Female contractors driving self-employment to record figures

Latest findings reveal that self-employment has reached record figures, passing the five million mark.

The IPSE is attributing this to the rise in female contractors and has also pointed to its own research showing that contractors are choosing this method of working for overwhelmingly positive reasons.

Inna Yordanova, Senior Researcher at IPSE (the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed), explained further, “The figures today show the freedom and flexibility of self-employment are very attractive to more and more people across the UK. Especially women. Female freelancers are at the forefront of the self-employed revolution. Although there are still more self-employed men, the number of women going into self-employment is rising at a faster rate.”

Yordanova added, “Not only have 16,000 more women gone into self-employment than men in the last quarter. Our research also shows the number of women in self-employment has grown by 57 per cent in the last ten years compared to 25 per cent among men. And there was an even more remarkable 63 per cent increase in the number of highly skilled female freelancers.

“What’s more, we have also found they are going into self-employment for overwhelmingly positive reasons like having more freedom to choose where they work (83% of freelancers said this was a factor), when they work (84%) and having a better work-life balance (73%).

“Freedom, flexibility and choice: these are the watchwords for the self-employed that are driving this revolution. Especially among female freelancers. Now it is up to the government to make sure this vital and growing sector has the support and freedom it needs.”

To find out more about contracting please contact Jaime on 01442 795 100 or email jaime.thorpe@contractorumbrella.com.