Record self-employment powered by female freelancers

New Government figures show a record high of people working for themselves - leading to calls for more support for the self-employed.

Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed there are now 4.97 million self-employed people in the UK. The rise in self-employment is driven by women choosing to become their own boss. The data showed the number of women in self-employment rose by 51,000 in the last quarter. Andy Chamberlain, from freelancer group IPSE, said: "This rise in self-employment is great news for the UK economy and underlines how attractive this way of working is for millions of people. Access to freelancers is a key driver of innovation and productivity for business so we must do everything we can to help them flourish.

"I'm not surprised that this boom is being powered by female freelancers. Our research shows that the freedom and flexibility of being their own boss really works for highly-skilled women who want to take control of their working lives.

"The Government must urgently consider the needs of this growing group and take action to improve pensions, simplify the tax system and bring in fair parental rights."