Freelance market on the up

More and more people are opting to live the life of a freelance worker as businesses choose to ëflexí their skills needs.

Latest figures released by the Economic and Labour Market Review, from the Office of National Statistics, show self-employment at a 10-year high, at 13.1% of the working population ñ a total of 3.8 million people.

Experts at people4business.com, the online business that matches companies with freelancers and contractors, believe the figures underline a significant shift towards employers ëflexingí their skills requirements.

ìBusinesses are increasingly opting for a short-term injection of high value skills and knowledge to gain competitive advantage,î says Duncan Taylor, Managing Director of people4business.com.

ìAt the same time, more people are opting for self employment to maximise their income and to achieve a greater work-life balance.î

Moreover, the number of full-time employees in the third quarter of 2006 fell by 123,000, confirming that the trend for freelance working continues to grow. It was the second quarter in three in which self-employment outstripped ëtraditionalí employee status.