03.08.2012: UK freelancers grow by 12%
A third of UK businesses use freelancers on a weekly basis and 41% plan to engage in the coming year.
Official Government figures have endorsed a new independent report showing that the number of freelancers in the UK has grown by 12%, revealing more people are opting to become self-employed.
The report, carried out by the Professional Contractors Group (PCG), shows that UK businesses are hiring more independent professionals to complete specialist project work, with a third using freelancers on a weekly basis and 41% planning to engage in the coming year.
The Government’s latest employment figures – published by the Office of National Statistics – reflects this growing trend, highlighting a rise in self-employment coupled with unemployment falling by 65,000. This is further proof that freelancing has become a vital component of the UK’s economic recovery.
John Brazier, Managing Director of PCG, supports this view; “The findings prove that freelancing is now one of the cornerstones of the UK economy. This data is especially important now as it shows that in tough economic conditions, the ability to be flexible is critical – both for businesses and individuals looking for work.
Flexible workers such as contractors and freelancers now account for 6% of the UK’s workforce, making it a significant constituency within the UK workforce deserving of a voice at policymaking and governmental levels.”
The report will help provide contractors and freelancers, and their representative bodies, with a powerful tool for engaging with policy makers at a national and European level.
