Bu omitting the earnings of one in seven workers from jobs data, our economic policymakers are operating in the dark
Whether you view the self-employed as the silent victims of our invidious jobs market or emblems of a new spirit of entrepreneurialism spreading through society, what is beyond doubt is that the ranks of those working for themselves are swelling by the day.
The numbers have grown by a staggering 700,000 since the financial crisis. Sure, a big chunk of the recent surge is a result of weakness in the jobs market, with more people turning to self-employment as a last resort rather than as a first choice. But most say they are content with their status, and the trend was upwards well before the recession.
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