• Research
• 8 Feb 2023
• Joshua Toovey

• The solo self-employed workforce contributes an estimated £278bn a year to the UK economy.
• The number of working mothers in self-employment has increased by 55 per cent since 2008.
• Since 2013, the overall solo self-employed disabled population has increased by 42 per cent.
• Regionally, London, Scotland and Northern Ireland have seen increases in their solo self-employed population since 2021.

The research reveals that the solo self-employed sector contributes an impressive, estimated figure of £278 billion to the UK economy per year. Moreover, highly skilled freelancers (SOC1, SOC2 and SOC3) are estimated to provide approximately £126 billion of the £278 billion that solo self-employed workers generate – accounting for 45 per cent of the overall contribution.

Along with the impressive economic contribution, the report revealed that the number of working mothers in self-employment has increased by 55 per cent since 2008, now accounting for 13 per cent of all solo self-employed people (549,000 individuals). Exactly half (50%) of working mothers are now working in the top three highest skilled occupations (SOC1, SOC2 and SOC3).

Similarly, the research also found that the overall solo self-employed disabled population has been increasing year-on-year since 2013, increasing by 42 per cent during this time. Interestingly, the age group that has seen the highest increase amongst the disabled solo self-employed is the 60+ age band, experiencing an increase of 28 per cent between 2021 and 2022 – equivalent to 47,000 individuals.

Released annually, the IPSE Self-Employed Landscape report provides a snapshot of how the past year has impacted the sector, reviewing both the solo self-employed (self-employed individuals who do not have employees) and freelancers (those operating in the top three SOC groups).

Regionally, Northern Ireland (13%), London (10%), Scotland (10%), and South West England (9%) have seen increases in their solo self-employed population since 2021. Whilst Wales (-17%), the East of England (-9%), North East England (-9%), North West England (-6%), the West Midlands (-5%) and the East Midlands (-4%) reported decreases.

The report also reviewed the major occupations of the solo self-employed workforce, with the UK’s self-employed predominantly working in construction and building trades (360,000), as road transport drivers (284,000), in artistic, literary and media occupations (274,000), or in agricultural and related trades (189,000).

Read the full report here