There are a number of ways to describe working from a location outside of the traditional “office” environment – from telecommuting to cloud, home, mobile, remote or even virtual working. The Office for National Statistics reported last year that there are now 4.2 million “home worker” in the UK, which is almost double the number in 1998 when these figures first started to be recorded. This means that almost 14% of the UK workforce now utilizes one of these more “flexible” options.

1. November, 2015
The Changing Place of Britain’s Workforce
by

2. PAGE 1
There are a number of ways to describe working from a location outside of the traditional
‘office’environment – from telecommuting to cloud, home, mobile, remote or even virtual
working. The Office for National Statistics reported last year that there are now 4.2 million
‘home workers’in the UK, which is almost double the number in 1998 when these figures
first started to be recorded. This means that almost 14% of the UK workforce now utilises one
of these more‘flexible’options.
Whatever you choose to call it, the popularity of more‘flexible’working is clearly a popular trend
and the fact that it’s now been made into law by the UK Government for any employee with more
than 6 months’service only goes to highlight this popularity further. However, there are also
increasing numbers of people I the UK taking a different route – working when and where they
want by becoming self-employed.
The‘Creative Economy’is essentially the growing amount of work that is based around the
generation or exploitation of knowledge and information – rather than traditional manufacturing,
for example. This burgeoning workforce and economy also been one of the largest beneficiaries of
this change, allowing more people to become freelancers and independent contractors.
In fact, according to research we conducted in August 2015, this new generation of self-employed
workers chose this type of role due to the flexible hours it offers, the freedom to be one’s own
boss, along with the creative challenge and potential for success/satisfaction being key drivers.
Therefore, it is not surprising that over 87% of people we spoke to said that taking all things into
account, they would choose to be self-employed.
The growth in‘home workers’has also given rise to a dramatic change in where the UK’s growing
‘Creative Economy’is able to reside. Gone are the days where freelancers flock to London in order
to build up a network of contacts to ensure a regular stream of work. Meaning that workers are
increasingly able to move from the shadow of the UK capital to live wherever they want.
Across Great Britain, the South West of England had
the highest rate of home workers
Percentage of workers who use their home for work
South West
South East
East of England
Wales
London
East Midlands
West Midlands
North West
Yorkshire and The Humber
North East
Scotland
17.1%
16.4%
15.2%
14.0%
13.6%
13.0%
12.8%
12.1%
11.5%
11.1%
10.7%
Percentage
increase since 2008
8.7%
11.5%
4.6%
0.7%
15.4%
10%
6.3%
14.8%
7.8%
10%
13%

3. PAGE 2
There are a number of drivers behind this change to a‘Creative Economy’that is based outside
of Greater London, including:
Technological advancements:1
The ability for people to work alone remotely has never been a prob-
lem, but the advancement in digital technology means that workers
can now be part of a wider team and collaborate on projects without
ever needing to be in the same room. All a worker needs is the right
devices (laptop or tablet and a smartphone), a good internet connec-
tion and somewhere to sit and work. This trend will only be fuelled
further by the UK government’s plans to extend superfast broadband
to 95% of the UK by 2017 – allowing more people to stay at home,
while being as productive as if they were sat at a desk in a London
office.
Understanding the benefits:
Increasingly, both employers and employees are understanding the
true benefits of a remote freelance workforce. For the employer it
allows access to skilled staff that you know is an expert in their field,
but on a project or temporary basis rather than a full-time employee.
For the employee, the new‘Creative Economy’allows them to focus
on the areas of work they enjoy without as many distractions, as well
as saving time and money on things like travel – not to mention living
in or around the capital. In fact, research by Stanford University has
also found that remote workers are 13% more productive even take
fewer sick days than normal commuting in-office staff.
Culture of trust:
The main reason business aren’t in favour of home working in
particular is that they don’t necessarily trust that staff will be as
focused as they are in the office. However, employers that are already
utilising the expertise of freelancers or contractors have already shown
an increased level of trust in the expertise of their employee for the
job – as well as their ability to deliver on the project they have been
given, because their payment is naturally attached to that delivery.
Meaning that the‘Creative Economy’was a natural fit for the increase
in home working that we have seen in recent years.
2
3

4. PAGE 3
The growth in the‘Creative Economy’has sparked a movement of workers from London and
the South East to live and work further afield around the UK, while still being able to provide
their expertise to the capital’s economy – as well as extending their support to other areas of
the county too.
1) Manchester 5.7%
The UK’s Anywhere Worker
of UK freelancers are based
outside London
(according to PeoplePerHour’s platform)
69.3%
Most popular cities outside the capital:
2) Bristol 3.3%
3) Birmingham 3.0%
4) Leeds 2.6%
5) Glasgow 2.3%
6) Liverpool 2.0%
7) Edinburgh 1.9%
8) Brighton 1.8%
9) Newcastle upon Tyne 1.6%
10) Nottingham 1.6%
Where the UK’s freelancers are based (as defined by the
number of‘Sellers’over the last 12 months according to
their location – all data from the PPH platform)

5. PAGE 4
UK cities with the highest growth in
freelancers over the last 3 years (since 2013):
increase in UK freelancers in
last 3 years
(according to PeoplePerHour’s platform)
433%
1) York 195%
2) Reading 115%
3) Hull 78%
4) Durham 72%
5) Northampton 69%
of jobs in last 12 months POSTED
by London-based businesses
(according to PeoplePerHour’s platform)
UK cities with the biggest decline in
freelancers over the last 3 years (since 2013):
1) Godalming -82%
2) Barnstable -82%
3) North Shields -82%
4) Newbury -74%
5) Telford -73%
48%
Most productive cities outside the capital
(according to jobs completed):
1) Manchester 4.9%
2) Birmingham 3.0%
3) Leeds 2.5%
4) Bristol 2.3%
5) Reading 1.7%of jobs in last 12 months DONE
freelancers outside London
(according to PeoplePerHour’s platform)
57%

6. PAGE 5
UK cities with the highest growth in jobs completed by
freelancers over the last 3 years (since 2013):
increase in UK freelancers in
last 3 years
(according to PeoplePerHour’s platform)
64%
1) York 201%
2) Basildon 128%
3) Bracknell 128%
4) Reading 61%
5) Sheffield 60%
For more information:
On‘The Rise of the Creative Economy’you can download and read our report,
published in July 2015, or to see the latest research from PeoplePerHour visit:
http://research.peopleperhour.com
Freelance work being done around the UK
(as defined by the number of jobs
‘Completed’over the last 12 months
according to their location – all data from
the PPH platform)

7. Aylish Jarvie
Aylish is an expert in the rapidly shifting freelance-marketplace,
and has become an authority on self-employment
trends across the UK.
For Press enquiries please contact:
Head of PR Aylish Jarvie
aylish@peopleperhour.com