The figures complement the highest ever overall employment rate, while unemployment reached its lowest since January 2006. The further increase in self-employment suggests the downward trend experienced earlier in the year has now been reversed.
Chris Bryce, IPSE CEO, commented: “Today’s figures show the UK economy is edging closer to full employment, due in part to the surge in self-employment over the last ten years. There are now 4.6 million people working for themselves. They make up 15 per cent of the labour market – and provide invaluable specialist skills on a flexible basis.
“The contribution the self-employed make to the UK economy can’t be underestimated, as they raise more than £21 Billion for the exchequer each year. Independent professionals and people who work on a freelance basis want their contribution to be valued, and we call on Government to adopt policies that create conditions enabling even more people to begin working for themselves. We know from our own research that the vast majority of people who decide to work for themselves would never go back to working for someone else.”
