Contact Us

The appeal of self-employment among the British workforce continues with the self-employed population growing by a further 88,000 in the three months to July, compared to the same time last year.

The figures show that there are now 4.85 million self-employed professionals working across the UK, amounting to more than 15% of the nation’s entire workforce.

The rise in self-employment has pushed unemployment levels across the UK to its lowest levels since 1975 at 4.3%. The unemployment level has almost halved since 2010, with the total number of employees in the UK growing by 292,000, compared with the same period last year. This means the UK now has over 27 million employees, demonstrating a strong labour market.

However, self-employed individuals are the only facet of the British workforce to experience a significant uplift of income in terms of hourly rate growth. The average hourly rate soared by almost 27% between 2010-2015 compared with a 4.52% rise for full-time employees.

Tom Purvis, political and economic adviser at the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed (IPSE), said: “The latest figures show the continuing strength and success of the UK labour market. This success can be attributed to more and more people opting to become self-employed.

"Being self-employed can be hard work, but research has shown that the majority enjoy what they do.

"Our research shows that when people make the decision to go self-employed, very few would consider giving it up for a job where someone else is your boss.

"At a time when the UK economy has to navigate its way through EU negotiations, it is imperative that we continue to promote a flexible UK labour market. It has been responsible for almost half of the recent growth in the labour market as a whole and this development needs to be supported.”

Thinking of going self-employed? If you’re keen to set up your own business as a sole trader and offer a more personal approach to your potential customer base, your local TaxAssist Accountant can help make life simpler by handling all of your bookkeeping and accountancy tasks for a fixed fee.

For an initial consultation about your financial situation, please don’t hesitate to call us today on 0800 0523 555 or drop us a line using our online enquiry form.

Date published 19 Sep 2017 | Last updated 19 Sep 2017

Choose the right accounting firm for you

Running your own business can be challenging so why not let TaxAssist Accountants manage your tax, accounting, bookkeeping and payroll needs? If you are not receiving the service you deserve from your accountant, then perhaps it’s time to make the switch?

Local business focus icon

Local business focus

We specialise in supporting independent businesses and work with 80,684 clients. Each TaxAssist Accountant runs their own business, and are passionate about supporting you.

Come and meet us icon

Come and meet us

We enjoy talking to business owners and self-employed professionals who are looking to get the most out of their accountant. You can visit us at any of our 409 locations, meet with us online through video call software, or talk to us by telephone.

Switching is simple icon

Switching is simple

Changing accountants is easier than you might think. There are no tax implications and you can switch at any time in the year and our team will guide you through the process for a smooth transition.

See how TaxAssist Accountants can help you with a free, no obligation consultation

0800 0523 555

Or contact us