Header logo
Log in
Hero image Advice Entrepreneurs Relief

Freelancers slash day rates by 16% as businesses hit the brakes on hiring

IPSE comments on new data indicating that freelance rates have dropped significantly in the second quarter of 2024.

About us simpler
IPSE Press Office
11 Sep 2024
1 minutes
Share

Freelancers slashed their day rates by an average of £90 last quarter in a bid to win work during a cooling jobs market, the UK’s freelance trade body said today.

The Freelancer Confidence Index, a quarterly survey run by self-employed trade body IPSE, found that the average freelance day rate stood at £457 in Q2 2024 – down from £547 in the previous quarter.

Andy Chamberlain, IPSE’s Policy Director, said: “We usually see a seasonal drop in day rates in the second quarter of each year, but this year’s data shows that freelancers have cut their rates more aggressively than usual.

“We expect this is down to the wider cooling of the jobs market, as hirers cut back on recruitment plans in the face of higher interest rates. Freelancers are responding to this by slashing their day rates in the hopes of remaining attractive to hirers with tighter budgets.”

ENDS

Read the report

Latest self-employed news & opinions

Year end tax planning 2026 2
Year-end tax planning opportunities for the self employed
+3 more

As the tax year draws to a close, our specialist financial advisory partner Chase de Vere summarise the key things to think about before tax year-end.

05 Mar 2026
Author default profile picture
Chase de Vere
How to build self employed financial resilience 2
How the self-employed can build more financial stability
+3 more

Practical tips for the self-employed to manage income volatility, grow savings, and strengthen long-term financial resilience.

04 Mar 2026
Josh Toovey Headshot
Josh Toovey
Self employed finances in fragile state 2
Self-employed finances in “fragile” state, warns IPSE
+3 more

New research into the financial health of the self-employed sector has found that more than 1.5 million have little cash in reserve, with many more struggling to ...

02 Mar 2026
About us simpler
IPSE Press Office
IPSE-LOGO-HEADER

Join our newsletter

Registered in England and Wales, no 03770926. 4th Floor, 95 Gresham Street, City of London, London EC2V 7AB