Business News 07 Feb 2013

Downturn sparks surge in self-employment

The number of self-employed workers in the UK has risen by almost 10% since the start of the recession, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

A new report by the ONS has found that 367,000 more people were self-employed in 2012 when compared to the start of the financial crisis in 2008.

Of this figure, more than 200,000, or 60%, became self-employed between 2011 and 2012.

Conversely, the number of employees has fallen by 434,000 over the last four years.

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