The number of self-employed workers in the UK has increased significantly between 2001 and 2016, rising from 3.3 million to 4.8 million people, according to a study conducted by the Office for National Statistics. This boom in self-employment, which accounts for around one third of the rise in employment over the past fifteen years, has led to new worker profiles - older and more and more likely to have a university degree. However, their level of pay continues to fall short of that enjoyed by their employed counterparts.
The ONS report on trends in self-employment, which seeks to find out what kinds of workers fall into this category, comes shortly after the UK government committed to launching a consultation on how workers are categorised (see article n°10554). The consultation will consider what can be done to more clearly define the status of workers in self-employment, especially at a time when the gig economy is booming. The ONS study, published on 7 February, contradicts a number of preconceived ideas but
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