Almost half of Britons in the era of Chancellor Rachel Reeves high-tax budget are at least £350 short of cash by the end of every month – forcing many to consider a part-time ‘hustle’ job to pay the bills.

Chancellor Reeves’ Autumn Budget was heavily criticised for hitting ordinary workers in the pay slips and adding more costs to already struggling businesses.

Now new research shows 45 per cent of working adults in the UK are short of cash each month by on average by £357, and are forced to use credits cards to get by.

But the study, by the Direct Selling Association, reveals that many are now looking at finding a second job they can do to top up their income and help lessen the financial pain.

The Direct Selling Association said it expects a surge of new independent sellers to join its members – the likes of Avon, Ann Summers and Oriflame – in 2025 as people look for ways to make up the shortfall.

An estimated 320,000 Britons are independent sellers for these brands, making an average of £833 per month selling items like cosmetics, perfumes and books – with 51 per cent doing so alongside another job.

Susannah Schofield OBE, director general of The Direct Selling Association, says: “This year is set to the be the year of the side hustle as increasing numbers of people look to top up their income.

“Formal second jobs aren’t a practical option for many, particularly those with families or other commitments, so direct selling, where you can make extra income flexibly in small pockets of time, is a popular option.

“Direct selling has moved on a lot from the days of ‘Ding Dong Avon calling’ – social media is now the largest sales channel with over a third (37 per cent) of sales being made on platforms such as Facebook and Instagram.”

Research found a third of Brits are considering ways to make extra cash specifically from home, turning their house into the hustle by renting out a room (6 per cent) or driveway (7 per cent), running a small business (18 per cent) or filming paid social media content (10 per cent) from their home.

Younger generations are significantly more likely to be in the red than older groups (55 per cent of 18 – 29-year-olds compared to just 31 per cent of those aged over 75) and are also twice as likely to consider a home hustle (26 per cent compared to just 3 per cent).

Regionally, those in Wales (51 per cent) are most likely to be short of money each month, compared to those living in the north and north east (Yorkshire and the Humber regions (37 per cent), the North East (33 per cent) and Scotland (42 per cent) who are the least likely to.

Direct selling is a channel of retail where products are sold directly to Consumers outside of a fixed retail environment.

This could be via social events, ‘Tupperware-style’ parties, digital social sharing or through brochure distribution. Individuals act as independent Sellers and earn through commission paid on product sales.

Direct Selling operates in a similar manner to a franchise, but start-up fees are considerably lower, and it is often free to get started.

Membership of the Direct Selling Association is only granted to companies which have satisfactorily undergone a full audit process.

By applying to join the Direct Selling Association, a company is proactively demonstrating its commitment to the higher standards of processes and business practices required of Direct Selling Association Members compared to non-members.