Female contractors driving the UK’s self-employed revolution

With a 334,000 (63%) rise in highly-skilled female contractors, this has driven the country’s self-employed revolution over the last 10 years.

According to latest research from the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed (IPSE), the professions that saw the largest rises over the last decade were health, the arts and media, and functional directors within companies.

Interestingly, alongside an increase in senior-level women, the number of self-employed mothers rose by 80%.

Caroline Morgan from IPSE, commented on the findings, “This is brilliant news for the UK economy, with highly skilled women adding their knowledge and experience to a wide range of organisations and industries. Women are recognising that freelancing is a great career choice.

“The senior women I speak to chose to be their own boss for a wide range of reasons, from variety in their career to balancing family life. As a freelancer I have been able to find that balance outside the confines of a corporate structure.

“The country increasingly relies on highly skilled freelancers to innovate and share knowledge across a wide range of industries as our labour force modernises to compete around the world.

“More than ever, this shows that freelancing is a feminist issue, and that we urgently need the Government to modernise its tax and employment systems to support it.”

To find out more about contracting please contact Sophie on 01442 795 100 or email sophie.lewis@contractoumbrella.com.