30,000 increase in number of UK self employed

The number of self employed people in the UK has risen by 30,000 after a seven month decline, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The figure, for the three months up to September 2015, is significantly higher than the same point last year and coincides with a record high in employment in the labour market – the number of 16 to 64 year-olds in work has increased by 0.3% to 73.7%.

On the statistics, Simon McVicker, IPSE policy director, said:

‘The figures show the resilience of the self-employed sector in what is becoming an increasingly difficult regulatory environment. Make no mistake, independent professionals are a huge contributor to the flexibility and growth of our economy, they are here to stay.

“We will be celebrating the vital work of one part of the self-employed community with National Freelancers’ Day tomorrow, Thursday 12 November. It is an opportunity to showcase the value this part of the labour market brings to the UK economy.”