Take a name and phone number, and trust your instincts if a conversation feels wrong.
- Tell someone. Let a friend know where you are going and when you expect to finish, and agree a time to check in.
- Set your boundaries in advance and stick to them. You can end a booking at any time.
- Take payment at the start of the booking.
- Join National Ugly Mugs, a UK charity that shares alerts about dangerous clients and supports sex workers confidentially.
- Look after your sexual health. NHS sexual health clinics offer free, confidential testing and advice.
Money and tax
Income from escorting is taxable like any other self-employed work. Register as self-employed with HMRC, keep records of what you earn and spend, and file a Self Assessment tax return each year. Allowable business costs, such as advertising and your work phone, can reduce your tax bill. An accountant who works with self-employed people can help you get it right.
Your profile and photos
- Use recent, genuine photos. Clients trust profiles that look like the person they will meet, and you can blur or crop your face to protect your privacy.
- Be clear about your rates for incall and outcall, and how long each booking lasts.
- List the areas you cover, so clients know whether you can meet them.
- Keep personal details private. Use a separate work phone, and make sure nothing in your photos shows where you live.
Listing on London Escorts Hub
London Escorts Hub is a directory where clients browse London escorts by area, with rates and dated verification badges on every profile. We check every profile before it goes live, charge a flat fee with no commission, and never take bookings or payments from your clients. Independent escorts and agencies can apply on the advertise page, and how we verify explains the checks.
Getting help
National Ugly Mugs supports sex workers across the UK in confidence, and in an emergency, always call 999.