Self-employed — all countries

Self-employed — United Kingdom

Self-employed in the United Kingdom in 2025 — 13.1%. Ranked 149 in the world out of 182. Since 1991, the indicator has fallen by 0.7 pp.

2025 13.1% −0.1 pp vs 2024
World rank 149of 182
Period maximum 15.4%2017
Period minimum 12.2%2001

Trend over time

1991–2025 · % of employment

Self-employed — United Kingdom, 1991–2025121314151619911995199920032007201120152019202320251991: 13.9%1992: 13.6%1993: 13.4%1994: 13.7%1995: 13.7%1996: 13.2%1997: 13.1%1998: 12.6%1999: 12.7%2000: 12.3%2001: 12.2%2002: 12.3%2003: 13%2004: 13.1%2005: 13%2006: 13.2%2007: 13.4%2008: 13.3%2009: 13.6%2010: 14%2011: 14.2%2012: 14.7%2013: 14.4%2014: 15.2%2015: 15%2016: 15.3%2017: 15.4%2018: 15.1%2019: 15%2020: 14.5%2021: 13.6%2022: 13.3%2023: 13.4%2024: 13.2%2025: 13.1%
Change over the period: −0.7 pp Annual average: -0.02 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: United Kingdom

United Kingdom 13.1%
World 46.4%
Northern Europe computed 12%
High-income countries computed 11%
Self-employed — United Kingdom, by year United Kingdom All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 13.1 −0.1 pp
2024 13.2 −0.2 pp
2023 13.4 +0.1 pp
2022 13.3 −0.3 pp
2021 13.6 −0.9 pp
2020 14.5 −0.5 pp
2019 15 −0.1 pp
2018 15.1 −0.3 pp
2017 15.4 +0.1 pp
2016 15.3 +0.3 pp
2015 15 −0.3 pp
2014 15.2 +0.8 pp
2013 14.4 −0.2 pp
2012 14.7 +0.5 pp
2011 14.2 +0.2 pp
2010 14 +0.4 pp
2009 13.6 +0.3 pp
2008 13.3 −0 pp
2007 13.4 +0.2 pp
2006 13.2 +0.2 pp
2005 13 −0.1 pp
2004 13.1 +0.1 pp
2003 13 +0.7 pp
2002 12.3 +0.1 pp
2001 12.2 −0 pp
2000 12.3 −0.4 pp
1999 12.7 +0.1 pp
1998 12.6 −0.5 pp
1997 13.1 −0.2 pp
1996 13.2 −0.4 pp
1995 13.7 −0.1 pp
1994 13.7 +0.3 pp
1993 13.4 −0.2 pp
1992 13.6 −0.3 pp
1991 13.9

About the indicator

The share of total employment that is self-employed: employers, own-account workers, members of producers cooperatives and contributing family workers. High values in low-income countries reflect not developed entrepreneurship but the absence of wage jobs and informal work in agriculture and small-scale trade.

Source: ILOSTAT (ILO), license CC BY 4.0.