IPSE, the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self Employed, has today welcomed the latest ONS Labour Market Statistics, which show the steady rise of self-employment in the UK continues.
There are now a further 88,000 people in self-employment, an increase of 2% on the year. Once again, the number of women going it alone has dramatically increased. From October to December 2013 to October to December 2014 an extra 77,000 women chose to become their own boss, a huge rise of 5.6%.
Commenting on the ONS figures, Chris Bryce, Chief Executive of IPSE, said:
“The steady march of the self-employed continues and the employment rate in the UK now stands at 73.2% of the working population, its joint highest rate.
“It’s particularly pleasing to see the trend in women becoming their own boss, shown in last month’s Labour Market Stats, continue apace. The rise in the number of women heading into business for themselves over the last year is a whopping fourteen times higher than that of men.
“As we inch closer to the General Election, the parties must further strengthen their commitments to supporting the UK’s 4.5 million independent professionals. We welcome Conservative efforts towards ending late payment of small suppliers and providing free wifi on trains, while Labour’s plans are positive but could go much further to ensure they support this vital section of the UK’s economy”.
