A surge in the number of women working for themselves has contributed to a marked increase in the number of self-employed, a report shows.
Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveal that 154,000 more people are self-employed compared with this time last year.
In total 4.4 million individuals are now working for themselves across the UK.
The data show a significant rise in the number of women choosing to work for themselves, with an additional 93,000 self-employed women compared to the same time last year.
The new figures have been welcomed by IPSE (the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed).
Andy Chamberlain, Director of Policy, said: “The data mark a return to year-on-year self-employment growth for the third consecutive quarter.
“This is a very positive sign that the economy is perhaps starting to recover from the damage done by the pandemic, which put more than 700,000 freelancers and sole traders out of business.
“A bigger self-employed population is good news for businesses looking to recruit flexible talent on an interim basis, at a time when economic conditions might make a permanent hire less attractive.
“We know that people choose self-employment for overwhelmingly positive reasons, whether it’s to follow a passion, to work more flexibly, or to be your own boss.
“That more and more people are choosing to strike out on their own once again is something to applaud.
“As was the case throughout the 2010s, much of the past year’s growth came from greater inflows of women into self-employment – yet another sign that the sector is returning to pre-pandemic trends.”
