Video Summary: Self-employed Workers in the UK, February 2013

The video covers the following:

• The number of workers who are self-employed in their main job rose 367,000 between 2008, the start of the economic downturn, and 2012.

• 60% of the increase in self-employed workers occurred between 2011 and 2012.

• 84% of the increase in self-employed workers since 2008 was for those aged 50 and above.

In 2012:

• Self-employed people worked longer hours than employees – on average 38 hours a week compared with 36 for employees.

• Self-employed workers tended to be older than employees and were more likely to be male.

• The four most common occupations for self-employment were taxi or cab drivers, ‘other construction trades’, carpenters and joiners and farmers.

• The proportion of workers who were self-employed was highest in London (18%), while the lowest proportion was in the North East (11%).
  

Source: Office for National Statistics

Background notes

1. Details of the policy governing the release of new data are available by visiting www.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/assessment/code-of-practice/index.html or from the Media Relations Office email: media.relations@ons.gsi.gov.uk

   These National Statistics are produced to high professional standards and released according to the arrangements approved by the UK Statistics Authority.