Uber woos European drivers with the launch of ‘Momentum’ rewards program, kicking off in the U.K.

Back in November, Uber introduced a new rewards program for its U.S.-based drivers, offering perks such as vehicle maintenance discounts, personalized healthcare recommendations, and discounts on wireless services. And today, Uber has revealed it’s looking to woo drivers internationally, starting with the U.K.

With Momentum’s U.K. launch, Uber is tweaking the available perks for the local market, as there’s no real need for healthcare recommendations in a country that already offers free healthcare.

Instead, Uber drivers may qualify for free MOTs (Britain’s legally required annual vehicle safety test) and car servicing discounts of “up to” 35 percent. There are also discounts available for car washing and valeting.

Elsewhere, Uber is offering what it calls “lifestyle” perks, such as online accountancy discounts, which serve as a gentle nudge for drivers to be wary of their annual tax obligations.

While the perks available at launch aren’t particularly extensive, Uber says more will be added over time, with the potential for more than £900 ($1,300) worth of benefits each year.

250 trips

To qualify for Momentum, Uber drivers must have completed 250 trips or more, though Uber doesn’t specify how many hours a week they must work thereafter. However, it does say that it “reserves the right to recall any Momentum Card from any Uber Partner” if they “don’t maintain an active status on the Uber platform.”

Although Uber divides the perks into “Business” and “Lifestyle,” the rewards are largely related to drivers’ work with Uber, so it will be interesting to see whether it introduces significant perks to the mix not related to work, such as gym discounts. As things stand, there isn’t a great deal in there to lure more drivers on board, though for those already plying their trade with Uber, the benefits are certainly better than nothing.

Prior to the launch of Momentum, Uber has offered other “perks” such as car-financing plans, as it looks to encourage more drivers to sign up, though these have drawn criticism in recent times for facilitating subprime lending.

Though it’s only available to U.K. drivers for now, Momentum will be rolling out to other European countries moving forward, Uber says.