IPSE Annual Review 2017
- 26 Feb 2018
With so many substantial policy victories, an influential manifesto, landmark research, countless fantastic member partnerships, our biggest National Freelancers Day and a record-breaking year in the press, 2017 was certainly one of the most successful and exciting years in IPSE’s history.
At a time when the overwhelming benefits of self-employment are stimulating a surge in the number of people working for themselves; whether freelancer or consultant, contractor or interim, our mission continues to be supporting and championing anyone going it alone.
However, despite the fact that the self-employed contribute £255 billion to the UK economy every year – enough to fund the NHS, twice – this flexible, dynamic and highly-skilled subset of our workforce is underappreciated and under attack from the Government.
We were there to warn against ill-advised policy suggestions relating to issues such as NICs and IR35, but at the same time IPSE also exists to support sustainable and beneficial strategies that allow the self-employed to drive growth and innovation such as the Government’s Taylor Review of modern employment practices.
Despite the challenges they face, both inherently and those imposed on them, self-employment carries overwhelming advantages which we cannot forget. This section of our workforce, from young professionals working in the gig economy to retirees supplementing their pensions, is continuing to drive the UK through the uncertain political and economic times ahead.
With so many challenges, and significant plans afoot in 2018 – including the planning for IPSE’s 20th anniversary in 2019 – the next 12 months promises to be another busy and exciting time.
The annual review can be read in full here.
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