IPSE: Self-employed sector on the rise despite Brexit
IPSE (the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed) has welcomed new data showing the continued rise and resilience of the self-employed sector despite economic and political uncertainty.
New figures revealed by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show the self-employed sector has grown by 76,000 compared to the same time last year. The number of women in full-time self-employment has also continued to rise.
Ryan Barnett, IPSE’s Economic Policy Adviser, commented: “The self-employed sector is one of the UK’s biggest competitive advantages, contributing no less than £275bn to the economy each year.
“This data shows this sector is going from strength to strength because the freedom and flexibility of this way of working are still very attractive to people across the UK.
“What’s more, remote working opportunities, shared work spaces and new technology continue to open this way of working up to more and more people.
“To maintain and develop this vital sector, the government should give it the support it needs. Above all, it should not add more confusion to it with the hugely damaging proposed changes to IR35 next April.”
