We all know how common self employment is becoming in the UK, but is everybody satisfied? According to new research…NO!
This research came from the CRSE, also known as the Centre for Research on Self Employment, and the IES, also known as the Institute for Employment Studies…they both teamed up for a joint venture to find out more about the self employed community.
The community includes contractors and freelancers of course, which is becoming a common choice for people who want to quit their job, work for themselves and make more money.
Anyway, one of the most interesting statistics to be uncovered during the research is the fact that 1 in 5 self employed are what they call “insecure,” which amounts to roughly 825,000 workers.
What exactly do they mean by insecure anyway? Apparently it is those self employed workers who are on low pay and dependent on one main employer to give them work on a regular basis. They say this includes workers such as cleaners, drivers, and labourers.
Who knows exactly if this is true or not. For all we know, this report could be a complete waste of time by the CRSE and IES, and would find its true place in the bin (which I’m sure is where many of these research projects end up).
On the other hand, they could very well be onto something here, and perhaps nearly a million of our nations self employed are “insecure” and in need of help.
The other end of the spectrum paints a rather different picture however, as the research shows us that 198,400 of self employed people have high pay, mid-independence and are secure, while 162,000 have high pay, complete independence, and yes…security.
I’m sure this includes a lot of contractors and freelancers, because from what I’ve been hearing the job market in this particular self employment niche is very secure right now, to the point where many are going home with bags of cash each and every week.
This certainly is a boom time for anyone that wants to call themselves a contractor or freelancer, as companies need the talent and are willing to pay top money in order to secure it.
Make no mistake, there is no “insecurity” to be found here. Take IT contractors as a perfect example, who are really in demand right now and can sometimes command a stunning £700 a day for simple tasks.
It’s a goldmine no doubt, but will it last? Experts are often debating this very question, but in my opinion, I think if you have the skills then you should always be able to get good work and be well paid. No need to be insecure at all.
